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Plug BC, Revers IM, Breur M, González GM, Timmerman JA, Meijns NRC, Hamberg D, Wagendorp J, Nutma E, Wolf NI, Luchicchi A, Mansvelder HD, van Til NP, van der Knaap MS, Bugiani M. Human post-mortem organotypic brain slice cultures: a tool to study pathomechanisms and test therapies. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2024; 12:83. [PMID: 38822428 PMCID: PMC11140981 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-024-01784-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Human brain experimental models recapitulating age- and disease-related characteristics are lacking. There is urgent need for human-specific tools that model the complex molecular and cellular interplay between different cell types to assess underlying disease mechanisms and test therapies. Here we present an adapted ex vivo organotypic slice culture method using human post-mortem brain tissue cultured at an air-liquid interface to also study brain white matter. We assessed whether these human post-mortem brain slices recapitulate the in vivo neuropathology and if they are suitable for pathophysiological, experimental and pre-clinical treatment development purposes, specifically regarding leukodystrophies. Human post-mortem brain tissue and cerebrospinal fluid were obtained from control, psychiatric and leukodystrophy donors. Slices were cultured up to six weeks, in culture medium with or without human cerebrospinal fluid. Human post-mortem organotypic brain slice cultures remained viable for at least six weeks ex vivo and maintained tissue structure and diversity of (neural) cell types. Supplementation with cerebrospinal fluid could improve slice recovery. Patient-derived organotypic slice cultures recapitulated and maintained known in vivo neuropathology. The cultures also showed physiologic multicellular responses to lysolecithin-induced demyelination ex vivo, indicating their suitability to study intrinsic repair mechanisms upon injury. The slice cultures were applicable for various experimental studies, as multi-electrode neuronal recordings. Finally, the cultures showed successful cell-type dependent transduction with gene therapy vectors. These human post-mortem organotypic brain slice cultures represent an adapted ex vivo model suitable for multifaceted studies of brain disease mechanisms, boosting translation from human ex vivo to in vivo. This model also allows for assessing potential treatment options, including gene therapy applications. Human post-mortem brain slice cultures are thus a valuable tool in preclinical research to study the pathomechanisms of a wide variety of brain diseases in living human tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonnie C Plug
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Neurology, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, 1100 DD, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Leukodystrophy Center, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Cellular & Molecular Mechanisms, Meibergdreef 9, 1100 DD, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Ilma M Revers
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Neurology, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, 1100 DD, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Leukodystrophy Center, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Cellular & Molecular Mechanisms, Meibergdreef 9, 1100 DD, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Marjolein Breur
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Neurology, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, 1100 DD, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Leukodystrophy Center, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Cellular & Molecular Mechanisms, Meibergdreef 9, 1100 DD, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gema Muñoz González
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, MS Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, VU University, Amsterdam Neuroscience, De Boelelaan 1108, Amsterdam, 1081 HZ, The Netherlands
| | - Jaap A Timmerman
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University, Amsterdam Neuroscience, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Niels R C Meijns
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, MS Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, VU University, Amsterdam Neuroscience, De Boelelaan 1108, Amsterdam, 1081 HZ, The Netherlands
| | - Daniek Hamberg
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Neurology, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, 1100 DD, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Leukodystrophy Center, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Cellular & Molecular Mechanisms, Meibergdreef 9, 1100 DD, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Jikke Wagendorp
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Neurology, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, 1100 DD, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Leukodystrophy Center, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Cellular & Molecular Mechanisms, Meibergdreef 9, 1100 DD, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Erik Nutma
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, 1100 DD, The Netherlands
| | - Nicole I Wolf
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Neurology, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, 1100 DD, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Leukodystrophy Center, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Cellular & Molecular Mechanisms, Meibergdreef 9, 1100 DD, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Antonio Luchicchi
- Department of Anatomy and Neurosciences, MS Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, VU University, Amsterdam Neuroscience, De Boelelaan 1108, Amsterdam, 1081 HZ, The Netherlands
| | - Huibert D Mansvelder
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University, Amsterdam Neuroscience, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Niek P van Til
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Neurology, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, 1100 DD, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Leukodystrophy Center, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Cellular & Molecular Mechanisms, Meibergdreef 9, 1100 DD, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University, Amsterdam Neuroscience, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Marjo S van der Knaap
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Neurology, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, 1100 DD, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Leukodystrophy Center, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Cellular & Molecular Mechanisms, Meibergdreef 9, 1100 DD, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, VU University, Amsterdam Neuroscience, De Boelelaan 1085, Amsterdam, 1081 HV, The Netherlands
| | - Marianna Bugiani
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Neurology, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, 1100 DD, The Netherlands.
