Hemant Khanna PhD
Title Assistant Professor
Institution University of Massachusetts Medical School
Department Ophthalmology
Address University of Massachusetts Medical School
381 Plantation Street
Worcester MA 01605
Email
Other Positions
Institution UMMS - Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Department Cell Biology

Institution UMMS - Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Department Interdisciplinary Graduate Program

Institution UMMS - Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Department Neuroscience
Narrative

Additional Affiliations

Program in Cell Dynamics

Neurotherapeutics Institute

Research

Dr. Hemant KhannaPhotoreceptors (rods and cones) are highly polarized neurons with a distinct inner segment and a photosensitive outer segment. To carry out visual signaling cascades, photoreceptors undergo immense but stringently regulated trafficking of proteins from the site of synthesis in the inner segment to the outer segment. The outer segments are considered an extension of primary or sensory cilia, which are near ubiquitous organelles formed by the extension of the plasma membrane in a post-mitotic cell. Slight perturbations in the cilia-dependent protein trafficking machinery result in severe photoreceptor degenerative disorders, such as Retinitis Pigmentosa and Leber congenital amaurosis.

 

 

Schematic of a rod photoreceptor cell.

This electron microscopy image of a zebrafish photoreceptor depicts the remarkable development of sensory cilium with outer segment discs. The cilium extends from the basal body, continues into a transition zone followed by axoneme extension into the outer segment. All outer segment components are synthesized in the inner segment and transported directionally to the outer segment via the cilium.

Our lab investigates the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of trafficking of proteins in photoreceptors, specifically the microtubule-based protein trafficking mediated by primary cilia. Our studies are expected to reveal novel mechanistic insights into polarized protein trafficking and identify critical pathway intermediates that can be used to design treatment modalities.

We specifically focus on understanding the function of three cilia-associated proteins mutations in which are responsible for severe photoreceptor degenerative diseases in humans: RPGR (Retinitis Pigmentosa GTPase Regulator), RP2 (Retinitis Pigmentosa 2), and CEP290 (centrosomal protein of 290 kDa).

Our approach includes:

Proteomics: We utilize yeast two-hybrid, co-immunoprecipitation & Mass Spectrometry analyses to identify components of macromolecular complexes of photoreceptor cilia. Our previous studies have successfully identified a number of potential RPGR- and CEP290 -interacting proteins, which are involved in photoreceptor development and function.

Animal and in vitro models: To study disease progression and pathogenesis, we are generating knock out and transgenic mouse lines representing the human disease phenotype. Our analysis includes assessment of age-dependent photoreceptor degeneration and examination of defects in protein trafficking in photoreceptors. We are also generating in vivo gene knockdown mouse models using Cre/loxp system or by subretinal injection of shRNA -encoding viral vectors. A major focus of the lab is also on utilizing zebrafish as a model to delineate the function of ciliary disease proteins and the effect of mutations on photoreceptor development and maintenance. We are also generating in vitro cell line models of knockdown by using shRNA technology in neuronal as well as non-neuronal cell lines.

 

Injection of anti-sense morpholino (rpgr-MO) into zebrafish embryos

Injection of anti-sense morpholino (rpgr-MO) into aebrafish embryos result in developmental disorder, including shortened body axis and edema at 4 dpf.  Uninjected wild-type (WT) and embryo injected with the 5 base mismatch (Mm) control (rpgr-Mm)are also shown.  Arrows in the rpgr-MO panel depict the different morphological phenotypes observed in the defective embryos (left_) panels; hydrocephaly and kinked tail; right panel; edma).  Source:  Ghosh et al., Hum Mol Genet, 2010.

