Cystic fibrosis (CF) animal models have contributed significantly to understanding the mechanism of underlying disease. However, existing CF animal models have their limitations, either because the animal models fail to reproduce human phenotypes or because the animal models have very high maintenance costs and need specialized care. In addition, lacking good ?F508CFTR animal model results in poor understanding the pathogenesis of the most common mutation in CF patients and halts CF drug discovery. Using CRISPR/Cas9 we have developed the first rabbit with the disruption of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). Initial work on CFTR knockout rabbits (CFTR-/-) revealed lung pathology that is similar to that in human CF patients. In this application, we will test:
Aim 1, generate rabbits carrying ?F508 mutation (CFTR?F508/?F508) in CFTR locus;
Aim 2, generate gut-corrected CFTR?F508/?F508 rabbits (TgCFTR-CFTR?F508/?F508);
and Aim 3, characterize CFTR?F508/?F508 rabbits. The success of proposed work will provide an animal model for understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms, accelerating CF drug discovery and testing the efficacy of new drugs.

Public Health Relevance

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common life-threatening monogenetic disease. The majority of human CF patients (>70%) carry the ?F508 mutation in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. We propose to develop ?F508CFTR rabbits, which allow us to study CF pathology, and facilitate the development of therapeutic strategies for the disease.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01HL133162-04
Application #
9741170
Study Section
Lung Cellular, Molecular, and Immunobiology Study Section (LCMI)
Program Officer
Lachowicz-Scroggins, Marrah Elizabeth
Project Start
2016-07-05
Project End
2020-06-30
Budget Start
2019-07-01
Budget End
2020-06-30
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2019
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Wayne State University
Department
Physiology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
001962224
City
Detroit
State
MI
Country
United States
Zip Code
48202
Hou, Xia; Wei, Hongguang; Rajagopalan, Carthic et al. (2018) Dissection of the Role of VIMP in Endoplasmic Reticulum-Associated Degradation of CFTR?F508. Sci Rep 8:4764
Hou, Xia; Yang, Zhao; Zhang, Kezhong et al. (2017) SUMOylation represses the transcriptional activity of the Unfolded Protein Response transducer ATF6. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 494:446-451