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Delehedde C, Ciganek I, Bernard PL, Laroui N, Da Silva CC, Gonçalves C, Nunes J, Bennaceur-Griscelli AL, Imeri J, Huyghe M, Even L, Midoux P, Rameix N, Guittard G, Pichon C. Enhancing natural killer cells proliferation and cytotoxicity using imidazole-based lipid nanoparticles encapsulating interleukin-2 mRNA. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2024; 35:102263. [PMID: 39104868 PMCID: PMC11298638 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024]
Abstract
mRNA applications have undergone unprecedented applications-from vaccination to cell therapy. Natural killer (NK) cells are recognized to have a significant potential in immunotherapy. NK-based cell therapy has drawn attention as allogenic graft with a minimal graft-versus-host risk leading to easier off-the-shelf production. NK cells can be engineered with either viral vectors or electroporation, involving high costs, risks, and toxicity, emphasizing the need for alternative way as mRNA technology. We successfully developed, screened, and optimized novel lipid-based platforms based on imidazole lipids. Formulations are produced by microfluidic mixing and exhibit a size of approximately 100 nm with a polydispersity index of less than 0.2. They are able to transfect NK-92 cells, KHYG-1 cells, and primary NK cells with high efficiency without cytotoxicity, while Lipofectamine Messenger Max and D-Lin-MC3 lipid nanoparticle-based formulations do not. Moreover, the translation of non-modified mRNA was higher and more stable in time compared with a modified one. Remarkably, the delivery of therapeutically relevant interleukin 2 mRNA resulted in extended viability together with preserved activation markers and cytotoxic ability of both NK cell lines and primary NK cells. Altogether, our platforms feature all prerequisites needed for the successful deployment of NK-based therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christophe Delehedde
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR4301, 45071 Orléans Cedex 02, France
- Sanofi R&D, Integrated Drug Discovery, 94400 Vitry-sur-Seine, France
| | - Ivan Ciganek
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR4301, 45071 Orléans Cedex 02, France
- Inserm UMS 55 ART ARNm and University of Orléans, 45100 Orléans, France
- Sanofi R&D, Integrated Drug Discovery, 94400 Vitry-sur-Seine, France
| | - Pierre Louis Bernard
- Immunity and Cancer Team, Onco-Hemato Immuno-Onco Department, OHIO, Cancer Research Centre of Marseille, CRCM, Aix Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, 13273 Marseille, France
| | - Nabila Laroui
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR4301, 45071 Orléans Cedex 02, France
- Inserm UMS 55 ART ARNm and University of Orléans, 45100 Orléans, France
| | - Cathy Costa Da Silva
- Immunity and Cancer Team, Onco-Hemato Immuno-Onco Department, OHIO, Cancer Research Centre of Marseille, CRCM, Aix Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, 13273 Marseille, France
| | - Cristine Gonçalves
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR4301, 45071 Orléans Cedex 02, France
- Inserm UMS 55 ART ARNm and University of Orléans, 45100 Orléans, France
| | - Jacques Nunes
- Immunity and Cancer Team, Onco-Hemato Immuno-Onco Department, OHIO, Cancer Research Centre of Marseille, CRCM, Aix Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, 13273 Marseille, France
| | - Anne-Lise Bennaceur-Griscelli
- Inserm U 1310 F-94800 Villejuif and CITHERA/ UMS45 Infrastructure INGESTEM, 91100 Evry, France
- University Paris Saclay, APHP Paul Brousse Hospital, School of Medicine, 94270 Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France
| | - Jusuf Imeri
- Inserm U 1310 F-94800 Villejuif and CITHERA/ UMS45 Infrastructure INGESTEM, 91100 Evry, France
- University Paris Saclay, APHP Paul Brousse Hospital, School of Medicine, 94270 Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France
| | - Matthias Huyghe
- Inserm U 1310 F-94800 Villejuif and CITHERA/ UMS45 Infrastructure INGESTEM, 91100 Evry, France
- University Paris Saclay, APHP Paul Brousse Hospital, School of Medicine, 94270 Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France
| | - Luc Even
- Sanofi R&D, Integrated Drug Discovery, 94400 Vitry-sur-Seine, France
| | - Patrick Midoux
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR4301, 45071 Orléans Cedex 02, France
- Inserm UMS 55 ART ARNm and University of Orléans, 45100 Orléans, France
| | - Nathalie Rameix
- Sanofi R&D, Integrated Drug Discovery, 94400 Vitry-sur-Seine, France
| | - Geoffrey Guittard
- Immunity and Cancer Team, Onco-Hemato Immuno-Onco Department, OHIO, Cancer Research Centre of Marseille, CRCM, Aix Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, 13273 Marseille, France
| | - Chantal Pichon
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, CNRS UPR4301, 45071 Orléans Cedex 02, France
- Inserm UMS 55 ART ARNm and University of Orléans, 45100 Orléans, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, 1 rue Descartes, 75035 Paris, France
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Raza A, Rossi GR, Janjua TI, Souza-Fonseca-Guimaraes F, Popat A. Nanobiomaterials to modulate natural killer cell responses for effective cancer immunotherapy. Trends Biotechnol 2023; 41:77-92. [PMID: 35840426 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2022.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells have emerged as a major target for cancer immunotherapies, particularly as cellular therapy modalities because they have relatively less toxicity than T lymphocytes. However, NK cell-based therapy suffers from many challenges, including problems with its activation, resistance to genetic engineering, and large-scale expansion needed for therapeutic purposes. Recently, nanobiomaterials have emerged as a promising solution to control the challenges associated with NK cells. This focused review summarises the recent advances in the field and highlights current and future perspectives of using nanobiomaterials to maximise anticancer responses of NK cells for safe and effective immunotherapy. Finally, we provide our opinion on the role of smart materials in activating NK cells as a potential cellular therapy of the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aun Raza
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Gustavo Rodrigues Rossi
- University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Taskeen Iqbal Janjua
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | | | - Amirali Popat
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia.