NEWS

preARVO 2012

Gene therapy for X-linked RP

umassmedNOW

Lab Personnel

Linjing Li, PhD: Postdoctoral Fellow

Manisha Anand, MA: Research Associate

Publications
1. William A. Beltran, Artur V. Cideciyan, Alfred S. Lewin, Simone Iwabe, Hemant Khanna, Alexander Sumaroka, Vince A. Chiodo, Diego S. Fajardo, Alejandro J. Román, Wen-Tao Deng, Malgorzata Swider, Tomas S. Alemán, Sanford L. Boye, Sem Genini, Anand Swaroop, William W. Hauswirth, Samuel G. Jacobson, and Gustavo D. Aguirre. PNAS. Gene therapy rescues photoreceptor blindness in dogs and paves the way for treating human X-linked retinitis pigmentosa. 2012.
  View in: External Web Site
 
2. Bian ZM, Elner SG, Khanna H, Murga-Zamalloa CA, Patil S, Elner VM. Expression and functional roles of caspase-5 in inflammatory responses of human retinal pigment epithelial cells. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2011 Nov; 52(12):8646-56.
  View in: PubMed
 
3. Patil SB, Hurd TW, Ghosh AK, Murga-Zamalloa CA, Khanna H. Functional Analysis of Retinitis Pigmentosa 2 (RP2) Protein Reveals Variable Pathogenic Potential of Disease-Associated Missense Variants. PLoS One. 2011; 6(6):e21379.
  View in: PubMed
 
4. Murga-Zamalloa CA, Ghosh AK, Patil SB, Reed NA, Chan LS, Davuluri S, Peränen J, Hurd TW, Rachel RA, Khanna H. Accumulation of the Raf-1 Kinase Inhibitory Protein (Rkip) Is Associated with Cep290-mediated Photoreceptor Degeneration in Ciliopathies. J Biol Chem. 2011 Aug 12; 286(32):28276-86.
  View in: PubMed
 
5. Yao J, Feathers KL, Khanna H, Thompson D, Tsilfidis C, Hauswirth WW, Heckenlively JR, Swaroop A, Zacks DN. XIAP Therapy Increases Survival of Transplanted Rod Precursors in a Degenerating Host Retina. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2011; 52(3):1567-72.
  View in: PubMed
 
6. Chakarova CF, Khanna H, Shah AZ, Patil SB, Sedmak T, Murga-Zamalloa CA, Papaioannou MG, Nagel-Wolfrum K, Lopez I, Munro P, Cheetham M, Koenekoop RK, Rios RM, Matter K, Wolfrum U, Swaroop A, Bhattacharya SS. TOPORS, implicated in retinal degeneration, is a cilia-centrosomal protein. Hum Mol Genet. 2011 Mar 1; 20(5):975-87.
  View in: PubMed
 
7. Otto EA, Hurd TW, Airik R, Chaki M, Zhou W, Stoetzel C, Patil SB, Levy S, Ghosh AK, Murga-Zamalloa CA, van Reeuwijk J, Letteboer SJ, Sang L, Giles RH, Liu Q, Coene KL, Estrada-Cuzcano A, Collin RW, McLaughlin HM, Held S, Kasanuki JM, Ramaswami G, Conte J, Lopez I, Washburn J, Macdonald J, Hu J, Yamashita Y, Maher ER, Guay-Woodford LM, Neumann HP, Obermüller N, Koenekoop RK, Bergmann C, Bei X, Lewis RA, Katsanis N, Lopes V, Williams DS, Lyons RH, Dang CV, Brito DA, Dias MB, Zhang X, Cavalcoli JD, Nürnberg G, Nürnberg P, Pierce EA, Jackson PK, Antignac C, Saunier S, Roepman R, Dollfus H, Khanna H, Hildebrandt F. Candidate exome capture identifies mutation of SDCCAG8 as the cause of a retinal-renal ciliopathy. Nat Genet. 2010 Oct; 42(10):840-50.
  View in: PubMed
 
8. Patil SB, Verma R, Venkatareddy M, Khanna H. Expression and localization of the ciliary disease protein retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator in mammalian kidney. Kidney Int. 2010 Sep; 78(6):622-3.
  View in: PubMed
 
9. Hurd T, Zhou W, Jenkins P, Liu CJ, Swaroop A, Khanna H, Martens J, Hildebrandt F, Margolis B. The retinitis pigmentosa protein RP2 interacts with polycystin 2 and regulates cilia-mediated vertebrate development. Hum Mol Genet. 2010 Nov 15; 19(22):4330-44.
  View in: PubMed
 
