Abstract:
A number of common mutations alter splicing patterns of the β-globin premRNA
by creating aberrant splice sites. This defect in splicing results in a deficiency
of β-globin mRNA and subsequently β-globin protein. It has been shown that masking
of the abnormal splice site with antisense oligonucleotides can force the spliceosome
to reselect the correct splice sites, resulting in a shift of abnormal to correct splicing
pattern. Previous studies were carried out in IVS1-110, IVS2-654, -705 and -745
mutations that induce aberrant splice sites in intron of the β-globin pre-mRNA. In this
study, I investigated the possibility of the use of the antisense oligonucleotide to target
the cryptic splice site in exon 1 of the βΕ-globin pre-mRNA. The results showed that
the oligonucleotide targeted to a cryptic splice site at nucleotide 127 (codon 25) in
exon 1 of the βΕ-globin pre-mRNA activated by the ΗbE mutation effectively restored
correctly spliced βΕ-globin mRNA and βΕ-globin in the HeLa cell line model that
expressed human β-globin gene with a double βΕ/IVS1-6 mutation. Moreover, an
increase in the levels of correctly spliced βΕ-globin mRNA and hemoglobin E was
observed in oligonucleotide-treated erythroid precursor cells from thalassemic patients
carrying the ΗbE mutation. The results indicated the therapeutic potential of
oligonucleotides in repairing the splicing caused by both intronic and exonic aberrant
splice sites.
The same oligonucleotide was used to suppress the aberrant splice site at
nucleotide 127 (codon 25) activated in pre-mRNAs carrying single mutations,
βΕ , IVS1-5 and -6. The results showed that the oligonucleotide could suppress
abnormal splicing and reduce the amount of aberrantly spliced mRNAs in both IVS1-5
and -6. This study revealed the advantage of targeting a common aberrant splice site
created by several mutations with a single oligonucleotide. Note that a double
mutation, βΕ/IVS1-5, was too strong to be repaired, therefore, the oligonucleotide was
ineffective in modifying its splicing pathway.
The above results have been obtained by delivering the oligonucleotides with a
scrape or syringe loading technique. Subsequently, I was able to demonstrate that a
neutral, morpholino oligonucleotide, could be effectively delivered into erythroid cells
by free uptake. This treatment resulted in a high level of correct β-globin mRNA and
hemoglobin A in erythroid cells from thalassemic patients with the IVS2-654/HbE
genotype. To lay a foundation for future in vivo studies, the oligonucleotides were
tested on bone marrow cells from transgenic mice carrying the human gene with β-
globin IVS2-654 splice mutation. The results showed that free delivery of antisense
oligonucleotide could effectively restore correctly spliced human β-globin mRNA, not
only in cell lines and human erythroid precursor cells but also in murine bone marrow
cells. The thalassemic animal will serve as a model for studies of pharmacological
properties of the anitsense oligonucleotides. Overall the results presented here indicate
that the antisense technology may be useful for treatment of β-thalassemia and
possibly other disorders