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Santos GPD, Rabi LT, Bezerra AA, da Cunha MR, Iatecola A, Fernandes VAR. Transcriptional regulators of fetal hemoglobin. Hematol Transfus Cell Ther 2024:S2531-1379(24)00296-7. [PMID: 39237431 DOI: 10.1016/j.htct.2024.06.001] [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: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Sickle cell anemia is a hereditary disease caused by sickle-shaped red blood cells that can lead to vaso-occlusive crises. Treatment options are currently limited, highlighting the need to develop new clinical approaches. Studies demonstrated that elevated levels of fetal hemoglobin (Hb F) are associated with a reduction of mortality and morbidity in sickle cell anemia patients. In light of this, researchers have been trying to elucidate the transcriptional regulation of Hb F to develop new therapeutic interventions. The present study aimed to present the main transcription factors of Hb F and discuss the clinical feasibility of these molecular targets. Two search strategies were used in the PubMed, SciELO, and LILACS databases between July and August 2023 to conduct this review. Manual searches were also conducted by checking references of potentially eligible studies. Eligibility criteria consisted of clinical trials and cohort studies from the last five years that investigated transcription factors associated with Hb F. The transcription factors investigated in at least four eligible studies were included in this review. As a result, 56 eligible studies provided data on the BCL11A, LRF, NF-Y, GATA1, KLF1, HRI, ATF4, and MYB factors. The studies demonstrated that Hb F is cooperatively regulated by transcription factors with the BCL11A factor appearing to be the most specific target gene for γ-globin induction. Although these data are promising, there are still significant gaps and intervention limitations due to the adverse functions of the target genes. New studies that clarify the aspects and functionalities of Hb F regulators may enable new clinical approaches for sickle cell anemia patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Larissa Teodoro Rabi
- Nossa Senhora do Patrocínio University Center, Itú, SP, Brazil; Laboratory of Cancer Molecular Genetics, School of Medical Sciences (FCM), University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil; Institute of Health Sciences, Paulista University (UNIP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - André Alves Bezerra
- Nossa Senhora do Patrocínio University Center, Itú, SP, Brazil; College of Medicine of Jundiaí, Jundiaí, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Rodrigues da Cunha
- Nossa Senhora do Patrocínio University Center, Itú, SP, Brazil; College of Medicine of Jundiaí, Jundiaí, SP, Brazil
| | - Amilton Iatecola
- Nossa Senhora do Patrocínio University Center, Itú, SP, Brazil; College of Medicine of Jundiaí, Jundiaí, SP, Brazil
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2
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Molaei Z, Jabbarpour Z, Omidkhoda A, Ahmadbeigi N. Exploring non-viral methods for the delivery of CRISPR-Cas ribonucleoprotein to hematopoietic stem cells. Stem Cell Res Ther 2024; 15:233. [PMID: 39075609 PMCID: PMC11288096 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-024-03848-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Gene manipulation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) using the CRISPR/Cas system as a potent genome editing tool holds immense promise for addressing hematologic disorders. An essential hurdle in advancing this treatment lies in effectively delivering CRISPR/Cas to HSCs. While various delivery formats exist, Ribonucleoprotein complex (RNP) emerges as a particularly efficient option. RNP complexes offer enhanced gene editing capabilities, devoid of viral vectors, with rapid activity and minimized off-target effects. Nevertheless, novel delivery methods such as microfluidic-based techniques, filtroporation, nanoparticles, and cell-penetrating peptides are continually evolving. This study aims to provide a comprehensive review of these methods and the recent research on delivery approaches of RNP complexes to HSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Molaei
- Hematology and blood transfusion science department, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zahra Jabbarpour
- School of Pharmacy & Bioengineering, Guy Hilton Research Centre (GHRC), Keele University, Staffordshire, ST4 7QB, UK
| | - Azadeh Omidkhoda
- Hematology and blood transfusion science department, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Naser Ahmadbeigi
- Gene Therapy Research Center, Digestive Disease Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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3