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Robbins GM, Wang M, Pomeroy EJ, Moriarity BS. Nonviral genome engineering of natural killer cells. Stem Cell Res Ther 2021; 12:350. [PMID: 34134774 PMCID: PMC8207670 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-021-02406-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are cytotoxic lymphocytes of the innate immune system capable of immune surveillance. Given their ability to rapidly and effectively recognize and kill aberrant cells, especially transformed cells, NK cells represent a unique cell type to genetically engineer to improve its potential as a cell-based therapy. NK cells do not express a T cell receptor and thus do not contribute to graft-versus-host disease, nor do they induce T cell-driven cytokine storms, making them highly suited as an off-the-shelf cellular therapy. The clinical efficacy of NK cell-based therapies has been hindered by limited in vivo persistence and the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment characteristic of many cancers. Enhancing NK cell resistance to tumor inhibitory signaling through genome engineering has the potential to improve NK cell persistence in the tumor microenvironment and restore cytotoxic functions. Alongside silencing NK cell inhibitory receptors, NK cell killing can be redirected by the integration of chimeric antigen receptors (CARs). However, NK cells are associated with technical and biological challenges not observed in T cells, typically resulting in low genome editing efficiencies. Viral vectors have achieved the greatest gene transfer efficiencies but carry concerns of random, insertional mutagenesis given the high viral titers necessary. As such, this review focuses on nonviral methods of gene transfer within the context of improving cancer immunotherapy using engineered NK cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle M Robbins
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.,Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.,Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.,College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Minjing Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.,Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.,Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Emily J Pomeroy
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.,Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.,Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Branden S Moriarity
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA. .,Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA. .,Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
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Viral and Nonviral Engineering of Natural Killer Cells as Emerging Adoptive Cancer Immunotherapies. J Immunol Res 2018; 2018:4054815. [PMID: 30306093 PMCID: PMC6166361 DOI: 10.1155/2018/4054815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Revised: 06/26/2018] [Accepted: 08/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are powerful immune effectors whose antitumor activity is regulated through a sophisticated network of activating and inhibitory receptors. As effectors of cancer immunotherapy, NK cells are attractive as they do not attack healthy self-tissues nor do they induce T cell-driven inflammatory cytokine storm, enabling their use as allogeneic adoptive cellular therapies. Clinical responses to adoptive NK-based immunotherapy have been thwarted, however, by the profound immunosuppression induced by the tumor microenvironment, particularly severe in the context of solid tumors. In addition, the short postinfusion persistence of NK cells in vivo has limited their clinical efficacy. Enhancing the antitumor immunity of NK cells through genetic engineering has been fueled by the promise that impaired cytotoxic functionality can be restored or augmented with the use of synthetic genetic approaches. Alongside expressing chimeric antigen receptors to overcome immune escape by cancer cells, enhance their recognition, and mediate their killing, NK cells have been genetically modified to enhance their persistence in vivo by the expression of cytokines such as IL-15, avoid functional and metabolic tumor microenvironment suppression, or improve their homing ability, enabling enhanced targeting of solid tumors. However, NK cells are notoriously adverse to endogenous gene uptake, resulting in low gene uptake and transgene expression with many vector systems. Though viral vectors have achieved the highest gene transfer efficiencies with NK cells, nonviral vectors and gene transfer approaches—electroporation, lipofection, nanoparticles, and trogocytosis—are emerging. And while the use of NK cell lines has achieved improved gene transfer efficiencies particularly with viral vectors, challenges with primary NK cells remain. Here, we discuss the genetic engineering of NK cells as they relate to NK immunobiology within the context of cancer immunotherapy, highlighting the most recent breakthroughs in viral vectors and nonviral approaches aimed at genetic reprogramming of NK cells for improved adoptive immunotherapy of cancer, and, finally, address their clinical status.
