Background Large animal models, such as the dog, are increasingly being used for studying diseases including gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. Dogs share similar environmental, genomic, anatomical, and intestinal physiologic features with humans. To bridge the gap between commonly used animal models, such as rodents, and humans, and expand the translational potential of the dog model, we developed a three-dimensional (3D) canine GI organoid (enteroid and colonoid) system. Organoids have recently gained interest in translational research as this model system better recapitulates the physiological and molecular features of the tissue environment in comparison with two-dimensional cultures. Results Organoids were derived from tissue of more than 40 healthy dogs and dogs with GI conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and intestinal carcinomas. Adult intestinal stem cells (ISC) were isolated from whole jejunal tissue as well as endoscopically obtained duodenal, ileal, and colonic biopsy samples using an optimized culture protocol. Intestinal organoids were comprehensively characterized using histology, immunohistochemistry, RNA in situ hybridization, and transmission electron microscopy, to determine the extent to which they recapitulated the in vivo tissue characteristics. Physiological relevance of the enteroid system was defined using functional assays such as optical metabolic imaging (OMI), the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) function assay, and Exosome-Like Vesicles (EV) uptake assay, as a basis for wider applications of this technology in basic, preclinical and translational GI research. We have furthermore created a collection of cryopreserved organoids to facilitate future research. Conclusions We establish the canine GI organoid systems as a model to study naturally occurring intestinal diseases in dogs and humans, and that can be used for toxicology studies, for analysis of host-pathogen interactions, and for other translational applications. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12915-019-0652-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Recent trials in patients with neurodegenerative diseases documented the safety of gene therapy based on adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors deposited into the brain. Inborn errors of the metabolism are the most frequent causes of neurodegeneration in pre-adulthood. In Sanfilippo syndrome, a lysosomal storage disease in which heparan sulfate oligosaccharides accumulate, the onset of clinical manifestation is before 5 years. Studies in the mouse model showed that gene therapy providing the missing enzyme α-N-acetyl-glucosaminidase to brain cells prevents neurodegeneration and improves behavior. We now document safety and efficacy in affected dogs. Animals received eight deposits of a serotype 5 AAV vector, including vector prepared in insect Sf9 cells. As shown previously in dogs with the closely related Hurler syndrome, immunosuppression was necessary to prevent neuroinflammation and elimination of transduced cells. In immunosuppressed dogs, vector was efficiently delivered throughout the brain, induced α-N-acetyl-glucosaminidase production, cleared stored compounds and storage lesions. The suitability of the procedure for clinical application was further assessed in Hurler dogs, providing information on reproducibility, tolerance, appropriate vector type and dosage, and optimal age for treatment in a total number of 25 treated dogs. Results strongly support projects of human trials aimed at assessing this treatment in Sanfilippo syndrome.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is typically diagnosed in the preschool years because of locomotor defects, indicative of muscle damage. Thus, effective therapies must be able to rescue muscle from further decline. We have established that peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (Pgc-1α) gene transfer will prevent many aspects of dystrophic pathology, likely through upregulation of utrophin and increased oxidative capacity; however, the extent to which it will rescue muscle with disease manifestations has not been determined. Our hypothesis is that gene transfer of Pgc-1α into declining muscle will reduce muscle injury compared with control muscle. To test our hypothesis, adeno-associated virus 6 (AAV6) driving expression of Pgc-1α was injected into single hind limbs of 3-wk-old mdx mice, while the contralateral limb was given a sham injection. At 6 wk of age, treated solei had 37% less muscle injury compared with sham-treated muscles (P < 0.05). Resistance to contraction-induced injury was improved 10% (P < 0.05), likely driven by the five-fold (P < 0.05) increase in utrophin protein expression and increase in dystrophin-associated complex members. Treated muscles were more resistant to fatigue, which was likely caused by the corresponding increase in oxidative markers. Pgc-1α overexpressing limbs also exhibited increased expression of genes related to muscle repair and autophagy. These data indicate that the Pgc-1α pathway remains a good therapeutic target, as it reduced muscle injury and improved function using a rescue paradigm. Further, these data also indicate that the beneficial effects of Pgc-1α gene transfer are more complex than increased utrophin expression and oxidative gene expression.