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Moiani A, Letort G, Lizot S, Chalumeau A, Foray C, Felix T, Le Clerre D, Temburni-Blake S, Hong P, Leduc S, Pinard N, Marechal A, Seclen E, Boyne A, Mayer L, Hong R, Pulicani S, Galetto R, Gouble A, Cavazzana M, Juillerat A, Miccio A, Duclert A, Duchateau P, Valton J. Non-viral DNA delivery and TALEN editing correct the sickle cell mutation in hematopoietic stem cells. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4965. [PMID: 38862518 PMCID: PMC11166989 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49353-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Sickle cell disease is a devastating blood disorder that originates from a single point mutation in the HBB gene coding for hemoglobin. Here, we develop a GMP-compatible TALEN-mediated gene editing process enabling efficient HBB correction via a DNA repair template while minimizing risks associated with HBB inactivation. Comparing viral versus non-viral DNA repair template delivery in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in vitro, both strategies achieve comparable HBB correction and result in over 50% expression of normal adult hemoglobin in red blood cells without inducing β-thalassemic phenotype. In an immunodeficient female mouse model, transplanted cells edited with the non-viral strategy exhibit higher engraftment and gene correction levels compared to those edited with the viral strategy. Transcriptomic analysis reveals that non-viral DNA repair template delivery mitigates P53-mediated toxicity and preserves high levels of long-term hematopoietic stem cells. This work paves the way for TALEN-based autologous gene therapy for sickle cell disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gil Letort
- Cellectis S.A., 8 Rue de la Croix Jarry, Paris, France
| | - Sabrina Lizot
- Cellectis S.A., 8 Rue de la Croix Jarry, Paris, France
| | - Anne Chalumeau
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Regulation During Development, INSERM UMR 1163, Paris, France
| | - Chloe Foray
- Cellectis S.A., 8 Rue de la Croix Jarry, Paris, France
| | - Tristan Felix
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Regulation During Development, INSERM UMR 1163, Paris, France
| | | | | | - Patrick Hong
- Cellectis Inc., 430 East 29th Street, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sophie Leduc
- Cellectis S.A., 8 Rue de la Croix Jarry, Paris, France
| | - Noemie Pinard
- Cellectis S.A., 8 Rue de la Croix Jarry, Paris, France
| | - Alan Marechal
- Cellectis S.A., 8 Rue de la Croix Jarry, Paris, France
| | | | - Alex Boyne
- Cellectis Inc., 430 East 29th Street, New York, NY, USA
| | - Louisa Mayer
- Cellectis Inc., 430 East 29th Street, New York, NY, USA
| | - Robert Hong
- Cellectis Inc., 430 East 29th Street, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Roman Galetto
- Cellectis S.A., 8 Rue de la Croix Jarry, Paris, France
| | - Agnès Gouble
- Cellectis S.A., 8 Rue de la Croix Jarry, Paris, France
| | - Marina Cavazzana
- Biotherapy Clinical Investigation Center, Necker Children's Hospital, Assistance Publique Hopitaux de Paris, Paris, France
- Human Lymphohematopoiesis Laboratory, Imagine Institute, INSERM UMR1163, Paris Cité University, Paris, France
- Biotherapy Department, Necker Children's Hospital, Assistance Publique Hopitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | | | - Annarita Miccio
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Regulation During Development, INSERM UMR 1163, Paris, France
| | | | | | - Julien Valton
- Cellectis S.A., 8 Rue de la Croix Jarry, Paris, France.
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4
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Lemmens M, Dorsheimer L, Zeller A, Dietz-Baum Y. Non-clinical safety assessment of novel drug modalities: Genome safety perspectives on viral-, nuclease- and nucleotide-based gene therapies. MUTATION RESEARCH. GENETIC TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL MUTAGENESIS 2024; 896:503767. [PMID: 38821669 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2024.503767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Gene therapies have emerged as promising treatments for various conditions including inherited diseases as well as cancer. Ensuring their safe clinical application requires the development of appropriate safety testing strategies. Several guidelines have been provided by health authorities to address these concerns. These guidelines state that non-clinical testing should be carried out on a case-by-case basis depending on the modality. This review focuses on the genome safety assessment of frequently used gene therapy modalities, namely Adeno Associated Viruses (AAVs), Lentiviruses, designer nucleases and mRNAs. Important safety considerations for these modalities, amongst others, are vector integrations into the patient genome (insertional mutagenesis) and off-target editing. Taking into account the constraints of in vivo studies, health authorities endorse the development of novel approach methodologies (NAMs), which are innovative in vitro strategies for genotoxicity testing. This review provides an overview of NAMs applied to viral and CRISPR/Cas9 safety, including next generation sequencing-based methods for integration site analysis and off-target editing. Additionally, NAMs to evaluate the oncogenicity risk arising from unwanted genomic modifications are discussed. Thus, a range of promising techniques are available to support the safe development of gene therapies. Thorough validation, comparisons and correlations with clinical outcomes are essential to identify the most reliable safety testing strategies. By providing a comprehensive overview of these NAMs, this review aims to contribute to a better understanding of the genome safety perspectives of gene therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lena Dorsheimer
- Research and Development, Preclinical Safety, Sanofi, Industriepark Hoechst, Frankfurt am Main 65926, Germany.
