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Amer MH. Gene therapy for cancer: present status and future perspective. MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR THERAPIES 2014; 2:27. [PMID: 26056594 PMCID: PMC4452068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2014] [Accepted: 08/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
Advancements in human genomics over the last two decades have shown that cancer is mediated by somatic aberration in the host genome. This discovery has incited enthusiasm among cancer researchers; many now use therapeutic approaches in genetic manipulation to improve cancer regression and find a potential cure for the disease. Such gene therapy includes transferring genetic material into a host cell through viral (or bacterial) and non-viral vectors, immunomodulation of tumor cells or the host immune system, and manipulation of the tumor microenvironment, to reduce tumor vasculature or to increase tumor antigenicity for better recognition by the host immune system. Overall, modest success has been achieved with relatively minimal side effects. Previous approaches to cancer treatment, such as retrovirus integration into the host genome with the risk of mutagenesis and second malignancies, immunogenicity against the virus and/or tumor, and resistance to treatment with disease relapse, have markedly decreased with the new generation of viral and non-viral vectors. Several tumor-specific antibodies and genetically modified immune cells and vaccines have been developed, yet few are presently commercially available, while many others are still ongoing in clinical trials. It is anticipated that gene therapy will play an important role in future cancer therapy as part of a multimodality treatment, in combination with, or following other forms of cancer therapy, such as surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. The type and mode of gene therapy will be determined based on an individual's genomic constituents, as well as his or her tumor specifics, genetics, and host immune status, to design a multimodality treatment that is unique to each individual's specific needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magid H Amer
- Department of Medicine, St Rita’s Medical Center, 825 West Market Street, Suite #203, Lima, OH 45805 USA
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Singh H, Huls H, Kebriaei P, Cooper LJN. A new approach to gene therapy using Sleeping Beauty to genetically modify clinical-grade T cells to target CD19. Immunol Rev 2014; 257:181-90. [PMID: 24329797 DOI: 10.1111/imr.12137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The advent of efficient approaches to the genetic modification of T cells has provided investigators with clinically appealing methods to improve the potency of tumor-specific clinical grade T cells. For example, gene therapy has been successfully used to enforce expression of chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) that provide T cells with ability to directly recognize tumor-associated antigens without the need for presentation by human leukocyte antigen. Gene transfer of CARs can be undertaken using viral-based and non-viral approaches. We have advanced DNA vectors derived from the Sleeping Beauty (SB) system to avoid the expense and manufacturing difficulty associated with transducing T cells with recombinant viral vectors. After electroporation, the transposon/transposase improves the efficiency of integration of plasmids used to express CAR and other transgenes in T cells. The SB system combined with artificial antigen-presenting cells (aAPC) can selectively propagate and thus retrieve CAR(+) T cells suitable for human application. This review describes the translation of the SB system and aAPC for use in clinical trials and highlights how a nimble and cost-effective approach to developing genetically modified T cells can be used to implement clinical trials infusing next-generation T cells with improved therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harjeet Singh
- Division of Pediatrics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
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53
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Dotti G, Gottschalk S, Savoldo B, Brenner MK. Design and development of therapies using chimeric antigen receptor-expressing T cells. Immunol Rev 2014; 257:107-26. [PMID: 24329793 DOI: 10.1111/imr.12131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 379] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Investigators developed chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) for expression on T cells more than 25 years ago. When the CAR is derived from an antibody, the resultant cell should combine the desirable targeting features of an antibody (e.g. lack of requirement for major histocompatibility complex recognition, ability to recognize non-protein antigens) with the persistence, trafficking, and effector functions of a T cell. This article describes how the past two decades have seen a crescendo of research which has now begun to translate these potential benefits into effective treatments for patients with cancer. We describe the basic design of CARs, describe how antigenic targets are selected, and the initial clinical experience with CAR-T cells. Our review then describes our own and other investigators' work aimed at improving the function of CARs and reviews the clinical studies in hematological and solid malignancies that are beginning to exploit these approaches. Finally, we show the value of adding additional engineering features to CAR-T cells, irrespective of their target, to render them better suited to function in the tumor environment, and discuss how the safety of these heavily modified cells may be maintained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianpietro Dotti
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, The Methodist Hospital and Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
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54
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Lankester AC, Locatelli F, Bader P, Rettinger E, Egeler M, Katewa S, Pulsipher MA, Nierkens S, Schultz K, Handgretinger R, Grupp SA, Boelens JJ, Bollard CM. Will post-transplantation cell therapies for pediatric patients become standard of care? Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 2014; 21:402-11. [PMID: 25064748 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbmt.2014.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2014] [Accepted: 07/15/2014] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Although allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a curative approach for many pediatric patients with hematologic malignancies and some nonmalignant disorders, some critical obstacles remain to be overcome, including relapse, engraftment failure, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and infection. Harnessing the immune system to induce a graft-versus-tumor effect or rapidly restore antiviral immunity through the use of donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) has been remarkably successful in some settings. Unfortunately, however, the responses to DLI can be variable, and GVHD is common. Thus, manipulations to minimize GVHD while restoring antiviral immunity and enhancing the graft-versus-tumor effect are needed to improve outcomes after allogeneic HSCT. Cellular therapies, defined as treatment modalities in which hematopoietic or nonhematopoietic cells are used as therapeutic agents, offer this promise for improving outcomes post-HSCT. This review presents an overview of the field for pediatric cell therapies in the transplant setting and discusses how we can broaden applicability beyond phase I.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arjan C Lankester