Mucopolysaccharidosis type I (MPS I) is a lysosomal storage disease caused by loss of activity of α-L-iduronidase and attendant accumulation of the glycosaminoglycans dermatan and heparan sulfates. Current treatments are suboptimal and leave residual disease including corneal clouding, skeletal deformities, valvular heart disease and cognitive impairment. We treated neonatal mucopolysaccharidosis I dogs with intravenous recombinant α-L-iduronidase replacement therapy at the conventional 0.58 mg/kg or a higher 1.57 mg/kg weekly dose for 65-81 weeks. In contrast to previous results in animals and patients treated at a later age, all animals failed to mount an antibody response to enzyme therapy, consistent with neonatal tolerization. The higher dose of enzyme led to complete normalization of lysosomal storage in liver, spleen, lung, kidney, synovium and myocardium, as well as in the hard-to-treat mitral valve. Cardiac biochemistry and Author contributions: NME and PID conceived and designed the study, analyzed data and wrote the manuscript. ADD performed experiments and data analysis and wrote the manuscript. MFM, CAV, and AF-W performed pathology. CHV, WG, and EAR performed radiology and MRIs. MP, SS, AHC and SL performed biochemistry. JKJ and EMS conducted animal work. KLK, JDP, and JAW conducted veterinary neurology procedures and support. WAW and LEM conducted veterinary cardiology procedures and support. RDW, DMB and AMB conducted veterinary ophthalmology procedures and support.Publisher's Disclaimer: 'This manuscript has been accepted for publication in Science Translational Medicine. This version has not undergone final editing. Please refer to the complete version of record at http://www.sciencetranslationalmedicine.org.The manuscript may not be reproduced or used in any manner that does not fall within the fair use provisions of the Copyright Act without the prior, written permission of AAAS.' natural history study to measure intellectual function over time in these patients is ongoing. In the canine model, even a larger 2 mg/kg weekly dose of ERT was not sufficient to clear accumulated GAG from the heart valve in older animals, though it was able to improve histologic evidence of lysosomal storage efficacy(12,13). It is possible that some MPS I pathology, including valvular disease, may be difficult or impossible to reverse. NIH Public AccessWhile some MPS I disease is not readily reversed by IV ERT, prevention may be easier to achieve. In particular, we were intrigued by reports that early or high-dose IV ERT could treat lysosomal storage in the brain in mice (14-20). We therefore treated MPS I dogs shortly after birth to determine whether hard-to-treat disease including cardiac valvular disease, skeletal disease, and corneal clouding, would respond to early initiation of therapy, and whether treating them would require a higher dose. We also sought to compare early, high-dose IV ERT to ERT administered directly into spinal fluid (intrathecally, IT) (21,22) for treatment of lysosomal storage in ...

The glaucomas are a group of diseases characterized by optic nerve damage that together represent a leading cause of blindness in the human population and in domestic animals. Here we report a mutation in LTBP2 that causes primary congenital glaucoma (PCG) in domestic cats. We identified a spontaneous form of PCG in cats and established a breeding colony segregating for PCG consistent with fully penetrant, autosomal recessive inheritance of the trait. Elevated intraocular pressure, globe enlargement and elongated ciliary processes were consistently observed in all affected cats by 8 weeks of age. Varying degrees of optic nerve damage resulted by 6 months of age. Although subtle lens zonular instability was a common feature in this cohort, pronounced ectopia lentis was identified in less than 10% of cats examined. Thus, glaucoma in this pedigree is attributed to histologically confirmed arrest in the early post-natal development of the aqueous humor outflow pathways in the anterior segment of the eyes of affected animals. Using a candidate gene approach, significant linkage was established on cat chromosome B3 (LOD 18.38, θ = 0.00) using tightly linked short tandem repeat (STR) loci to the candidate gene, LTBP2. A 4 base-pair insertion was identified in exon 8 of LTBP2 in affected individuals that generates a frame shift that completely alters the downstream open reading frame and eliminates functional domains. Thus, we describe the first spontaneous and highly penetrant non-rodent model of PCG identifying a valuable animal model for primary glaucoma that closely resembles the human disease, providing valuable insights into mechanisms underlying the disease and a valuable animal model for testing therapies.