Human adenosine deaminase expression in mice

A replication defective retroviral vector containing a human adenosine deaminase (hADA) cDNA was produced by GP + E-86 packaging cells at high titer. We report long-term expression of hADA in the hematopoietic tissues of mice transplanted with bone marrow cells infected by in vitro co-cultivation with vector producing cells. Western analysis using an hADA-specific antibody allowed detection of the protein in the peripheral blood of all 37 transplanted mice for at least 9 weeks. Sixty-eight percent of the animals continued to express hADA in one or more of their hematopoietic tissues for the experimental period, and hADA was found in both spleen colonies and tissues of secondary recipients. There was provirus integration and expression in myeloid, erythroid, and lymphoid cell lineages, indicating extensive repopulation by the progeny of infected stem cells. The vector did not contain a selectable marker, and the infected stem cells did not have a competitive in vivo advantage. Nevertheless, we observed consistent gene transfer into hematopoietic stem cells and long-term expression of a human gene product in their progeny.     

Localization of adenosine deaminase and adenosine deaminase complexing protein in rabbit heart. Implications for adenosine metabolism.

The distribution of adenosine deaminase and adenosine deaminase complexing protein in rabbit heart has been compared using immunohistochemical staining procedures. Sections (4-5 microns) of tissue fixed in Clarke's solution or paraformaldehyde and embedded in paraffin were stained by the peroxidase anti-peroxidase method for adenosine deaminase or complexing protein, using affinity purified antibodies. Staining for adenosine deaminase and complexing protein was observed in the central myocardium of all heart chambers. Adenosine deaminase was detected in endothelial cells of blood vessels and adjacent pericytes. The nuclei of arteries stained heavily for adenosine deaminase, whereas those of venules and small veins, although positive, stained much more lightly. The cytoplasm of blood vessel endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells of the tunica media were also weakly positive for adenosine deaminase. Endothelial cells of the endocardium and epicardium did not stain. Randomly distributed mononuclear inflammatory cells and interstitial connective tissue fibroblasts were also negative for adenosine deaminase. These results raise the possibility that endothelial cells containing adenosine deaminase could serve as a metabolic barrier preventing the free exchange of plasma and interstitial adenosine. Positive staining for complexing protein was restricted to blood vessel endothelial cells, especially cytoplasmic processes. Colocalization experiments carried out with biotinylated primary antibodies indicate that some vessels are positive for both adenosine deaminase and complexing protein. This is the first experimental evidence of possible in situ association of adenosine deaminase and complexing protein.     

Disruption of genes encoding subunits of yeast vacuolar H(+)-ATPase causes conditional lethality.

The main function of vacuolar H(+)-ATPases in eukaryotic cells is to generate proton and electrochemical gradients across the membranes of the vacuolar system. The enzyme is composed of a catalytic sector with five subunits (A-E) and a membrane sector containing at least two subunits (a and c). We disrupted two genes of this enzyme, in yeast cells, one encoding a subunit of the membrane sector (subunit c) and another encoding a subunit of the catalytic sector (subunit B). The resulting mutants did not grow in medium with a pH value higher than 6.5 and grew well only within a narrow pH range around 5.5. Transformation of the mutants with plasmids containing the corresponding genes repaired the mutations. Thus failure to lower the pH in the vacuolar system of yeast, and probably other eukaryotic cells, is lethal and the mutants may survive only if a low external pH allows for this acidification by fluid-phase endocytosis.     

