Development of mammalian artificial chromosomes for the treatment of genetic diseases: Sandhoff and Krabbe diseases

Abstract

Mammalian artificial chromosomes (MACs) are being developed as alternatives to viral vectors for gene therapy applications, as they allow for the introduction of large payloads of genetic information in a non-integrating, autonomously replicating format. One class of MACs, the satellite DNA-based artificial chromosome expression vehicle (ACE), is uniquely suited for gene therapy applications, in that it can be generated denovo in cells, along with being easily purified and readily transferred into a variety of recipient cell lines and primary cells. To facilitate the rapid engineering of ACEs, the ACE System was developed, permitting the efficient and reproducible loading of pre-existing ACEs with DNA sequences and/or target gene(s). As a result, the ACE System and ACEs are unique and versatile platforms for exvivo gene therapy strategies that circumvent and alleviate existing safety and delivery limitations surrounding conventional gene therapy vectors. This review will focus on the status of MAC technologies and, in particular, the application of the ACE System towards an exvivo gene therapy treatment of lysosomal storage diseases, specifically Sandhoff (MIM #268800) and Krabbe (MIM #245200) diseases.

• artificial chromosomes
• gene therapy
• Krabbe disease
• lysosomal storage disease
• Sandhoff disease
• stem cells