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Thanaskody K, Natashah FN, Nordin F, Kamarul Zaman WSW, Tye GJ. Designing molecules: directing stem cell differentiation. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 12:1396405. [PMID: 38803845 PMCID: PMC11129639 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1396405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Stem cells have been widely applied in regenerative and therapeutic medicine for their unique regenerative properties. Although much research has shown their potential, it remains tricky in directing stem cell differentiation. The advancement of genetic and therapeutic technologies, however, has facilitated this issue through development of design molecules. These molecules are designed to overcome the drawbacks previously faced, such as unexpected differentiation outcomes and insufficient migration of endogenous or exogenous MSCs. Here, we introduced aptamer, bacteriophage, and biological vectors as design molecules and described their characteristics. The methods of designing/developing discussed include various Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX) procedures, in silico approaches, and non-SELEX methods for aptamers, and genetic engineering methods such as homologous recombination, Bacteriophage Recombineering of Electroporated DNA (BRED), Bacteriophage Recombineering with Infectious Particles (BRIP), and genome rebooting for bacteriophage. For biological vectors, methods such as alternate splicing, multiple promoters, internal ribosomal entry site, CRISPR-Cas9 system and Cre recombinase mediated recombination were used to design viral vectors, while non-viral vectors like exosomes are generated through parental cell-based direct engineering. Besides that, we also discussed the pros and cons, and applications of each design molecule in directing stem cell differentiation to illustrate their great potential in stem cells research. Finally, we highlighted some safety and efficacy concerns to be considered for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalaiselvaan Thanaskody
- Centre for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (CTERM), Faculty of Medicine, National University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Fajriyah Nur Natashah
- Centre for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (CTERM), Faculty of Medicine, National University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Fazlina Nordin
- Centre for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine (CTERM), Faculty of Medicine, National University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Wan Safwani Wan Kamarul Zaman
- Department of Pharmaceutical Life Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Centre for Innovation in Medical Engineering (CIME), Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Gee Jun Tye
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Gelugor, Malaysia
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Abbadessa D, Smurthwaite CA, Reed CW, Wolkowicz R. A Single-Cell Platform for Monitoring Viral Proteolytic Cleavage in Different Cellular Compartments. BIOCHEMISTRY INSIGHTS 2016; 8:23-31. [PMID: 27688710 PMCID: PMC5034881 DOI: 10.4137/bci.s30379] [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: 06/07/2016] [Revised: 08/17/2016] [Accepted: 08/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Infectious diseases affect human health despite advances in biomedical research and drug discovery. Among these, viruses are especially difficult to tackle due to the sudden transfer from animals to humans, high mutational rates, resistance to current treatments, and the intricacies of their molecular interactions with the host. As an example of these interactions, we describe a cell-based approach to monitor specific proteolytic events executed by either the viral-encoded protease or by host proteins on the virus. We then emphasize the significance of examining proteolysis within the subcellular compartment where cleavage occurs naturally. We show the power of stable expression, highlighting the usefulness of the cell-based multiplexed approach, which we have adapted to two independent assays previously developed to monitor (a) the activity of the HIV-1-encoded protease or (b) the cleavage of the HIV-1-encoded envelope protein by the host. Multiplexing was achieved by mixing cells each carrying a different assay or, alternatively, by engineering cells expressing two assays. Multiplexing relies on the robustness of the individual assays and their clear discrimination, further enhancing screening capabilities in an attempt to block proteolytic events required for viral infectivity and spread.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darin Abbadessa
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | - Connor W Reed
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Roland Wolkowicz
- Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
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Peterson CW, Haworth KG, Burke BP, Polacino P, Norman KK, Adair JE, Hu SL, Bartlett JS, Symonds GP, Kiem HP. Multilineage polyclonal engraftment of Cal-1 gene-modified cells and in vivo selection after SHIV infection in a nonhuman primate model of AIDS. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2016; 3:16007. [PMID: 26958575 PMCID: PMC4765711 DOI: 10.1038/mtm.2016.7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2015] [Accepted: 11/08/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
We have focused on gene therapy approaches to induce functional cure/remission of HIV-1 infection. Here, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of the clinical grade anti-HIV lentiviral vector, Cal-1, in pigtailed macaques (Macaca nemestrina). Cal-1 animals exhibit robust levels of gene marking in myeloid and lymphoid lineages without measurable adverse events, suggesting that Cal-1 transduction and autologous transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells are safe, and lead to long-term, multilineage engraftment following myeloablative conditioning. Ex vivo, CD4+ cells from transplanted animals undergo positive selection in the presence of simian/human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV). In vivo, Cal-1 gene-marked cells are evident in the peripheral blood and in HIV-relevant tissue sites such as the gastrointestinal tract. Positive selection for gene-marked cells is observed in blood and tissues following SHIV challenge, leading to maintenance of peripheral blood CD4+ T-cell counts in a normal range. Analysis of Cal-1 lentivirus integration sites confirms polyclonal engraftment of gene-marked cells. Following infection, a polyclonal, SHIV-resistant clonal repertoire is established. These findings offer strong preclinical evidence for safety and efficacy of Cal-1, present a new method for tracking protected cells over the course of virus-mediated selective pressure in vivo, and reveal previously unobserved dynamics of virus-dependent T-cell selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher W Peterson
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center , Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Kevin G Haworth
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center , Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | | - Patricia Polacino
- Washington National Primate Research Center , Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Krystin K Norman
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center , Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Jennifer E Adair
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center , Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Shiu-Lok Hu
- Washington National Primate Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA; Department of Pharmaceutics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | | | | | - Hans-Peter Kiem
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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Dubey P. Reporter gene imaging of immune responses to cancer: progress and challenges. Am J Cancer Res 2012; 2:355-62. [PMID: 22509199 PMCID: PMC3326719 DOI: 10.7150/thno.3903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2011] [Accepted: 02/08/2012] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune responses to cancer are dynamic processes which take place through the concerted activity of innate and adaptive cell populations. In order to fully understand the efficacy of immune therapies for cancer, it is critical to understand how the treatment modulates the function of each cell type involved in the anti-tumor immune response. Molecular imaging is a versatile method for longitudinal studies of cellular localization and function. The development of reporter genes for tracking cell movement and function was a powerful addition to the immunologist's toolbox. This review will highlight the advances and challenges in the use of reporter gene imaging to track immune cell localization and function in cancer.