Disruption of the type 2 dopamine receptor gene causes a sodium-dependent increase in blood pressure in mice

BACKGROUND: Dopamine D(2) receptors (D(2)Rs) are expressed in the kidney. It has not been determined whether D(2)Rs are involved in the mechanism of sodium handling and blood pressure (BP) control. METHODS: The function of D(2)Rs was investigated in mice disrupted with D(2)R gene (D(2)KO mice). Six-week-old male D(2)KO mice and wild-type (WT) mice were fed high-salt (4% NaCl) or low-salt (0.01% NaCl) diets for 8 weeks. RESULTS: Before starting the metabolic diet, there were no significant differences in body weight, food consumption, and 24-h urine excretions of creatinine, sodium and potassium. The high-salt diet caused a significant elevation in systolic BP in D(2)KO mice but not in WT mice. Calculation of sodium and potassium balances revealed a significantly high level of sodium retention in D(2)KO mice placed on the high-salt diet. Twenty-four-hour urine norepinephrine excretions and heart rates, indicators of sympathetic activity, were not different in D(2)KO and WT mice on the high-salt diet. Administration of nemonapride, a specific D(2)-like receptor antagonist, to WT mice given 0.9% NaCl in drinking water caused suppression of urinary sodium excretion but had no effect in mice without salt loading. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that D(2) receptors promote sodium excretion during a period of high salt intake. A defect in this mechanism may result in sodium-dependent BP elevation.     

The use of adenosine deaminase and adenosine deaminase isoenzymes in the diagnosis of tuberculous pleuritis

The bacillary population described in tuberculous pleuritis is small, and its most likely pathogenetic mechanism is essentially immunologic. This explains why, until now, the diagnostic identification of tuberculous pleuritis (TP) has been based on the presence of granulomas in pleural biopsy. Correcting this diagnostic deficiency through other parameters related to the specific pathogenetic mechanism has been widely studied. The determination of the levels of adenosine deaminase (ADA) in pleural fluid offers high performance in its discriminating capacity to identify TP (sensitivity 87 to 100%, specificity 81 to 97%). Adenosine deaminase expresses the sum of two isoenzymes (ADA1 and ADA2). ADA1 is ubiquitous in all cells, including lymphocytes and monocytes, whereas ADA2 is found only in monocytes. Analysis and determination of these isoenzymes have shown that ADA in TP increases particularly at the expense of ADA2 and that the ADA1 /ADAp activity ratio improves performance in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and efficacy (100%, 92 to 97%, and 98%, respectively) in correcting all false-negative and false-positive results except 1 to 9% of nonlymphoproliferative malignancies. Only the high performance of ADA in the identification of TP allows it to be assumed that pleural biopsy can be obviated, especially in patients aged less than 35 years of age or having a lymphocyte-to-neutrophil proportion of more than 0.75 in regions of high prevalence. Quick determination and low cost justify its routine use in exudates. The ADA1 /ADAp activity ratio improves performance even more and could be used in cases with uncertain diagnoses or in regions with low prevalence of tuberculosis.     

Deficiency of adenosine deaminase in the wasted mouse.

Wasted (wst) is a spontaneous mutation with autosomal recessive inheritance. Abnormally low levels of adenosine deaminase have been found in erythrocytes from the wasted mouse. Enzyme activity in wst/wst mice is reduced to 38% of that found in the erythrocytes from control mice, and the apparent Km for adenosine is reduced to 51% of control. These changes imply an alteration in the catalytic properties of the enzyme arising from a change in the primary structure of the protein. We postulate that wasted is a mutation in the structural gene for adenosine deaminase. In man, the autosomal recessive form of severe combined immunodeficiency is associated, in about one-third of cases, with a deficiency of adenosine deaminase. Wasted mice are immunodeficient, develop neurological abnormalities, and die soon after weaning. These features are shared with the human syndrome. We therefore further suggest that the wasted mouse is an animal model for this form of severe combined immunodeficiency that will have potential use in gene-therapy studies.     

Expression of human adenosine deaminase in mice reconstituted with retrovirus-transduced hematopoietic stem cells.

