BP180 gene delivery in junctional epidermolysis bullosa

Gene Ther. 1999 Jan;6(1):42-7. doi: 10.1038/sj.gt.3300809.

Abstract

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) comprises a family of inherited blistering skin diseases for which current therapy is only palliative. Junctional EB (JEB) involves dissociation of the dermal-epidermal junction and results from mutations in a number of genes that encode vital structural proteins, including BP180 (type XVII collagen/BPAG2). In order to develop a model of corrective gene delivery for JEB, we produced a retroviral expression vector for wild-type human BP180 and used it to restore BP180 protein expression to primary keratinocytes from BP180-negative patients with generalized atrophic JEB. Restoration of full-length BP180 protein expression was associated with adhesion parameter normalization of primary JEB keratinocytes in vitro. These cells were then used to regenerate human skin on immune-deficient mice. BP180 gene-transduced tissue demonstrated restoration of BP180 gene expression at the dermal-epidermal junction in vivo while untransduced regenerated JEB skin entirely lacked BP180 expression. These findings provide a basis for future efforts to achieve gene delivery in human EB skin tissue.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Autoantigens / genetics*
  • Autoantigens / metabolism
  • Carrier Proteins*
  • Cell Adhesion
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Collagen Type XVII
  • Collagen*
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins*
  • Dystonin
  • Epidermolysis Bullosa, Junctional / therapy*
  • Gene Transfer Techniques*
  • Genetic Therapy / methods*
  • Genetic Vectors / genetics
  • Keratinocytes / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, SCID
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins*
  • Non-Fibrillar Collagens*
  • Retroviridae / genetics
  • Skin / metabolism

Substances

  • Autoantigens
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins
  • DST protein, human
  • Dst protein, mouse
  • Dystonin
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Non-Fibrillar Collagens
  • Collagen