An enhancer-based gene-therapy strategy for spatiotemporal control of cargoes during tissue repair

Cell Stem Cell. 2023 Jan 5;30(1):96-111.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2022.11.012. Epub 2022 Dec 13.

Abstract

The efficacy and safety of gene-therapy strategies for indications like tissue damage hinge on precision; yet, current methods afford little spatial or temporal control of payload delivery. Here, we find that tissue-regeneration enhancer elements (TREEs) isolated from zebrafish can direct targeted, injury-associated gene expression from viral DNA vectors delivered systemically in small and large adult mammalian species. When employed in combination with CRISPR-based epigenome editing tools in mice, zebrafish TREEs stimulated or repressed the expression of endogenous genes after ischemic myocardial infarction. Intravenously delivered recombinant AAV vectors designed with a TREE to direct a constitutively active YAP factor boosted indicators of cardiac regeneration in mice and improved the function of the injured heart. Our findings establish the application of contextual enhancer elements as a potential therapeutic platform for spatiotemporally controlled tissue regeneration in mammals.

Keywords: YAP; cardiomyocyte proliferation; enhancers; gene therapy; heart regeneration; mouse; pig; tissue regeneration; zebrafish.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Enhancer Elements, Genetic*
  • Genetic Therapy* / methods
  • Heart* / physiology
  • Mice
  • Myocardial Infarction* / genetics
  • Myocardial Infarction* / therapy
  • Myocytes, Cardiac* / metabolism
  • Regeneration* / genetics
  • Zebrafish / genetics