Recombinant retroviruses encoding human adenosine deaminase (ADA; adenosine aminohydrolase, EC 3.5.4.4) have been used to infect murine hematopoietic stem cells. In bone marrow transplant recipients reconstituted with the genetically modified cells, human ADA was detected in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the recipients for at least 6 months after transplantation. In animals analyzed in detail 4 months after transplantation, human ADA and proviral sequences were detected in all hematopoietic lineages; in several cases, human ADA activity exceeded the endogenous activity. These studies demonstrate the feasibility of introducing a functional human ADA gene into hematopoietic stem cells and obtaining expression in multiple hematopoietic lineages long after transplantation. This approach should be helpful in designing effective gene therapies for severe combined immunodeficiency syndromes in humans.     

Purine metabolism in adenosine deaminase deficiency.

Purine and pyrimidine metabolites were measured in erythrocytes, plasma, and urine of a 5-month-old infant with adenosine deaminase (adenosine aminohydrolase, EC 3.5.4.4) deficiency. Adenosine and adenine were measured using newly devised ion exchange separation techniques and a sensitive fluorescence assay. Plasma adenosine levels were increased, whereas adenosine was normal in erythrocytes and not detectable in urine. Increased amounts of adenine were found in erythrocytes and urine as well as in the plasma. Erythrocyte adenosine 5'-monophosphate and adenosine diphosphate concentrations were normal, but adenosine triphosphate content was greatly elevated. Because of the possibility of pyrimidine starvation, pyrimidine nucleotides (pyrimidine coenzymes) in erythrocytes and orotic acid in urine were measured. Pyrimidine nucleotide concentrations were normal, while orotic acid was not detected. These studies suggest that the immune deficiency associated with adenosine deaminase deficiency may be related to increased amounts of adenine, adenosine, or adenine nucleotides.     

Defective placental vasculogenesis causes embryonic lethality in VHL-deficient mice

Inheritance of an inactivated form of the VHL tumor suppressor gene predisposes patients to develop von Hippel–Lindau disease, and somatic VHL inactivation is an early genetic event leading to the development of sporadic renal cell carcinoma. The VHL gene was disrupted by targeted homologous recombination in murine embryonic stem cells, and a mouse line containing an inactivated VHL allele was generated. While heterozygous VHL (+/−) mice appeared phenotypically normal, VHL −/− mice died in utero at 10.5 to 12.5 days of gestation (E10.5 to E12.5). Homozygous VHL −/− embryos appeared to develop normally until E9.5 to E10.5, when placental dysgenesis developed. Embryonic vasculogenesis of the placenta failed to occur in VHL −/− mice, and hemorrhagic lesions developed in the placenta. Subsequent hemorrhage in VHL −/− embryos caused necrosis and death. These results indicate that VHL expression is critical for normal extraembryonic vascular development.     

Calcium carbonate supplementation causes memory impairment in mice

Objective: To investigate the influence of calcium carbonate supplementation on cognitive function in mice. Methods: Mice were fed diets containing 1.0% calcium carbonate for 8 weeks, following which they were evaluated for memory function using object recognition, Y-maze, and Barnes maze tests. Next, the expression levels of cAMP response element binding protein(CREB) and phosphorylated CREB, which is involved in the memory process were investigated in both the hippocampus and cerebral cortex using western blotting methods. Results: Mice fed on a diet containing calcium carbonate showed memory impairments in object recognition, Y-maze, and Barnes maze tests with respect to the mice that were on a control diet. Further, mice that were fed a diet containing calcium carbonate and a nimodipine(an L-type calcium channel antagonist), reversed calcium carbonate-induced memory impairments, thus suggesting that excessive entry of calcium in cells may cause memory impairments. A study using western blot revealed that expression of CREB and phosphorylated CREB in hippocampus and cerebral cortex was significantly lower in the calcium carbonatefed mice than in the control-diet-fed mice. Conclusions: These results suggest that a calcium carbonate diet may cause memory impairment by decreasing CREB expression. This is the first report of calcium carbonate supplementation causing memory impairment. This simple animal model may be useful as a novel cognitive impairment model for drug development.     

