Generic and personalized RNAi-based therapeutics for a dominant-negative epidermal fragility disorder

TY - JOUR

T1 - Generic and personalized RNAi-based therapeutics for a dominant-negative epidermal fragility disorder

AU - Leslie Pedrioli, Deena M.

AU - Fu, Dun Jack

AU - Gonzalez-Gonzalez, Emilio

AU - Contag, Christopher H.

AU - Kaspar, Roger L.

AU - Smith, Frances J. D.

AU - McLean, W. H. Irwin

N1 - 0022-202X

PY - 2012/6

Y1 - 2012/6

N2 - Epidermolytic palmoplantar keratoderma (EPPK) is one of >30 autosomal-dominant human keratinizing disorders that could benefit from RNA interference (RNAi)-based therapy. EPPK is caused by mutations in the keratin 9 (KRT9) gene, which is exclusively expressed in thick palm and sole skin where there is considerable keratin redundancy. This, along with the fact that EPPK is predominantly caused by a few hotspot mutations, makes it an ideal proof-of-principle model skin disease to develop gene-specific, as well as mutation-specific, short interfering RNA (siRNA) therapies. We have developed a broad preclinical RNAi-based therapeutic package for EPPK containing generic KRT9 siRNAs and allele-specific siRNAs for four prevalent mutations. Inhibitors were systematically identified in vitro using a luciferase reporter gene assay and validated using an innovative dual-Flag/Strep-TagII quantitative immunoblot assay. siKRT9-1 and siKRT9-3 were the most potent generic K9 inhibitors, eliciting >85% simultaneous knockdown of wild-type and mutant K9 protein synthesis at picomolar concentrations. The allele-specific inhibitors displayed similar potencies and, importantly, exhibited strong specificities for their target dominant-negative alleles with little or no effect on wild-type K9. The most promising allele-specific siRNA, siR163Q-13, was tested in a mouse model and was confirmed to preferentially inhibit mutant allele expression in vivo.

AB - Epidermolytic palmoplantar keratoderma (EPPK) is one of >30 autosomal-dominant human keratinizing disorders that could benefit from RNA interference (RNAi)-based therapy. EPPK is caused by mutations in the keratin 9 (KRT9) gene, which is exclusively expressed in thick palm and sole skin where there is considerable keratin redundancy. This, along with the fact that EPPK is predominantly caused by a few hotspot mutations, makes it an ideal proof-of-principle model skin disease to develop gene-specific, as well as mutation-specific, short interfering RNA (siRNA) therapies. We have developed a broad preclinical RNAi-based therapeutic package for EPPK containing generic KRT9 siRNAs and allele-specific siRNAs for four prevalent mutations. Inhibitors were systematically identified in vitro using a luciferase reporter gene assay and validated using an innovative dual-Flag/Strep-TagII quantitative immunoblot assay. siKRT9-1 and siKRT9-3 were the most potent generic K9 inhibitors, eliciting >85% simultaneous knockdown of wild-type and mutant K9 protein synthesis at picomolar concentrations. The allele-specific inhibitors displayed similar potencies and, importantly, exhibited strong specificities for their target dominant-negative alleles with little or no effect on wild-type K9. The most promising allele-specific siRNA, siR163Q-13, was tested in a mouse model and was confirmed to preferentially inhibit mutant allele expression in vivo.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84861184577

U2 - 10.1038/jid.2012.28

DO - 10.1038/jid.2012.28

M3 - Article

C2 - 22402445

SN - 0022-202X

VL - 132

SP - 1627

EP - 1635

JO - Journal of Investigative Dermatology

JF - Journal of Investigative Dermatology

IS - 6

ER -