| | - Andreas Zeller
- Pharmaceutical Sciences, pRED Innovation Center Basel, Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Basel 4070, Switzerland
| | - Yasmin Dietz-Baum
- Research and Development, Preclinical Safety, Sanofi, Industriepark Hoechst, Frankfurt am Main 65926, Germany
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Petty NE, Radtke S, Fields E, Humbert O, Llewellyn MJ, Laszlo GS, Zhu H, Jerome KR, Walter RB, Kiem HP. Efficient long-term multilineage engraftment of CD33-edited hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells in nonhuman primates. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2023; 31:101121. [PMID: 37868209 PMCID: PMC10585325 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2023.101121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Current immunotherapeutic targets are often shared between neoplastic and normal hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), leading to unwanted on-target, off-tumor toxicities. Deletion or modification of such targets to protect normal HSPCs is, therefore, of great interest. Although HSPC modifications commonly aim to mimic naturally occurring phenotypes, the long-term persistence and safety of gene-edited cells need to be evaluated. Here, we deleted the V-set domain of CD33, the immune-dominant domain targeted by most anti-CD33 antibodies used to treat CD33-positive malignancies, including acute myeloid leukemia, in the HSPCs of two rhesus macaques, performed autologous transplantation after myeloablative conditioning, and followed the animals for up to 3 years. CD33-edited HSPCs engrafted without any delay in recovery of neutrophils, the primary cell type expressing CD33. No impact on the blood composition, reconstitution of the bone marrow stem cell compartment, or myeloid differentiation potential was observed. Up to 20% long-term gene editing in HSPCs and blood cell lineages was seen with robust loss of CD33 detection on myeloid lineages. In conclusion, deletion of the V-set domain of CD33 on HSPCs, progenitors, and myeloid lineages did not show any adverse effects on their homing and engraftment potential or the differentiation and functionality of myeloid progenitors and lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas E. Petty
- Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Stefan Radtke
- Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Emily Fields
- Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Olivier Humbert
- Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Mallory J. Llewellyn
- Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - George S. Laszlo
- Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Haiying Zhu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Keith R. Jerome
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Roland B. Walter
- Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Hans-Peter Kiem
- Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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6
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Jiang F, Zhang C, Liu W, Liu F, Huang H, Tan Y, Qin B. Bibliometric analysis of global research trends in adeno-associated virus vector for gene therapy (1991-2022). Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1301915. [PMID: 38145048 PMCID: PMC10739348 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1301915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Gene therapy involves introducing and editing foreign genes in the body to treat and prevent genetic diseases. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector has become a widely used tool in gene therapy due to its high safety and transfection efficiency. Methods This study employs bibliometric analysis to explore the foundation and current state of AAV vector application in gene therapy research. A total of 6,069 publications from 1991 to 2022 were analyzed, retrieved from the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-E) within the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) of Clarivate Analytics. Institutions, authors, journals, references, and keywords were analyzed and visualized by using VOSviewer and CiteSpace. The R language and Microsoft Excel 365 were used for statistical analyses. Results The global literature on AAV vector and gene therapy exhibited consistent growth, with the United States leading in productivity, contributing 3,868 papers and obtaining the highest H-index. Noteworthy authors like Wilson JM, Samulski RJ, Hauswirth WW, and Mingozzi F were among the top 10 most productive and co-cited authors. The journal "Human Gene Therapy" published