title: Targeted nucleotide exchange in the CAG repeat region of the human HD gene.
abstract: Huntington's disease (HD) is marked by the expansion of a tract of repeated CAG codons in the HD-gene, IT15. Once expressed, the expanded poly Q region of the huntingtin protein (Htt), which is normally soluble, becomes insoluble, leading to the formation of intracellular inclusions and ultimately to neuronal degeneration. Interruption of the pure poly Q tract at the genetic level should undermine the transition from Htt solubility to Htt insolubility. Modified single-stranded oligonucleotides were used to direct the nucleotide exchange of an A residue to a T residue in the second codon of the HD-gene, resulting in the creation of a leucine residue among the poly Q tract. Consistent with results from other groups, we provide evidence that short synthetic DNA molecules can modify the HD-gene directly, preliminarily offering a potential therapeutic approach to Huntington's disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Delaware, Delaware Biotechnology Institute, 15 Innovation Way, Newark, DE 19711, USA.
authors.forename: Hetal
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Parekh-Olmedo
authors.forename: Eric B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Kmiec
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000071058:Huntingtin Protein; D008081:Liposomes; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics; D014162:Transfection; D018911:Trinucleotide Repeats
chemical_list: C086055:HTT protein, human; D000071058:Huntingtin Protein; D008081:Liposomes; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D010455:Peptides; C097188:polyglutamine