- Amsterdam Leukodystrophy Center, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Cellular & Molecular Mechanisms, Meibergdreef 9, 1100 DD, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam University Medical Centre, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, 1100 DD, The Netherlands.
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Lo Presti V, Meringa A, Dunnebach E, van Velzen A, Moreira AV, Stam RW, Kotecha RS, Krippner-Heidenreich A, Heidenreich OT, Plantinga M, Cornel A, Sebestyen Z, Kuball J, van Til NP, Nierkens S. Combining CRISPR-Cas9 and TCR exchange to generate a safe and efficient cord blood-derived T cell product for pediatric relapsed AML. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e008174. [PMID: 38580329 PMCID: PMC11002379 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-008174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is an effective treatment for pediatric patients with high-risk, refractory, or relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (AML). However, a large proportion of transplanted patients eventually die due to relapse. To improve overall survival, we propose a combined strategy based on cord blood (CB)-HCT with the application of AML-specific T cell receptor (TCR)-engineered T cell therapy derived from the same CB graft. METHODS We produced CB-CD8+ T cells expressing a recombinant TCR (rTCR) against Wilms tumor 1 (WT1) while lacking endogenous TCR (eTCR) expression to avoid mispairing and competition. CRISPR-Cas9 multiplexing was used to target the constant region of the endogenous TCRα (TRAC) and TCRβ (TRBC) chains. Next, an optimized method for lentiviral transduction was used to introduce recombinant WT1-TCR. The cytotoxic and migration capacity of the product was evaluated in coculture assays for both cell lines and primary pediatric AML blasts. RESULTS The gene editing and transduction procedures achieved high efficiency, with up to 95% of cells lacking eTCR and over 70% of T cells expressing rWT1-TCR. WT1-TCR-engineered T cells lacking the expression of their eTCR (eTCR-/- WT1-TCR) showed increased cell surface expression of the rTCR and production of cytotoxic cytokines, such as granzyme A and B, perforin, interferon-γ (IFNγ), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), on antigen recognition when compared with WT1-TCR-engineered T cells still expressing their eTCR (eTCR+/+ WT1-TCR). CRISPR-Cas9 editing did not affect immunophenotypic characteristics or T cell activation and did not induce increased expression of inhibitory molecules. eTCR-/- WT1-TCR CD8+ CB-T cells showed effective migratory and killing capacity in cocultures with neoplastic cell lines and primary AML blasts, but did not show toxicity toward healthy cells. CONCLUSIONS In summary, we show the feasibility of developing a potent CB-derived CD8+ T cell product targeting WT1, providing an option for post-transplant allogeneic immune cell therapy or as an off-the-shelf product, to prevent relapse and improve the clinical outcome of children with AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vania Lo Presti
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Angelo Meringa
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ester Dunnebach
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Alice van Velzen
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Ronald W Stam
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Rishi S Kotecha
- Department of Clinical Haematology, Oncology, Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Perth Children's Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | | | | | - Maud Plantinga
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Annelisa Cornel
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Zsolt Sebestyen
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jurgen Kuball
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Niek P van Til
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Child Neurology, Amsterdam Leukodystrophy Center, Emma Children's Hospital, Amsterdam University Medical Centers, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Amsterdam Neuroscience, Cellular & Molecular Mechanisms, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Integrative Neurophysiology, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - S Nierkens
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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3
