Abstract |
Mutant proteins have the potential to exert dominant-negative effects that might limit the therapeutic efficacy of their wild-type counterparts after gene transfer. For ornithine transcarbamylase ( OTC) deficiency, in vitro studies have suggested the presence of dominant-negative effects, however, supporting in vivo studies have not been conducted. In this study, we exploited the capacity of recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) 2/8 vectors to deliver transgenes to the mouse liver with high efficiency to determine whether expression of selected OTC mutant proteins exert inhibitory effects on endogenous wild-type OTC enzymatic activity. Using site-directed mutagenesis we constructed three OTC mutants with a theoretical or reported in vitro capacity to exert dominant-negative effects, and delivered these to the liver using rAAV2/8. Each mutation had been earlier identified in patients with OTC deficiency. Treated mice showed no increase in urinary orotic acid levels or reduction in OTC activity despite supra-physiological expression of the mutant proteins, consistent with an absence of dominant-negative effects. These data have important implications for the development of gene therapy strategies for OTC deficiency and validate a model system in which potential dominant-negative effects of specific mutations in prospective patients can be examined empirically before gene therapy.
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Authors | S L Ginn, S C Cunningham, M Zheng, A Spinoulas, K H Carpenter, I E Alexander |
Journal | Gene therapy
(Gene Ther)
Vol. 16
Issue 6
Pg. 820-3
(Jun 2009)
ISSN: 1476-5462 [Electronic] England |
PMID | 19357713
(Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
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Chemical References |
- Orotic Acid
- Ornithine Carbamoyltransferase
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Topics |
- Adenoviridae
- Animals
- Blotting, Western
- Disease Models, Animal
- Enzyme Induction
(genetics)
- Gene Expression
(genetics)
- Gene Transfer Techniques
- Genetic Vectors
- Humans
- Liver
(enzymology)
- Male
- Mice
- Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
- Mutation
(genetics)
- Ornithine Carbamoyltransferase
(biosynthesis, genetics)
- Ornithine Carbamoyltransferase Deficiency Disease
(therapy)
- Orotic Acid
(urine)
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