the most papers (n = 485) on AAV vector and gene therapy. Current research focuses on "gene editing," "gene structure," "CRISPR," and "AAV gene therapy for specific hereditary diseases." Conclusion The application of AAV vector in gene therapy has shown continuous growth, fostering international cooperation among countries and institutions. The intersection of gene editing, gene structure, CRISPR, and AAV gene therapy for specific hereditary diseases and AAV vector represents a prominent and prioritized focus in contemporary gene therapy research. This study provides valuable insights into the trends and characteristics of AAV gene therapy research, facilitating further advancements in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Haiyan Huang
- Shenzhen Aier Eye Hospital, Aier Eye Hospital, Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yao Tan
- Shenzhen Aier Eye Hospital, Aier Eye Hospital, Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Aier Ophthalmic Technology Institute, Shenzhen, China
| | - Bo Qin
- Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
- Shenzhen Aier Eye Hospital, Aier Eye Hospital, Jinan University, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Aier Ophthalmic Technology Institute, Shenzhen, China
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7
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Zeng S, Lei S, Qu C, Wang Y, Teng S, Huang P. CRISPR/Cas-based gene editing in therapeutic strategies for beta-thalassemia. Hum Genet 2023; 142:1677-1703. [PMID: 37878144 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-023-02610-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
Beta-thalassemia (β-thalassemia) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by point mutations, insertions, and deletions in the HBB gene cluster, resulting in the underproduction of β-globin chains. The most severe type may demonstrate complications including massive hepatosplenomegaly, bone deformities, and severe growth retardation in children. Treatments for β-thalassemia include blood transfusion, splenectomy, and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). However, long-term blood transfusions require regular iron removal therapy. For allogeneic HSCT, human lymphocyte antigen (HLA)-matched donors are rarely available, and acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) may occur after the transplantation. Thus, these conventional treatments are facing significant challenges. In recent years, with the advent and advancement of CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)/Cas9 (CRISPR-associated protein 9) gene editing technology, precise genome editing has achieved encouraging successes in basic and clinical studies for treating various genetic disorders, including β-thalassemia. Target gene-edited autogeneic HSCT helps patients avoid graft rejection and GVHD, making it a promising curative therapy for transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia (TDT). In this review, we introduce the development and mechanisms of CRISPR/Cas9. Recent advances on feasible strategies of CRISPR/Cas9 targeting three globin genes (HBB, HBG, and HBA) and targeting cell selections for β-thalassemia therapy are highlighted. Current CRISPR-based clinical trials in the treatment of β-thalassemia are summarized, which are focused on γ-globin reactivation and fetal hemoglobin reproduction in hematopoietic stem cells. Lastly, the applications of other promising CRISPR-based technologies, such as base editing and prime editing, in treating β-thalassemia and the limitations of the CRISPR/Cas system in therapeutic applications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shujun Zeng
- The Key Laboratory of Pathobiology, Ministry of Education, Norman Bethune College of Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuangyin Lei
- The Second Norman Bethune Clinical College of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, People's Republic of China
| | - Chao Qu
- The First Norman Bethune Clinical College of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, People's Republic of China
| | - Yue Wang
- The Second Norman Bethune Clinical College of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, People's Republic of China
| | - Shuzhi Teng
- The Key Laboratory of Pathobiology, Ministry of Education, Norman Bethune College of Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, People's Republic of China.
| | - Ping Huang
- The Key Laboratory of Pathobiology, Ministry of Education, Norman Bethune College of Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, People's Republic of China.