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Alawar N, Schirra C, Hohmann M, Becherer U. A solution for highly efficient electroporation of primary cytotoxic T lymphocytes. BMC Biotechnol 2024; 24:16. [PMID: 38532411 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-024-00839-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) are central players in the adaptive immune response. Their functional characterization and clinical research depend on efficient and reliable transfection. Although various methods have been utilized, electroporation remains the preferred technique for transient gene over-expression. However, the efficiency of electroporation is reduced for human and mouse primary CTLs. Lonza offers kits that effectively improve plasmid DNA transfection quality. Unfortunately, the removal of key components of the cell recovery medium considerably reduced the efficiency of their kit for CTLs. Our aim was to develop a new recovery medium to be used with Lonza's Nucleofector system that would significantly enhance transfection rates. RESULTS We assessed the impact of different media in which the primary CTLs were placed to recover after electroporation on cell survival, transfection rate and their ability to form an immunological synapse and to perform exocytosis. We transfected the cells with pmax-GFP and large constructs encoding for either CD81-super ecliptic pHluorin or granzyme B-pHuji. The comparison of five different media for mouse and two for human CTLs demonstrated that our new recovery medium composed of Opti-MEM-GlutaMAX supplemented with HEPES, DMSO and sodium pyruvate gave the best result in cell survival (> 50%) and transfection rate (> 30 and 20% for mouse and human cells, respectively). More importantly, the functionality of CTLs was at least twice as high as with the original Lonza recovery medium. In addition, our RM significantly improved transfection efficacy of natural killer cells that are notoriously hard to electroporate. CONCLUSION Our results show that successful transfection depends not only on the electroporation medium and pulse sequence but also on the medium applied for cell recovery. In addition, we have reduced our reliance on proprietary products by designing an effective recovery medium for both mouse and human primary CTLs and other lymphocytes that can be easily implemented by any laboratory. We expect that this recovery medium will have a significant impact on both fundamental and applied research in immunology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Alawar
- Department of Cellular Neurophysiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, Homburg, 66421, Germany
| | - Claudia Schirra
- Department of Cellular Neurophysiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, Homburg, 66421, Germany
| | - Meltem Hohmann
- Department of Cellular Neurophysiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, Homburg, 66421, Germany
| | - Ute Becherer
- Department of Cellular Neurophysiology, Center for Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine (CIPMM), Saarland University, Homburg, 66421, Germany.
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4
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Cornel AM, van der Sman L, van Dinter JT, Arrabito M, Dunnebach E, van Hoesel M, Kluiver TA, Lopes AP, Dautzenberg NMM, Dekker L, van Rijn JM, van den Beemt DAMH, Buhl JL, du Chatinier A, Barneh F, Lu Y, Lo Nigro L, Krippner-Heidenreich A, Sebestyén Z, Kuball J, Hulleman E, Drost J, van Heesch S, Heidenreich OT, Peng WC, Nierkens S. Targeting pediatric cancers via T-cell recognition of the monomorphic MHC class I-related protein MR1. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e007538. [PMID: 38519054 PMCID: PMC10961533 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-007538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) restriction of conventional T-cell targeting introduces complexity in generating T-cell therapy strategies for patients with cancer with diverse HLA-backgrounds. A subpopulation of atypical, major histocompatibility complex-I related protein 1 (MR1)-restricted T-cells, distinctive from mucosal-associated invariant T-cells (MAITs), was recently identified recognizing currently unidentified MR1-presented cancer-specific metabolites. It is hypothesized that the MC.7.G5 MR1T-clone has potential as a pan-cancer, pan-population T-cell immunotherapy approach. These cells are irresponsive to healthy tissue while conferring T-cell receptor(TCR) dependent, HLA-independent cytotoxicity to a wide range of adult cancers. Studies so far are limited to adult malignancies. Here, we investigated the potential of MR1-targeting cellular therapy strategies in pediatric cancer. Bulk RNA sequencing data of primary pediatric tumors were analyzed to assess MR1 expression. In vitro pediatric tumor models were subsequently screened to evaluate their susceptibility to engineered MC.7.G5 TCR-expressing T-cells. Targeting capacity was correlated with qPCR-based MR1 mRNA and protein overexpression. RNA expression of MR1 in primary pediatric tumors varied widely within and between tumor entities. Notably, embryonal tumors exhibited significantly lower MR1 expression than other pediatric tumors. In line with this, most screened embryonal tumors displayed resistance to MR1T-targeting in vitro MR1T susceptibility was observed particularly in pediatric leukemia and diffuse midline glioma models. This study demonstrates potential of MC.7.G5 MR1T-cell immunotherapy in pediatric leukemias and diffuse midline glioma, while activity against embryonal tumors was limited. The dismal prognosis associated with relapsed/refractory leukemias and high-grade brain tumors highlights the promise to improve survival rates of children with these cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annelisa M Cornel