10. Murga-Zamalloa CA, Desai NJ, Hildebrandt F, Khanna H. Interaction of ciliary disease protein retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator with nephronophthisis-associated proteins in mammalian retinas. Mol Vis. 2010; 16:1373-81.
  View in: PubMed
 
11. Murga-Zamalloa CA, Atkins SJ, Peranen J, Swaroop A, Khanna H. Interaction of retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator (RPGR) with RAB8A GTPase: implications for cilia dysfunction and photoreceptor degeneration. Hum Mol Genet. 2010 Sep 15; 19(18):3591-8.
  View in: PubMed
 
12. Jayasundera T, Branham KE, Othman M, Rhoades WR, Karoukis AJ, Khanna H, Swaroop A, Heckenlively JR. RP2 phenotype and pathogenetic correlations in X-linked retinitis pigmentosa. Arch Ophthalmol. 2010 Jul; 128(7):915-23.
  View in: PubMed
 
13. Patzke S, Redick S, Warsame A, Murga-Zamalloa CA, Khanna H, Doxsey S, Stokke T. CSPP is a ciliary protein interacting with Nephrocystin 8 and required for cilia formation. Mol Biol Cell. 2010 Aug 1; 21(15):2555-67.
  View in: PubMed
 
14. O'Toole JF, Liu Y, Davis EE, Westlake CJ, Attanasio M, Otto EA, Seelow D, Nurnberg G, Becker C, Nuutinen M, Kärppä M, Ignatius J, Uusimaa J, Pakanen S, Jaakkola E, van den Heuvel LP, Fehrenbach H, Wiggins R, Goyal M, Zhou W, Wolf MT, Wise E, Helou J, Allen SJ, Murga-Zamalloa CA, Ashraf S, Chaki M, Heeringa S, Chernin G, Hoskins BE, Chaib H, Gleeson J, Kusakabe T, Suzuki T, Isaac RE, Quarmby LM, Tennant B, Fujioka H, Tuominen H, Hassinen I, Lohi H, van Houten JL, Rotig A, Sayer JA, Rolinski B, Freisinger P, Madhavan SM, Herzer M, Madignier F, Prokisch H, Nurnberg P, Jackson PK, Jackson P, Khanna H, Katsanis N, Hildebrandt F. Individuals with mutations in XPNPEP3, which encodes a mitochondrial protein, develop a nephronophthisis-like nephropathy. J Clin Invest. 2010 Mar 1; 120(3):791-802.
  View in: PubMed
 
15. Murga-Zamalloa C, Swaroop A, Khanna H. Multiprotein Complexes of Retinitis Pigmentosa GTPase Regulator (RPGR), a Ciliary Protein Mutated in X-Linked Retinitis Pigmentosa (XLRP). Adv Exp Med Biol. 2010; 664:105-14.
  View in: PubMed
 
16. Ghosh AK, Murga-Zamalloa CA, Chan L, Hitchcock PF, Swaroop A, Khanna H. Human retinopathy-associated ciliary protein retinitis pigmentosa GTPase regulator mediates cilia-dependent vertebrate development. Hum Mol Genet. 2010 Jan 1; 19(1):90-8.
  View in: PubMed
 
17. Murga-Zamalloa CA, Swaroop A, Khanna H. RPGR-containing protein complexes in syndromic and non-syndromic retinal degeneration due to ciliary dysfunction. J Genet. 2009 Dec; 88(4):399-407.
  View in: PubMed
 
18. Paul E, Kielbasinski M, Sedivy JM, Murga-Zamalloa C, Khanna H, Klysik JE. Widespread expression of the Supv3L1 mitochondrial RNA helicase in the mouse. Transgenic Res. 2010 Aug; 19(4):691-701.
  View in: PubMed
 
19. Wu DM, Khanna H, Atmaca-Sonmez P, Sieving PA, Branham K, Othman M, Swaroop A, Daiger SP, Heckenlively JR. Long-term follow-up of a family with dominant X-linked retinitis pigmentosa. Eye (Lond). 2010 May; 24(5):764-74.
  View in: PubMed
 