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8
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Ceglie G, Lecis M, Canciani G, Algeri M, Frati G. Genome editing for sickle cell disease: still time to correct? Front Pediatr 2023; 11:1249275. [PMID: 38027257 PMCID: PMC10652763 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2023.1249275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited blood disorder, due to a single point mutation in the β-globin gene (HBB) leading to multisystemic manifestations and it affects millions of people worldwide. The monogenic nature of the disease and the availability of autologous hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) make this disorder an ideal candidate for gene modification strategies. Notably, significant advances in the field of gene therapy and genome editing that took place in the last decade enabled the possibility to develop several strategies for the treatment of SCD. These curative approaches were firstly based on the correction of disease-causing mutations holding the promise for a specific, effective and safe option for patients. Specifically, gene-editing approaches exploiting the homology directed repair pathway were investigated, but soon their limited efficacy in quiescent HSC has curbed their wider development. On the other hand, a number of studies on globin gene regulation, led to the development of several genome editing strategies based on the reactivation of the fetal γ-globin gene (HBG) by nuclease-mediated targeting of HBG-repressor elements. Although the efficiency of these strategies seems to be confirmed in preclinical and clinical studies, very little is known about the long-term consequences of these modifications. Moreover, the potential genotoxicity of these nuclease-based strategies must be taken into account, especially when associated with high targeting rates. The recent introduction of nuclease-free genome editing technologies brought along the potential for safer strategies for SCD gene correction, which may also harbor significant advantages over HBG-reactivating ones. In this Review, we discuss the recent advances in genome editing strategies for the correction of SCD-causing mutations trying to recapitulate the promising strategies currently available and their relative strengths and weaknesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Ceglie
- Cell and Gene Therapy for Hematological Disorders Unit, Department of Oncology-Hematology, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Lecis
- Cell and Gene Therapy for Hematological Disorders Unit, Department of Oncology-Hematology, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
- Pediatric Unit, Modena University Hospital, Modena, Italy
| | - Gabriele Canciani
- Cell and Gene Therapy for Hematological Disorders Unit, Department of Oncology-Hematology, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy
- Residency School of Pediatrics, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Mattia Algeri
- Cell and Gene Therapy for Hematological Disorders Unit, Department of Oncology-Hematology, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy
| | - Giacomo Frati
- Cell and Gene Therapy for Hematological Disorders Unit, Department of Oncology-Hematology, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy
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Vavassori V, Ferrari S, Beretta S, Asperti C, Albano L, Annoni A, Gaddoni C, Varesi A, Soldi M, Cuomo A, Bonaldi T, Radrizzani M, Merelli I, Naldini L. Lipid nanoparticles allow efficient and harmless ex vivo gene editing of human hematopoietic cells. Blood 2023; 142:812-826. [PMID: 37294917 PMCID: PMC10644071 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2022019333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Ex vivo gene editing in T cells and hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) holds promise for treating diseases. Gene editing encompasses the delivery of a programmable editor RNA or ribonucleoprotein, often achieved ex vivo via electroporation, and when aiming for homology-driven correction of a DNA template, often provided by viral vectors together with a nuclease editor. Although HSPCs activate a robust p53-dependent DNA damage response upon nuclease-based editing, the responses triggered in T cells remain poorly characterized. Here, we performed comprehensive multiomics analyses and found that electroporation is the main culprit of cytotoxicity in T cells, causing death and cell cycle delay, perturbing metabolism, and inducing an inflammatory response. Nuclease RNA delivery using lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) nearly abolished cell death and ameliorated cell growth, improving tolerance to the procedure and yielding a higher number of edited cells compared with using electroporation. Transient transcriptomic changes upon LNP treatment were mostly caused by cellular loading with exogenous cholesterol, whose potentially detrimental impact could be overcome by limiting exposure. Notably, LNP-based HSPC editing dampened p53 pathway induction and supported higher clonogenic activity and similar or higher reconstitution by long-term repopulating HSPCs compared with electroporation, reaching comparable editing efficiencies. Overall, LNPs may allow efficient and harmless ex vivo gene editing in hematopoietic cells for the treatment of human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Vavassori
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Samuele Ferrari
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefano Beretta
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudia Asperti
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Luisa Albano
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Annoni
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Gaddoni
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Angelica Varesi
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Monica Soldi
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandro Cuomo
- Department of Molecular Oncology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Tiziana Bonaldi
- Department of Molecular Oncology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy
- Department of Oncology and Haematology-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Marina Radrizzani
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Ivan Merelli
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Institute for Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council, Segrate, Italy
| | - Luigi Naldini
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy
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10