- Prinses Maxima Centrum voor Kinderoncologie, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Center for Translational Immunology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Loutje van der Sman
- Prinses Maxima Centrum voor Kinderoncologie, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Center for Translational Immunology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jip T van Dinter
- Center for Translational Immunology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marta Arrabito
- Center for Translational Immunology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Center of Pediatric Hematology & Oncology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Ester Dunnebach
- Prinses Maxima Centrum voor Kinderoncologie, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Center for Translational Immunology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Thomas A Kluiver
- Prinses Maxima Centrum voor Kinderoncologie, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ana P Lopes
- Prinses Maxima Centrum voor Kinderoncologie, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Linde Dekker
- Center for Translational Immunology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jorik M van Rijn
- Center for Translational Immunology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Juliane L Buhl
- Center for Translational Immunology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Aimee du Chatinier
- Center for Translational Immunology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Farnaz Barneh
- Center for Translational Immunology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Yuyan Lu
- Center for Translational Immunology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Luca Lo Nigro
- Center of Pediatric Hematology & Oncology, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | | | - Zsolt Sebestyén
- Prinses Maxima Centrum voor Kinderoncologie, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jurgen Kuball
- Prinses Maxima Centrum voor Kinderoncologie, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Hematology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Esther Hulleman
- Center for Translational Immunology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jarno Drost
- Center for Translational Immunology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Olaf T Heidenreich
- Center for Translational Immunology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Weng Chuan Peng
- Center for Translational Immunology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Stefan Nierkens
- Prinses Maxima Centrum voor Kinderoncologie, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Center for Translational Immunology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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5
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Malach P, Kay C, Tinworth C, Patel F, Joosse B, Wade J, Rosa do Carmo M, Donovan B, Brugman M, Montiel-Equihua C, Francis N. Identification of a small molecule for enhancing lentiviral transduction of T cells. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2023; 31:101113. [PMID: 37790244 PMCID: PMC10544093 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2023.101113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Genetic modification of cells using viral vectors has shown huge therapeutic benefit in multiple diseases. However, inefficient transduction contributes to the high cost of these therapies. Several transduction-enhancing small molecules have previously been identified; however, some may be toxic to the cells or patient, otherwise alter cellular characteristics, or further increase manufacturing complexity. In this study, we aimed to identify molecules capable of enhancing lentiviral transduction of T cells from available small-molecule libraries. We conducted a high-throughput flow-cytometry-based screen of 27,892 compounds, which subsequently was narrowed down to six transduction-enhancing small molecules for further testing with two therapeutic lentiviral vectors used to manufacture GSK's clinical T cell therapy products. We demonstrate enhanced transduction without a negative impact on other product attributes. Furthermore, we present results of transcriptomic analysis, suggesting alteration of ribosome biogenesis, resulting in reduced interferon response, as a potential mechanism of action for the transduction-enhancing activity of the lead compound. Finally, we demonstrate the ability of the lead transduction enhancer to produce a comparable T cell product using a 3-fold reduction in vector volume in our clinical manufacturing process, resulting in a predicted 15% reduction in the overall cost of goods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulina Malach
- Product Development, Cell and Gene Therapy, GSK Medicine Research Centre, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, UK
| | - Charlotte Kay
- Product Development, Cell and Gene Therapy, GSK Medicine Research Centre, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, UK
| | - Chris Tinworth
- Medicinal Chemistry, Medicine Design, GSK Medicine Research Centre, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, UK
