A Common Human β Globin Splicing Mutation Modeled in Mice

A common human beta globin splicing mutation modeled in mice.

The betaIVS-2-654 C-->T mutation accounts for approximately 20% of beta thalassemia mutations in southern China; it causes aberrant RNA splicing and leads to beta0 thalassemia. To provide an animal model for testing therapies for correcting splicing defects, we have used the "plug and socket" method of gene targeting in murine embryonic stem cells to replace the two (cis) murine adult beta glob...

Restoration of correct splicing in IVSI-110 mutation of β-globin gene with antisense oligonucleotides: implications and applications in functional assay development

Objective(s): The use of antisense oligonucleotides (AOs) to restore normal splicing by blocking the recognition of aberrant splice sites by the spliceosome represents an innovative means of potentially controlling certain inherited disorders affected by aberrant splicing. Selection of the appropriate target site is essential in the success of an AO therapy. In this study, in search for a splic...

Sodium Butyrate and Valproic Acid as Splicing Restoring Agents in Erythroid Cells of b-Thalassemic Patients

Background: b-Thalassemia is a common autosomal recessive disorder in human caused by a defect in b-globin chain synthesis. The most common mutations causing b-Thalassemia have been found to be splicing mutations. Most of which activate aberrant cryptic splicing/sites without complete disruption of normal splicing. IVSI-110 mutation, a common splicing mutation, leads to a 90% reduction of norma...

Generation and Characterization of a Transgenic Mouse Carrying a Functional Human β-Globin Gene with the IVSI-6 Thalassemia Mutation

Mouse models that carry mutations causing thalassemia represent a suitable tool to test in vivo new mutation-specific therapeutic approaches. Transgenic mice carrying the β-globin IVSI-6 mutation (the most frequent in Middle-Eastern regions and recurrent in Italy and Greece) are, at present, not available. We report the production and characterization of a transgenic mouse line (TG-β-IVSI-6) ca...

g-Globin Promoter Prevents Silencing of a Linked Human b-Globin Gene in Transgenic Mice