20. Khanna H, Davis EE, Murga-Zamalloa CA, Estrada-Cuzcano A, Lopez I, den Hollander AI, Zonneveld MN, Othman MI, Waseem N, Chakarova CF, Maubaret C, Diaz-Font A, MacDonald I, Muzny DM, Wheeler DA, Morgan M, Lewis LR, Logan CV, Tan PL, Beer MA, Inglehearn CF, Lewis RA, Jacobson SG, Bergmann C, Beales PL, Attié-Bitach T, Johnson CA, Otto EA, Bhattacharya SS, Hildebrandt F, Gibbs RA, Koenekoop RK, Swaroop A, Katsanis N. A common allele in RPGRIP1L is a modifier of retinal degeneration in ciliopathies. Nat Genet. 2009 Jun; 41(6):739-45.
  View in: PubMed
 
21. Tsang WY, Bossard C, Khanna H, Peränen J, Swaroop A, Malhotra V, Dynlacht BD. CP110 suppresses primary cilia formation through its interaction with CEP290, a protein deficient in human ciliary disease. Dev Cell. 2008 Aug; 15(2):187-97.
  View in: PubMed
 
22. Siffroi-Fernandez S, Felder-Schmittbuhl MP, Khanna H, Swaroop A, Hicks D. FGF19 exhibits neuroprotective effects on adult mammalian photoreceptors in vitro. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2008 Apr; 49(4):1696-704.
  View in: PubMed
 
23. Cideciyan AV, Aleman TS, Jacobson SG, Khanna H, Sumaroka A, Aguirre GK, Schwartz SB, Windsor EA, He S, Chang B, Stone EM, Swaroop A. Centrosomal-ciliary gene CEP290/NPHP6 mutations result in blindness with unexpected sparing of photoreceptors and visual brain: implications for therapy of Leber congenital amaurosis. Hum Mutat. 2007 Nov; 28(11):1074-83.
  View in: PubMed
 
24. He S, Parapuram SK, Hurd TW, Behnam B, Margolis B, Swaroop A, Khanna H. Retinitis Pigmentosa GTPase Regulator (RPGR) protein isoforms in mammalian retina: insights into X-linked Retinitis Pigmentosa and associated ciliopathies. Vision Res. 2008 Feb; 48(3):366-76.
  View in: PubMed
 
25. Chakarova CF, Papaioannou MG, Khanna H, Lopez I, Waseem N, Shah A, Theis T, Friedman J, Maubaret C, Bujakowska K, Veraitch B, Abd El-Aziz MM, Prescott de Q, Parapuram SK, Bickmore WA, Munro PM, Gal A, Hamel CP, Marigo V, Ponting CP, Wissinger B, Zrenner E, Matter K, Swaroop A, Koenekoop RK, Bhattacharya SS. Mutations in TOPORS cause autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa with perivascular retinal pigment epithelium atrophy. Am J Hum Genet. 2007 Nov; 81(5):1098-103.
  View in: PubMed
 
26. McEwen DP, Koenekoop RK, Khanna H, Jenkins PM, Lopez I, Swaroop A, Martens JR. Hypomorphic CEP290/NPHP6 mutations result in anosmia caused by the selective loss of G proteins in cilia of olfactory sensory neurons. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Oct 2; 104(40):15917-22.
  View in: PubMed
 
27. Oh EC, Khan N, Novelli E, Khanna H, Strettoi E, Swaroop A. Transformation of cone precursors to functional rod photoreceptors by bZIP transcription factor NRL. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Jan 30; 104(5):1679-84.
  View in: PubMed
 
28. Khanna H, Akimoto M, Siffroi-Fernandez S, Friedman JS, Hicks D, Swaroop A. Retinoic acid regulates the expression of photoreceptor transcription factor NRL. J Biol Chem. 2006 Sep 15; 281(37):27327-34.
  View in: PubMed
 
29. Sayer JA, Otto EA, O'Toole JF, Nurnberg G, Kennedy MA, Becker C, Hennies HC, Helou J, Attanasio M, Fausett BV, Utsch B, Khanna H, Liu Y, Drummond I, Kawakami I, Kusakabe T, Tsuda M, Ma L, Lee H, Larson RG, Allen SJ, Wilkinson CJ, Nigg EA, Shou C, Lillo C, Williams DS, Hoppe B, Kemper MJ, Neuhaus T, Parisi MA, Glass IA, Petry M, Kispert A, Gloy J, Ganner A, Walz G, Zhu X, Goldman D, Nurnberg P, Swaroop A, Leroux MR, Hildebrandt F. The centrosomal protein nephrocystin-6 is mutated in Joubert syndrome and activates transcription factor ATF4. Nat Genet. 2006 Jun; 38(6):674-81.
  View in: PubMed
 