Long-term expression of human adenosine deaminase in mice transplanted with retrovirus-infected hematopoietic stem cells.

Long-term stable expression of foreign genetic sequences transferred into hematopoietic stem cells by using retroviral vectors constitutes a relevant model for somatic gene therapy. Such stability of expression may depend on vector design, including the presence or absence of specific sequences within the vector, in combination with the nature and efficiency of infection of the hematopoietic target cells. We have previously reported successful transfer of human DNA encoding adenosine deaminase (ADA) into CFU-S (colony-forming unit-spleen) stem cells using simplified recombinant retroviral vectors. Human ADA was expressed in CFU-S-derived spleen colonies at levels near to endogenous enzyme. However, because of the lack of an efficient dominant selectable marker and low recombinant viral titers, stability of long-term expression of human ADA was not examined. We report here the development of an efficient method of infection of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) without reliance on in vitro selection. Peripheral blood samples of 100% of mice transplanted with HSC infected by this protocol exhibit expression of human ADA 30 days after transplantation. Some mice (6 of 13) continue to express human ADA in all lineages after complete hematopoietic reconstitution (4 months). The use of recombinant retroviral vectors that efficiently transfer human ADA cDNA into HSC leading to stable expression of functional ADA in reconstituted mice, provides an experimental framework for future development of approaches to somatic gene therapy.     

Targeted disruption of the Rad51 gene leads to lethality in embryonic mice.

The mouse Rad51 gene is a mammalian homologue of the Escherichia coli recA and yeast RAD51 genes, both of which are involved in homologous recombination and DNA repair. To elucidate the physiological role of RAD51 protein, the gene was targeted in embryonic stem (ES) cells. Mice heterozygous for the Rad51 null mutation were intercrossed and their offspring were genotyped. There were no homozygous (Rad51-/-) pups among 148 neonates examined but a few Rad51-/- embryos were identified when examined during the early stages of embryonic development. Doubly knocked-out ES cells were not detected under conditions of selective growth. These results are interpreted to mean that RAD51 protein plays an essential role in the proliferation of cell. The homozygous Rad51 null mutation can be categorized in cell-autonomous defects. Pre-implantational lethal mutations that disrupt basic molecular functions will thus interfere with cell viability.     

Factors affecting the transduction of pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells: long-term expression of a human adenosine deaminase gene in mice

An amphotropic retroviral vector, LgAL(delta Mo + PyF101) containing a human adenosine deaminase (ADA) cDNA was used to optimize procedures for the lasting genetic modification of the hematopoietic system of mice. The highest number of retrovirally infected cells in the hematopoietic tissues of long-term reconstituted mice was observed after transplantation of bone marrow (BM) cells that had been cocultured in the presence of both interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) and IL-3. A significantly lower number was detected when IL-1 alpha was omitted from such cocultures. The yield of cells that generate spleen colony-forming cells (CFU-S) in the BM of lethally irradiated recipients (MRA-CFU-S) significantly improved on inclusion of the adherent cell fraction of cocultures in the transplant. Retroviral integration patterns in MRA-CFU-S-derived spleen colonies showed that an MRA-CFU-S can produce many CFU-S during BM regeneration. Expression of hADA was detected in the circulating white blood cells of long-term reconstituted animals, demonstrating that the LgAL(delta Mo + PyF101) vector is capable of directing the sustained expression of hADA, and in approximately 35% of the transduced MRA-CFU-S-derived spleen colonies. These results should facilitate the development of gene therapy protocols for the treatment of severe combined immunodeficiency caused by a lack of functional ADA.     

Hot spot mutations in adenosine deaminase deficiency.