| | - Florence Patel
- Screening, Profiling and Molecular Biology, Medicine Design, GSK Upper Providence, Collegeville, PA 19426, USA
| | - Bryan Joosse
- Screening, Profiling and Molecular Biology, Medicine Design, GSK Upper Providence, Collegeville, PA 19426, USA
| | - Jennifer Wade
- Product Development, Cell and Gene Therapy, GSK Medicine Research Centre, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, UK
| | - Marlene Rosa do Carmo
- Product Development, Cell and Gene Therapy, GSK Medicine Research Centre, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, UK
| | - Brian Donovan
- Screening, Profiling and Molecular Biology, Medicine Design, GSK Upper Providence, Collegeville, PA 19426, USA
| | - Martijn Brugman
- Analytical Development, Cell and Gene Therapy, GSK Medicine Research Centre, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, UK
| | - Claudia Montiel-Equihua
- Product Development, Cell and Gene Therapy, GSK Medicine Research Centre, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, UK
| | - Natalie Francis
- Product Development, Cell and Gene Therapy, GSK Medicine Research Centre, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, UK
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6
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Cornel AM, Dunnebach E, Hofman DA, Das S, Sengupta S, van den Ham F, Wienke J, Strijker JGM, van den Beemt DAMH, Essing AHW, Koopmans B, Engels SAG, Lo Presti V, Szanto CS, George RE, Molenaar JJ, van Heesch S, Dierselhuis MP, Nierkens S. Epigenetic modulation of neuroblastoma enhances T cell and NK cell immunogenicity by inducing a tumor-cell lineage switch. J Immunother Cancer 2022; 10:jitc-2022-005002. [PMID: 36521927 PMCID: PMC9756225 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2022-005002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immunotherapy in high-risk neuroblastoma (HR-NBL) does not live up to its full potential due to inadequate (adaptive) immune engagement caused by the extensive immunomodulatory capacity of HR-NBL. We aimed to tackle one of the most notable immunomodulatory processes in neuroblastoma (NBL), absence of major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) surface expression, a process greatly limiting cytotoxic T cell engagement. We and others have previously shown that MHC-I expression can be induced by cytokine-driven immune modulation. Here, we aimed to identify tolerable pharmacological repurposing strategies to upregulate MHC-I expression and therewith enhance T cell immunogenicity in NBL. METHODS Drug repurposing libraries were screened to identify compounds enhancing MHC-I surface expression in NBL cells using high-throughput flow cytometry analyses optimized for adherent cells. The effect of positive hits was confirmed in a panel of NBL cell lines and patient-derived organoids. Compound-treated NBL cell lines and organoids were cocultured with preferentially expressed antigen of melanoma (PRAME)-reactive tumor-specific T cells and healthy-donor natural killer (NK) cells to determine the in vitro effect on T cell and NK cell cytotoxicity. Additional immunomodulatory effects of histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) were identified by transcriptome and translatome analysis of treated organoids. RESULTS Drug library screening revealed MHC-I upregulation by inhibitor of apoptosis inhibitor (IAPi)- and HDACi drug classes. The effect of IAPi was limited due to repression of nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) pathway activity in NBL, while the MHC-I-modulating effect of HDACi was widely translatable to a panel of NBL cell lines and patient-derived organoids. Pretreatment of NBL cells with the HDACi entinostat enhanced the cytotoxic capacity of tumor-specific T cells against NBL in vitro, which coincided with increased expression of additional players regulating T cell cytotoxicity (eg, TAP1/2 and immunoproteasome subunits). Moreover, MICA and MICB, important in NK cell cytotoxicity, were also increased by entinostat exposure. Intriguingly, this increase in immunogenicity was accompanied by a shift toward a more mesenchymal NBL cell lineage. CONCLUSIONS This study indicates the potential of combining (immuno)therapy with HDACi to enhance both T cell-driven and NKcell-driven immune responses in patients with HR-NBL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annelisa M Cornel
- Prinses Maxima Centrum voor Kinderoncologie, Utrecht, The Netherlands,Center for Translational Immunology, Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ester Dunnebach
- Prinses Maxima Centrum voor Kinderoncologie, Utrecht, The Netherlands,Center for Translational Immunology, Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Damon A Hofman
- Prinses Maxima Centrum voor Kinderoncologie, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Sanjukta Das
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA,School of Biotechnology, KIIT University, Bhubaneswar, India
| | - Satyaki Sengupta
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Femke van den Ham
- Prinses Maxima Centrum voor Kinderoncologie, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Judith Wienke
