Henckaerts Group

The Henckaerts Group research focusses on virus-host interactions, viral epigenetics, AAV gene therapy and neurodegenerative diseases.

Research Interests:

Virus-host interactions
Viral epigenetics
AAV gene therapy
Neurodegenerative diseases

Members

Els Henckaerts

Senior Lecturer

Virus-host interactions

We have recently engaged in studies that have started to shed light on the complex interactions of AAV with host and helper virus. We have discovered a cellular protein that interacts with the AAV genome and causes transcriptional silencing. We are currently investigating the interactions between this protein and the Rep proteins and are investigating how AAV and helper viruses have evolved countermeasures against the actions of this protein.

Viral epigenetics

AAV gene therapy

We are involved in a number of AAV gene therapy projects ranging from preclinical studies of continuous L-DOPA delivery for the treatment of Parkinson’s to the development of new AAV capsid variants with improved biodistribution abilities. In this context, we have established collaborations with investigators at King’s and other UK universities and have teamed up with industrial partners. We have recently been awarded a Pfizer Rare Disease Consortium Grant to develop an AAV vector platform for the treatment of rare diseases. This award is also sponsoring a new line of research in my laboratory that is designed to apply insights into the basic understanding of the virus to help overcome the challenges of production for clinical use.

Neurodegenerative diseases

Generation of light-producing somatic-transgenic mice using adeno-associated virus vectors
Karda, R., Rahim, A. A., Wong, A. M. S., Suff, N., Diaz, J. A., Perocheau, D. P., Tijani, M., Ng, J., Baruteau, J., Martin, N. P., Hughes, M., Delhove, J. M. K. M., Counsell, J. R., Cooper, J. D., Henckaerts, E., Mckay, T. R., Buckley, S. M. K. & Waddington, S. N., 7 Feb 2020, In : Scientific Reports. 10, 1, 2121. Research output: Contribution to journal - Article. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-59075-3
An Improved Adeno-Associated Virus Vector for Neurological Correction of the Mouse Model of Mucopolysaccharidosis IIIA
Gray, A. L., O'Leary, C., Liao, A., Agúndez, L., Youshani, A. S., Gleitz, H. F., Parker, H., Taylor, J. T., Danos, O., Hocquemiller, M., Palomar, N., Linden, R. M., Henckaerts, E., Holley, R. J. & Bigger, B. W., 1 Sep 2019, In : Human Gene Therapy. 30, 9, p. 1052-1066 15 p. Research output: Contribution to journal - Article. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1089/hum.2018.189
Vector-mediated l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine delivery reverses motor impairments in a primate model of Parkinson's disease
Rosenblad, C., Li, Q., Pioli, E. Y., Dovero, S., Antunes, A. S., Agúndez, L., Bardelli, M., Linden, R. M., Henckaerts, E., BjÃ¶rklund, A., Bezard, E. & BjÃ¶rklund, T., 1 Aug 2019, In : Brain : a journal of neurology. 142, 8, p. 2402-2416 15 p. Research output: Contribution to journal - Article. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awz176
AAV9 intracerebroventricular gene therapy improves lifespan, locomotor function and pathology in a mouse model of Niemann-Pick type C1 disease
Hughes, M. P., Smith, D. A., Morris, L., Fletcher, C., Colaco, A., Huebecker, M., Tordo, J., Palomar, N., Massaro, G., Henckaerts, E., Waddington, S. N., Platt, F. M. & Rahim, A. A., Sep 2018, In : Human Molecular Genetics. 27, 17, p. 3079-3098 20 p. Research output: Contribution to journal - Article. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1093/hmg/ddy212
Exchange of functional domains between a bacterial conjugative relaxase and the integrase of the human adeno-associated virus
Agúndez, L., Zárate-Pérez, F., Meier, A. F., Bardelli, M., Llosa, M., Escalante, C. R., Linden, R. M. & Henckaerts, E., 17 Jul 2018, In : PLoS ONE. 13, 7, e0200841. Research output: Contribution to journal - Article. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0200841