30. Chang B, Khanna H, Hawes N, Jimeno D, He S, Lillo C, Parapuram SK, Cheng H, Scott A, Hurd RE, Sayer JA, Otto EA, Attanasio M, O'Toole JF, Jin G, Shou C, Hildebrandt F, Williams DS, Heckenlively JR, Swaroop A. In-frame deletion in a novel centrosomal/ciliary protein CEP290/NPHP6 perturbs its interaction with RPGR and results in early-onset retinal degeneration in the rd16 mouse. Hum Mol Genet. 2006 Jun 1; 15(11):1847-57.
  View in: PubMed
 
31. Khanna H, Hurd TW, Lillo C, Shu X, Parapuram SK, He S, Akimoto M, Wright AF, Margolis B, Williams DS, Swaroop A. RPGR-ORF15, which is mutated in retinitis pigmentosa, associates with SMC1, SMC3, and microtubule transport proteins. J Biol Chem. 2005 Sep 30; 280(39):33580-7.
  View in: PubMed
 
32. Shu X, Fry AM, Tulloch B, Manson FD, Crabb JW, Khanna H, Faragher AJ, Lennon A, He S, Trojan P, Giessl A, Wolfrum U, Vervoort R, Swaroop A, Wright AF. RPGR ORF15 isoform co-localizes with RPGRIP1 at centrioles and basal bodies and interacts with nucleophosmin. Hum Mol Genet. 2005 May 1; 14(9):1183-97.
  View in: PubMed
 
33. Otto EA, Loeys B, Khanna H, Hellemans J, Sudbrak R, Fan S, Muerb U, O'Toole JF, Helou J, Attanasio M, Utsch B, Sayer JA, Lillo C, Jimeno D, Coucke P, De Paepe A, Reinhardt R, Klages S, Tsuda M, Kawakami I, Kusakabe T, Omran H, Imm A, Tippens M, Raymond PA, Hill J, Beales P, He S, Kispert A, Margolis B, Williams DS, Swaroop A, Hildebrandt F. Nephrocystin-5, a ciliary IQ domain protein, is mutated in Senior-Loken syndrome and interacts with RPGR and calmodulin. Nat Genet. 2005 Mar; 37(3):282-8.
  View in: PubMed
 
34. Friedman JS, Khanna H, Swain PK, Denicola R, Cheng H, Mitton KP, Weber CH, Hicks D, Swaroop A. The minimal transactivation domain of the basic motif-leucine zipper transcription factor NRL interacts with TATA-binding protein. J Biol Chem. 2004 Nov 5; 279(45):47233-41.
  View in: PubMed
 
35. Cheng H, Khanna H, Oh EC, Hicks D, Mitton KP, Swaroop A. Photoreceptor-specific nuclear receptor NR2E3 functions as a transcriptional activator in rod photoreceptors. Hum Mol Genet. 2004 Aug 1; 13(15):1563-75.
  View in: PubMed
 
36. Mitton KP, Swain PK, Khanna H, Dowd M, Apel IJ, Swaroop A. Interaction of retinal bZIP transcription factor NRL with Flt3-interacting zinc-finger protein Fiz1: possible role of Fiz1 as a transcriptional repressor. Hum Mol Genet. 2003 Feb 15; 12(4):365-73.
  View in: PubMed
 
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Keyword
Last Name
Institution
    
 
 
 
Keywords   
Eye Proteins
Retinitis Pigmentosa
Cilia
Retinal Degeneration
Retina
See all (245) keywords
Co-Authors  
Doxsey, Stephen
See all (1) people
Physical Neighbors  
Roy, Amit
Punzo, Claudio
Velez, Gisela
Sena Esteves, Miguel
Noorwez, Syed

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