The Journal of investigative dermatology
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J. Invest. Dermatol. · May 2014
Patient-specific naturally gene-reverted induced pluripotent stem cells in recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa.
Spontaneous reversion of disease-causing mutations has been observed in some genetic disorders. In our clinical observations of severe generalized recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB), a currently incurable blistering genodermatosis caused by loss-of-function mutations in COL7A1 that results in a deficit of type VII collagen (C7), we have observed patches of healthy-appearing skin on some individuals. When biopsied, this skin revealed somatic mosaicism resulting in the self-correction of C7 deficiency. ⋯ Our results give proof-of-principle that an inexhaustible supply of functional patient-specific revertant cells can be obtained--potentially relevant to local wound therapy and systemic hematopoietic cell transplantation. This technology may also avoid some of the major limitations of other cell therapy strategies, e.g., immune rejection and insertional mutagenesis, which are associated with viral- and nonviral-mediated gene therapy. We believe this approach should be the starting point for autologous cellular therapies using 'natural' gene therapy in RDEB and other diseases.