- Division of Stem Cell Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
| | - Franco Locatelli
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Ospedale Pediatrico, Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy
| | - Peter Bader
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Eva Rettinger
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Maarten Egeler
- Division of Haematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Satyendra Katewa
- Division of Haematology/Oncology, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael A Pulsipher
- Primary Children's Hospital, Division of Hematology and Hematological Malignancies, Huntsman Cancer Institute/University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Stefan Nierkens
- Utrecht-Dendritic cells AgaiNst CancEr (U-DANCE), Lab Translational Immunology, Utrecht center for Diagnostic Advances in Immunology Research (U-DAIR), Lab Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Kirk Schultz
- BC Children's Hospital, Division of Oncology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Rupert Handgretinger
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children's University Hospital, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Stephan A Grupp
- Division of Oncology, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Jaap Jan Boelens
- Department of Pediatrics, Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program, Utrecht-Dendritic cells AgaiNst CancEr (U-DANCE), Lab Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Catherine M Bollard
- Departments of Pediatrics and Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine, Children's National Health System and George Washington University, Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Washington, DC
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Carpentier CE, Schreifels JM, Aronovich EL, Carlson DF, Hackett PB, Nesmelova IV. NMR structural analysis of Sleeping Beauty transposase binding to DNA. Protein Sci 2014; 23:23-33. [PMID: 24243759 DOI: 10.1002/pro.2386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2013] [Revised: 10/03/2013] [Accepted: 10/09/2013] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
The Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposon is the most widely used DNA transposon in genetic applications and is the only DNA transposon thus far in clinical trials for human gene therapy. In the absence of atomic level structural information, the development of SB transposon relied primarily on the biochemical and genetic homology data. While these studies were successful and have yielded hyperactive transposases, structural information is needed to gain a mechanistic understanding of transposase activity and guides to further improvement. We have initiated a structural study of SB transposase using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and Circular Dichroism (CD) spectroscopy to investigate the properties of the DNA-binding domain of SB transposase in solution. We show that at physiologic salt concentrations, the SB DNA-binding domain remains mostly unstructured but its N-terminal PAI subdomain forms a compact, three-helical structure with a helix-turn-helix motif at higher concentrations of NaCl. Furthermore, we show that the full-length SB DNA-binding domain associates differently with inner and outer binding sites of the transposon DNA. We also show that the PAI subdomain of SB DNA-binding domain has a dominant role in transposase's attachment to the inverted terminal repeats of the transposon DNA. Overall, our data validate several earlier predictions and provide new insights on how SB transposase recognizes transposon DNA.
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Wang D, Gao G. State-of-the-art human gene therapy: part I. Gene delivery technologies. DISCOVERY MEDICINE 2014; 18:67-77. [PMID: 25091489 PMCID: PMC4440413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Safe and effective gene delivery is a prerequisite for successful gene therapy. In the early age of human gene therapy, setbacks due to problematic gene delivery vehicles plagued the exciting therapeutic outcome. However, gene delivery technologies rapidly evolved ever since. With the advancement of gene delivery techniques, gene therapy clinical trials surged during the past decade. As the first gene therapy product (Glybera) has obtained regulatory approval and reached clinic, human gene therapy finally realized the promise that genes can be medicines. The diverse gene delivery techniques available today have laid the foundation for gene therapy applications in treating a wide range of human diseases. Some of the most urgent unmet medical needs, such as cancer and pandemic infectious diseases, have been tackled by gene therapy strategies with promising results. Furthermore, combining gene transfer with other breakthroughs in biomedical research and novel biotechnologies opened new avenues for gene therapy. Such innovative therapeutic strategies are unthinkable until now, and are expected to be revolutionary. In part I of this review, we introduced recent development of non-viral and viral gene delivery technology platforms. As cell-based gene therapy blossomed, we also summarized the diverse types of cells and vectors employed in ex vivo gene transfer. Finally, challenges in current gene delivery technologies for human use were discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Wang
- Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
| | - Guangping Gao
- Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Physiology Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01605, USA
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
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Colombo S, Zeng X, Ragelle H, Foged C. Complexity in the therapeutic delivery of RNAi medicines: an analytical challenge. Expert Opin Drug Deliv 2014; 11:1481-95. [DOI: 10.1517/17425247.2014.927439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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58