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Inhibition of melanoma growth by subcutaneous administration of hTERTC27 viral cocktail in C57BL/6 mice. PLoS One 2010; 5:e12705. [PMID: 20856939 PMCID: PMC2938346 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0012705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2010] [Accepted: 08/23/2010] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background hTERTC27 is a 27 kDa C-terminal polypeptide of human telomerase reverse transcriptase that has previously been shown to reduce tumorigenicity of HeLa cells and suppress growth of xenografted glioblastoma in nude mice. Although ectopic expression of hTERTC27 upregulated genes that are involved in apoptosis, cell cycle, and immune response, the mechanism for hTERTC27-induced tumor suppression has not been completely elucidated. Since hTERT was identified as a universal tumor-associated antigen, we hypothesize that hTERTC27 inhibits tumor growth in vivo through activation of anti-tumor immune response. Methodology/Principal Finding Immunocopetent C57BL/6 mice were used for mouse B16 melanoma model. Mice bearing B16 melanoma were administered rAAV-/rAdv viral cocktail expressing hTERTC27, and tumor growth was monitored after viral cocktail treatment. Blood and splenocytes were used to determine the level of cytokines and the activity of immune cells, respectively. B16 tumor growth was significantly inhibited by subcutaneous administration of a single dose of 1.5×1011 vg rAAV-hTERTC27 and 2.5×109 pfu rAdv-hTERTC27 viral cocktail (rAAV-/rAdv-hTERTC27). The population and cytotoxicity of NK cells in the mice were significantly augmented by rAAV-/rAdv-hTERTC27 treatment, and selective depletion of the NK cell population in mice by intraperitoneal injection of anti-GM1 antibody abrogated the growth suppression of melanoma induced by rAAV-/rAdv-hTERTC27 administration. Conclusion Activation of NK cells by administration of rAAV-/rAdv-hTERTC27 is critical for growth suppression of melanoma in mouse model.
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Eğilmez NK, Bankert RB. Liposome-mediated cytokine gene delivery to human tumor xenografts. Methods Enzymol 2004; 373:529-35. [PMID: 14714425 DOI: 10.1016/s0076-6879(03)73033-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Nejat K Eğilmez
- Department of Microbiology, SUNY at Buffalo, 138 Farber Hall, 3435 Main Street, Buffalo, New York 14214, USA
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Audouy SAL, de Leij LFMH, Hoekstra D, Molema G. In vivo characteristics of cationic liposomes as delivery vectors for gene therapy. Pharm Res 2002; 19:1599-605. [PMID: 12458664 DOI: 10.1023/a:1020989709019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 147] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
After a decade of clinical trials, gene therapy seems to have found its place between excessive ambitions and feasible aims, with encouraging results obtained in recent years. Intracellular delivery of genetic material is the key step in gene therapy. Optimization of delivery vectors is of major importance for turning gene therapy into a successful therapeutic method. Nonviral gene delivery relies mainly on the complexes formed from cationic liposomes (or cationic polymers) and DNA, i.e., lipoplexes (or polyplexes). Many lipoplex formulations have been studied, but in vivo activity is generally low compared to that of viral systems. This review gives a concise overview of studies on the application of cationic liposomes in vivo in animal models of diseases and in clinical studies. The transfection efficiency, the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of the lipid-DNA complexes, and potentially relevant applications for cationic liposomes are discussed. Furthermore, the toxicity of, and the induction of an inflammatory response in association with the administration of lipoplexes are described. Increasing understanding of lipoplex behavior and gene transfer capacities in vivo offers new possibilities to enhance their efficiency and paves the path to more extensive clinical applications in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandrine A L Audouy
- Department of Membrane Cell Biology, Groningen University Institute for Drug Exploration, Groningen, The Netherlands
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Abstract
This article provides a review of the application of gene transfer technology to studies of salivary glands. Salivary glands provide an uncommon target site for gene transfer but offer many experimental situations likely of interest to the cell biologist. The reader is provided with a concise overview of salivary biology, along with a general discussion of the strategies available for gene transfer to any tissue. In particular, adenoviral vectors have been useful for proof of concept studies with salivary glands. Several examples are given, using adenoviral-mediated gene transfer, for addressing both biological and clinical questions. Additionally, benefits and shortcomings affecting the utility of this technology are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce J Baum
- Gene Therapy and Therapeutics Branch, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
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