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Howe SJ, Chandrashekran A. Vector systems for prenatal gene therapy: principles of retrovirus vector design and production. Methods Mol Biol 2012; 891:85-107. [PMID: 22648769 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-61779-873-3_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Vectors derived from the Retroviridae family have several attributes required for successful gene delivery. Retroviral vectors have an adequate payload size for the coding regions of most genes; they are safe to handle and simple to produce. These vectors can be manipulated to target different cell types with low immunogenicity and can permanently insert genetic information into the host cells' genome. Retroviral vectors have been used in gene therapy clinical trials and successfully applied experimentally in vitro, in vivo, and in utero.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven J Howe
- Molecular Immunology Unit, Wolfson Centre for Gene Therapy, UCL Institute of Child Health, London, UK.
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Verrier JD, Madorsky I, Coggin WE, Geesey M, Hochman M, Walling E, Daroszewski D, Eccles KS, Ludlow R, Semple-Rowland SL. Bicistronic lentiviruses containing a viral 2A cleavage sequence reliably co-express two proteins and restore vision to an animal model of LCA1. PLoS One 2011; 6:e20553. [PMID: 21647387 PMCID: PMC3103589 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0020553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2010] [Accepted: 05/04/2011] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The disease processes underlying inherited retinal disease are complex and are not completely understood. Many of the corrective gene therapies designed to treat diseases linked to mutations in genes specifically expressed in photoreceptor cells restore function to these cells but fail to stop progression of the disease. There is growing consensus that effective treatments for these diseases will require delivery of multiple therapeutic proteins that will be selected to treat specific aspects of the disease process. The purpose of this study was to design a lentiviral transgene that reliably expresses all of the proteins it encodes and does so in a consistent manner among infected cells. We show, using both in vitro and in vivo analyses, that bicistronic lentiviral transgenes encoding two fluorescent proteins fused to a viral 2A-like cleavage peptide meet these expression criteria. To determine if this transgene design is suitable for therapeutic applications, we replaced one of the fluorescent protein genes with the gene encoding guanylate cyclase-1 (GC1) and delivered lentivirus carrying this transgene to the retinas of the GUCY1*B avian model of Leber congenital amaurosis-1 (LCA1). GUCY1*B chickens carry a null mutation in the GC1 gene that disrupts photoreceptor function and causes blindness at hatching, a phenotype that closely matches that observed in humans with LCA1. We found that treatment of these animals with the 2A lentivector encoding GC1 restored vision to these animals as evidenced by the presence of optokinetic reflexes. We conclude that 2A-like peptides, with proper optimization, can be successfully incorporated into therapeutic vectors designed to deliver multiple proteins to neural retinal. These results highlight the potential of this vector design to serve as a platform for the development of combination therapies designed to enhance or prolong the benefits of corrective gene therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan D. Verrier
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Irina Madorsky
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - William E. Coggin
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Mero Geesey
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Michael Hochman
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Elleanor Walling
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Daniel Daroszewski
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Kristofer S. Eccles
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Rachel Ludlow
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Susan L. Semple-Rowland
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Xu J, Jin C, Hao S, Luo G, Fu D. Pancreatic cancer: gene therapy approaches and gene delivery systems. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2010; 10:73-88. [PMID: 19857184 DOI: 10.1517/14712590903321454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELD Due to the absence of early diagnosis, the highly invasive and metastatic features and the lack of effective therapeutic modalities, the prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer is poor. Gene therapy is currently regarded as a potential and promising therapeutic modality for pancreatic cancer. AREAS COVERED IN THIS REVIEW This article summarizes an update of gene therapy approaches and reviews the latest progress in gene delivery systems that have been tested on pancreatic cancer. WHAT THE READER WILL GAIN The treatment effectiveness of gene combination therapy is better than that of the regulation of single-gene or single gene therapy approaches. Naked DNA is limited because of degradation by intracellular and extracellular nucleases. Virus vectors show high transfection efficiency but are limited due to immunogenicity, inflammatory response and potential carcinogenicity. Non-viral vectors, such as cationic polymers or inorganic nanoparticles, show an important feature that they can be easily modified, and the progress of materials science will provide more and better non-viral vectors, accordingly improving the efficiency and safety of gene therapy, which will make them the most promising vectors for pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Xu
- Fudan University, Pancreatic Disease Institution, Huashan Hospital, Department of General Surgery, Shanghai, China
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