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Li Z, Zeng F, Meng F, Xu Z, Zhang X, Huang X, Tang F, Gao W, Shi J, He X, Liu D, Wang C, Urschitz J, Moisyadi S, Wu Z. Generation of transgenic pigs by cytoplasmic injection of piggyBac transposase-based pmGENIE-3 plasmids. Biol Reprod 2014; 90:93. [PMID: 24671876 DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.113.116905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The process of transgenesis involves the introduction of a foreign gene, the transgene, into the genome of an animal. Gene transfer by pronuclear microinjection (PNI) is the predominant method used to produce transgenic animals. However, this technique does not always result in germline transgenic offspring and has a low success rate for livestock. Alternate approaches, such as somatic cell nuclear transfer using transgenic fibroblasts, do not show an increase in efficiency compared to PNI, while viral-based transgenesis is hampered by issues regarding transgene size and biosafety considerations. We have recently described highly successful transgenesis experiments with mice using a piggyBac transposase-based vector, pmhyGENIE-3. This construct, a single and self-inactivating plasmid, contains all the transpositional elements necessary for successful gene transfer. In this series of experiments, our laboratories have implemented cytoplasmic injection (CTI) of pmGENIE-3 for transgene delivery into in vivo-fertilized pig zygotes. More than 8.00% of the injected embryos developed into transgenic animals containing monogenic and often single transgenes in their genome. However, the CTI technique was unsuccessful during the injection of in vitro-fertilized pig zygotes. In summary, here we have described a method that is not only easy to implement, but also demonstrated the highest efficiency rate for nonviral livestock transgenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zicong Li
- Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, People's Republic of China
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59
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Berglöf A, Turunen JJ, Gissberg O, Bestas B, Blomberg KEM, Smith CIE. Agammaglobulinemia: causative mutations and their implications for novel therapies. Expert Rev Clin Immunol 2014; 9:1205-21. [DOI: 10.1586/1744666x.2013.850030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Kaufmann KB, Büning H, Galy A, Schambach A, Grez M. Gene therapy on the move. EMBO Mol Med 2013; 5:1642-61. [PMID: 24106209 PMCID: PMC3840483 DOI: 10.1002/emmm.201202287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 193] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2013] [Revised: 08/13/2013] [Accepted: 08/19/2013] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The first gene therapy clinical trials were initiated more than two decades ago. In the early days, gene therapy shared the fate of many experimental medicine approaches and was impeded by the occurrence of severe side effects in a few treated patients. The understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms leading to treatment- and/or vector-associated setbacks has resulted in the development of highly sophisticated gene transfer tools with improved safety and therapeutic efficacy. Employing these advanced tools, a series of Phase I/II trials were started in the past few years with excellent clinical results and no side effects reported so far. Moreover, highly efficient gene targeting strategies and site-directed gene editing technologies have been developed and applied clinically. With more than 1900 clinical trials to date, gene therapy has moved from a vision to clinical reality. This review focuses on the application of gene therapy for the correction of inherited diseases, the limitations and drawbacks encountered in some of the early clinical trials and the revival of gene therapy as a powerful treatment option for the correction of monogenic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hildegard Büning
- Department I of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of CologneCologne, Germany
| | | | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical SchoolHannover, Germany
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical SchoolBoston, MA, USA
| | - Manuel Grez
- Institute for Biomedical ResearchGeorg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt, Germany
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61
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Tettamanti S, Magnani CF, Biondi A, Biagi E. Acute myeloid leukemia and novel biological treatments: monoclonal antibodies and cell-based gene-modified immune effectors. Immunol Lett 2013; 155:43-6. [PMID: 24076117 DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2013.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In the context of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treatment, the interface between chemotherapy and immunotherapy is at present getting closer as never before. Scientific research is oriented in overcoming the main limits of actual chemotherapeutic regimens against AML, which still accounts for a considerable number of relapsed or resistant forms. A lot of investments have been done in the use of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and recently gene-modified immune cells have been considered as an alternative approach whenever chemotherapy fails to eradicate the disease. In this sense, AML is a potential suitable target for immunotherapeutic approaches, due to overexpression of several tumor antigens. Here we describe the state of the art of mAbs and cellular therapies employing engineered immune effectors, developed against specific AML antigens, in a window embracing preclinical research and translational studies to the clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Tettamanti
- Centro di Ricerca Matilde Tettamanti, Department of Pediatrics, University of Milano-Bicocca, San Gerardo Hospital, Monza, Italy
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62
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Urschitz J, Moisyadi S. Transpositional transgenesis with piggyBac.. Mob Genet Elements 2013; 3:e25167. [PMID: 23956948 PMCID: PMC3742596 DOI: 10.4161/mge.25167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2013] [Revised: 05/23/2013] [Accepted: 05/24/2013] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Transposons are mobile genetic elements that are capable of self-directed excision and subsequent reintegration within the host genome. Transposase such as piggyBac, Sleeping Beauty and Tol2 catalyze these reactions and have shown potential as tools for the stable integration of transgenes when used in the binary plasmid mode. Recent modifications to the transposase and/or the terminal repeats of the transposon have increased their integration efficiency and/or specificity. We recently described the development of a piggyBac transposase system, the helper independent, single construct self-inactivating plasmid called GENIE. Here we describe the structure, safety and function of these transpositional vectors and their use in animal transgenesis and cell transfection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johann Urschitz
- Department of Anatomy, Biochemistry and Physiology; John A. Burns School of Medicine; Honolulu, HI USA
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