A novel adeno-associated virus capsid with enhanced neurotropism corrects a lysosomal transmembrane enzyme deficiency
Tordo, J., O'Leary, C., Antunes, A. S. L. M., Palomar, N., Aldrin-Kirk, P., Basche, M., Bennett, A., D'Souza, Z., Gleitz, H., Godwin, A., Holley, R. J., Parker, H., Liao, A. Y., Rouse, P., Youshani, A. S., Dridi, L., Martins, C., Levade, T., Stacey, K. B., Davis, D. M. & 11 others, Dyer, A., Clément, N., BjÃ¶rklund, T., Ali, R. R., Agbandje-McKenna, M., Rahim, A. A., Pshezhetsky, A., Waddington, S. N., Linden, R. M., Bigger, B. W. & Henckaerts, E., Jul 2018, In : Brain. 141, 7, p. 2014-2031 18 p. Research output: Contribution to journal - Article. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awy126
Inhibition of somatosensory mechanotransduction by annexin A6
Raouf, R., Lolignier, S., Sexton, J. E., Millet, Q., Santana-Varela, S., Biller, A., Fuller, A. M., Pereira, V., Choudhary, J. S., Collins, M. O., Moss, S. E., Lewis, R., Tordo, J., Henckaerts, E., Linden, M. & Wood, J. N., Jun 2018, In : Science Signaling. 11, 535, p. 1-10 eaao2060 . Research output: Contribution to journal - Article. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1126/scisignal.aao2060
Adeno-associated virus Rep proteins antagonize phosphatase PP1 to counteract KAP1 repression of the latent viral genome
Smith-Moore, S., Neil, S. J. D., Fraefel, C., Linden, R. M., Bollen, M., Rowe, H. M. & Henckaerts, E., 10 Apr 2018, In : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 115, 15, p. E3529-E3538 Research output: Contribution to journal - Article. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1721883115
Recombinant AAV gene therapy for the treatment of EGFR positive lung cancer
Zaki, K., Agundez, L., Sanchez, B., Linden, M., Henckaerts, E., Takeuchi, Y. & Collins, M., 1 Oct 2016, In : Annals of Oncology. 27, p. vi3 Research output: Contribution to journal - Article. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1093/annonc/mdw362.11
Identification of a Functionally Relevant Adeno-Associated Virus Rep68 Oligomeric Interface
Bardelli, M., Zárate-Pérez, F., Agúndez, L., Michael Linden, R., Escalante, C. R. & Henckaerts, E., Aug 2016, In : Journal of Virology. 90, 15, p. 6612-6624 13 p. Research output: Contribution to journal - Article. DOIs: https://doi.org/10.1128/JVI.00356-16

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Nelly Jolinon

Henckaerts Group

Members

Els Henckaerts

Virus-host interactions

Viral epigenetics

AAV gene therapy

Neurodegenerative diseases

Generation of light-producing somatic-transgenic mice using adeno-associated virus vectors

An Improved Adeno-Associated Virus Vector for Neurological Correction of the Mouse Model of Mucopolysaccharidosis IIIA

Vector-mediated l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine delivery reverses motor impairments in a primate model of Parkinson's disease

AAV9 intracerebroventricular gene therapy improves lifespan, locomotor function and pathology in a mouse model of Niemann-Pick type C1 disease

Exchange of functional domains between a bacterial conjugative relaxase and the integrase of the human adeno-associated virus

A novel adeno-associated virus capsid with enhanced neurotropism corrects a lysosomal transmembrane enzyme deficiency

Inhibition of somatosensory mechanotransduction by annexin A6

Adeno-associated virus Rep proteins antagonize phosphatase PP1 to counteract KAP1 repression of the latent viral genome

Recombinant AAV gene therapy for the treatment of EGFR positive lung cancer

Identification of a Functionally Relevant Adeno-Associated Virus Rep68 Oligomeric Interface

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Virus-host interactions

Viral epigenetics

AAV gene therapy

Neurodegenerative diseases

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