- Prinses Maxima Centrum voor Kinderoncologie, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Denise A M H van den Beemt
- Prinses Maxima Centrum voor Kinderoncologie, Utrecht, The Netherlands,Center for Translational Immunology, Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Anke H W Essing
- Prinses Maxima Centrum voor Kinderoncologie, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Bianca Koopmans
- Prinses Maxima Centrum voor Kinderoncologie, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Sem A G Engels
- Prinses Maxima Centrum voor Kinderoncologie, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Vania Lo Presti
- Prinses Maxima Centrum voor Kinderoncologie, Utrecht, The Netherlands,Center for Translational Immunology, Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Celina S Szanto
- Prinses Maxima Centrum voor Kinderoncologie, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Rani E George
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jan J Molenaar
- Prinses Maxima Centrum voor Kinderoncologie, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - S Nierkens
- Prinses Maxima Centrum voor Kinderoncologie, Utrecht, The Netherlands,Center for Translational Immunology, Universitair Medisch Centrum Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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7
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Sengupta S, Das S, Crespo AC, Cornel AM, Patel AG, Mahadevan NR, Campisi M, Ali AK, Sharma B, Rowe JH, Huang H, Debruyne DN, Cerda ED, Krajewska M, Dries R, Chen M, Zhang S, Soriano L, Cohen MA, Versteeg R, Jaenisch R, Spranger S, Romee R, Miller BC, Barbie DA, Nierkens S, Dyer MA, Lieberman J, George RE. Mesenchymal and adrenergic cell lineage states in neuroblastoma possess distinct immunogenic phenotypes. NATURE CANCER 2022; 3:1228-1246. [PMID: 36138189 PMCID: PMC10171398 DOI: 10.1038/s43018-022-00427-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Apart from the anti-GD2 antibody, immunotherapy for neuroblastoma has had limited success due to immune evasion mechanisms, coupled with an incomplete understanding of predictors of response. Here, from bulk and single-cell transcriptomic analyses, we identify a subset of neuroblastomas enriched for transcripts associated with immune activation and inhibition and show that these are predominantly characterized by gene expression signatures of the mesenchymal lineage state. By contrast, tumors expressing adrenergic lineage signatures are less immunogenic. The inherent presence or induction of the mesenchymal state through transcriptional reprogramming or therapy resistance is accompanied by innate and adaptive immune gene activation through epigenetic remodeling. Mesenchymal lineage cells promote T cell infiltration by secreting inflammatory cytokines, are efficiently targeted by cytotoxic T and natural killer cells and respond to immune checkpoint blockade. Together, we demonstrate that distinct immunogenic phenotypes define the divergent lineage states of neuroblastoma and highlight the immunogenic potential of the mesenchymal lineage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satyaki Sengupta
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sanjukta Das
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Angela C Crespo
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Annelisa M Cornel
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Anand G Patel
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
- Department of Oncology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Navin R Mahadevan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Marco Campisi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alaa K Ali
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Cellular Therapy and Stem Cell Transplant Program, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bandana Sharma
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jared H Rowe
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hao Huang
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David N Debruyne
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Esther D Cerda
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Malgorzata Krajewska
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ruben Dries
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Minyue Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Shupei Zhang
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Luigi Soriano
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Malkiel A Cohen
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Rogier Versteeg
- Department of Oncogenomics, University Medical Center Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rudolf Jaenisch
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Stefani Spranger
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Rizwan Romee
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Cellular Therapy and Stem Cell Transplant Program, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brian C Miller