We have previously characterized mutant adenosine deaminase (ADA; adenosine aminohydrolase, EC 3.5.4.4) enzymes in seven children with partial ADA deficiency. Six children shared common origins, suggesting a common progenitor. However, we found evidence for multiple phenotypically different mutant enzymes. We hypothesized that many of the mutations would be at CpG dinucleotides, hot spots at which spontaneous deamination of 5-methylcytosine results in C to T or G to A transitions. Digestion of DNA from these children with Msp I and Taq I, enzymes recognizing CpG dinucleotides, identified three different mutations, each correlating with expression of a different mutant enzyme. Sequencing of cDNA clones and genomic DNA amplified by polymerase chain reaction confirmed the presence of C to T or G to A transitions at CpG dinucleotides (C226 to T, G446 to A, and C821 to T, resulting in Arg76 to Trp, Arg149 to Gln, and Pro274 to Leu). A "null" mutation, also found in two ADA-deficient severe combined immunodeficient children, was serendipitously detected as gain of a site for Msp I. Simultaneous loss of a site for Bal I defined the precise base substitution (T320 to C, Leu107 to Pro), confirmed by sequence analysis. To determine the true frequency of hot spot mutation in these children, consecutively ascertained through a newborn screening program, we sequenced cDNA from the remaining alleles. Two others were hot spot mutations (C631 to T and G643 to A, resulting in Arg211 to Cys and Ala215 to Thr), each again resulting in expression of a phenotypically different mutant enzyme. Only one additional mutation (previously identified by us) is not in a hot spot. These seven mutations account for all 14 chromosomes in these children. There is thus a very high frequency of hot spot mutations in partial ADA deficiency. Most of these children carry two different mutant alleles. We were able to correlate genotype and phenotype and to dissect the activity of individual mutant alleles.     

Efficient retrovirus-mediated transfer and expression of a human adenosine deaminase gene in diploid skin fibroblasts from an adenosine deaminase-deficient human.

Skin fibroblasts might be considered suitable recipients for therapeutic genes to cure several human genetic diseases; however, these cells are resistant to gene transfer by most methods. We have studied the ability of retroviral vectors to transfer genes into normal human diploid skin fibroblasts. Retroviruses carrying genes for neomycin or hygromycin B resistance conferred drug resistance to greater than 50% of the human fibroblasts after a single exposure to virus-containing medium. This represents at least a 500-fold increase in efficiency over other methods. Transfer was achieved in the absence of helper virus by using amphotropic retrovirus-packaging cells. A retrovirus vector containing a human adenosine deaminase (ADA) cDNA was constructed and used to infect ADA-fibroblasts from a patient with ADA deficiency. The infected cells produced 12-fold more ADA enzyme than fibroblasts from normal individuals and were able to rapidly metabolize exogenous deoxyadenosine and adenosine, metabolites that accumulate in plasma in ADA-deficient patients and are responsible for the severe combined immunodeficiency in these patients. These experiments indicate the potential of retrovirus-mediated gene transfer into human fibroblasts for gene therapy.     

B-vitamin deficiency causes hyperhomocysteinemia and vascular cognitive impairment in mice

In older adults, mildly elevated plasma total homocysteine (hyperhomocysteinemia) is associated with increased risk of cognitive impairment, cerebrovascular disease, and Alzheimer's disease, but it is uncertain whether this is due to underlying metabolic, neurotoxic, or vascular processes. We report here that feeding male C57BL6/J mice a B-vitamin-deficient diet for 10 weeks induced hyperhomocysteinemia, significantly impaired spatial learning and memory, and caused a significant rarefaction of hippocampal microvasculature without concomitant gliosis and neurodegeneration. Total hippocampal capillary length was inversely correlated with Morris water maze escape latencies (r = −0.757, P < 0.001), and with plasma total homocysteine (r = −0.631, P = 0.007). Feeding mice a methionine-rich diet produced similar but less pronounced effects. Our findings suggest that cerebral microvascular rarefaction can cause cognitive dysfunction in the absence of or preceding neurodegeneration. Similar microvascular changes may mediate the association of hyperhomocysteinemia with human age-related cognitive decline.