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Immunology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Evergrande Center for Immunological Diseases, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David A Barbie
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Stefan Nierkens
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Michael A Dyer
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Judy Lieberman
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rani E George
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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8
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Lo Presti V, Cutilli A, Dogariu Y, Müskens KF, Dünnebach E, van den Beemt DAMH, Cornel AM, Plantinga M, Nierkens S. Gene Editing of Checkpoint Molecules in Cord Blood-Derived Dendritic Cells and CD8 + T Cells Using CRISPR-Cas9. CRISPR J 2022; 5:435-444. [PMID: 35686979 DOI: 10.1089/crispr.2021.0133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapies targeting checkpoint inhibition and cell therapies are considered breakthroughs for cancer therapy. However, only a part of patients benefit from these treatments and resistance has been observed. Combining both approaches can potentially further enhance their efficacy. With the advent of gene editing techniques, such as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-CRISPR associated protein 9 (CRISPR-Cas9), the elimination of checkpoint molecules became available as an option in good manufacturing practice conditions to improve persistence and efficacy. However, no data of CRISPR-Cas9 application have been reported in cord blood (CB)-derived immune cells, potentially usable for allogeneic cell therapy purposes. In this article, we describe the optimization of a protocol to deplete checkpoint molecules at the genomic level using CRISPR-Cas9 technology from CB-dendritic cells (DCs) and CB-CD8+ T cells. The protocol is based on the electroporation of a ribonucleoprotein complex, easily translatable to clinical settings. In both cell types, the knock-out (KO) was successful and did not affect cell viability. CB-DCs showed a decrease in expression of the targeted protein ranging from 50% to 95%, while CB-CD8+ T cells showed a reduction in the range of 25-45%. The procedure did not affect the stimulatory function of the CB-DCs or the response of CB-CD8+ T cells (proliferation or TNF-α production). In conclusion, we optimized a protocol to eliminate checkpoint molecules from CB-derived DCs and CD8+ T cells, with the aim to further implement allogeneic cell therapies for cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vania Lo Presti
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Center for Translational Immunology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Alessandro Cutilli
- Center for Translational Immunology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Yvonne Dogariu
- Center for Translational Immunology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Konradin F Müskens
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Center for Translational Immunology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ester Dünnebach
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Center for Translational Immunology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Annelisa M Cornel
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Center for Translational Immunology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Maud Plantinga
- Center for Translational Immunology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Stefan Nierkens
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Center for Translational Immunology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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9
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Deng L, Liang P, Cui H. Pseudotyped lentiviral vectors: Ready for translation into targeted cancer gene therapy? Genes Dis 2022. [PMID: 37492721 PMCID: PMC10363566 DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2022.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene therapy holds great promise for curing cancer by editing the deleterious genes of tumor cells, but the lack of vector systems for efficient delivery of genetic material into specific tumor sites in vivo has limited its full therapeutic potential in cancer gene therapy. Over the past two decades, increasing studies have shown that lentiviral vectors (LVs) modified with different glycoproteins from a donating virus, a process referred to as pseudotyping, have altered tropism and display cell-type specificity in transduction, leading to selective tumor cell killing. This feature of LVs together with their ability to enable high efficient gene delivery in dividing and non-dividing mammalian cells in vivo make them to be attractive tools in future cancer gene therapy. This review is intended to summarize the status quo of some typical pseudotypings of LVs and their applications in basic anti-cancer studies across many malignancies. The opportunities of translating pseudotyped LVs into clinic use in cancer therapy have also been discussed.
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