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Finotti A, Gambari R. Combined approaches for increasing fetal hemoglobin (HbF) and de novo production of adult hemoglobin (HbA) in erythroid cells from β-thalassemia patients: treatment with HbF inducers and CRISPR-Cas9 based genome editing. Front Genome Ed 2023; 5:1204536. [PMID: 37529398 PMCID: PMC10387548 DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2023.1204536] [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: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Genome editing (GE) is one of the most efficient and useful molecular approaches to correct the effects of gene mutations in hereditary monogenetic diseases, including β-thalassemia. CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing has been proposed for effective correction of the β-thalassemia mutation, obtaining high-level "de novo" production of adult hemoglobin (HbA). In addition to the correction of the primary gene mutations causing β-thalassemia, several reports demonstrate that gene editing can be employed to increase fetal hemoglobin (HbF), obtaining important clinical benefits in treated β-thalassemia patients. This important objective can be achieved through CRISPR-Cas9 disruption of genes encoding transcriptional repressors of γ-globin gene expression (such as BCL11A, SOX6, KLF-1) or their binding sites in the HBG promoter, mimicking non-deletional and deletional HPFH mutations. These two approaches (β-globin gene correction and genome editing of the genes encoding repressors of γ-globin gene transcription) can be, at least in theory, combined. However, since multiplex CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing is associated with documented evidence concerning possible genotoxicity, this review is focused on the possibility to combine pharmacologically-mediated HbF induction protocols with the "de novo" production of HbA using CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Finotti
- Center “Chiara Gemmo and Elio Zago” for the Research on Thalassemia, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Roberto Gambari
- Center “Chiara Gemmo and Elio Zago” for the Research on Thalassemia, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
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11
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Kuppers DA, Linton J, Ortiz Espinosa S, McKenna KM, Rongvaux A, Paddison PJ. Gene knock-outs in human CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells and in the human immune system of mice. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0287052. [PMID: 37379309 PMCID: PMC10306193 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Human CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) are a standard source of cells for clinical HSC transplantations as well as experimental xenotransplantation to generate "humanized mice". To further extend the range of applications of these humanized mice, we developed a protocol to efficiently edit the genomes of human CD34+ HSPCs before transplantation. In the past, manipulating HSPCs has been complicated by the fact that they are inherently difficult to transduce with lentivectors, and rapidly lose their stemness and engraftment potential during in vitro culture. However, with optimized nucleofection of sgRNA:Cas9 ribonucleoprotein complexes, we are now able to edit a candidate gene in CD34+ HSPCs with almost 100% efficiency, and transplant these modified cells in immunodeficient mice with high engraftment levels and multilineage hematopoietic differentiation. The result is a humanized mouse from which we knocked out a gene of interest from their human immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A. Kuppers
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Jonathan Linton
- Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Sergio Ortiz Espinosa
- Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Kelly M. McKenna
- Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Anthony Rongvaux
- Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Program in Immunology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
- Department of Immunology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Patrick J. Paddison
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
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12
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Tiukacheva EA, Ulianov SV, Karpukhina A, Razin SV, Vassetzky Y. 3D genome alterations and editing in pathology. Mol Ther 2023; 31:924-933. [PMID: 36755493 PMCID: PMC10124079 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The human genome is folded into a multi-level 3D structure that controls many nuclear functions including gene expression. Recently, alterations in 3D genome organization were associated with several genetic diseases and cancer. As a consequence, experimental approaches are now being developed to modify the global 3D genome organization and that of specific loci. Here, we discuss emerging experimental approaches of 3D genome editing that may prove useful in biomedicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugenia A Tiukacheva
- CNRS UMR9018, Institut Gustave Roussy, 94805 Villejuif, France; Institute of Gene Biology, Moscow 119334, Russia; Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow 141700, Russia; Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, Russia; Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology, Moscow 119334, Russia
| | - Sergey V Ulianov
- Institute of Gene Biology, Moscow 119334, Russia; Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Anna Karpukhina
- CNRS UMR9018, Institut Gustave Roussy, 94805 Villejuif, France; Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology, Moscow 119334, Russia
| | - Sergey V Razin
- Institute of Gene Biology, Moscow 119334, Russia; Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, Russia
| | - Yegor Vassetzky
- CNRS UMR9018, Institut Gustave Roussy, 94805 Villejuif, France; Koltzov Institute of Developmental Biology, Moscow 119334, Russia.
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Poletto E, Silva AO, Weinlich R, Martin PKM, Torres DC, Giugliani R, Baldo G. Ex vivo gene therapy for lysosomal storage disorders: future perspectives. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2023; 23:353-364. [PMID: 36920351 DOI: 10.1080/14712598.2023.2192348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Lysosomal storage disorders (LSD) are a group of monogenic rare diseases caused by pathogenic variants in genes that encode proteins related to lysosomal function. These disorders are good candidates for gene therapy for different reasons: they are monogenic, most of lysosomal proteins are enzymes that can be secreted and cross-correct neighboring cells, and small quantities of these proteins are able to produce clinical benefits in many cases. Ex vivo gene therapy allows for autologous transplant of modified cells from different sources, including stem cells and hematopoietic precursors. AREAS COVERED Here, we summarize the main gene therapy and genome editing strategies that are currently being used as ex vivo gene therapy approaches for lysosomal disorders, highlighting important characteristics, such as vectors used, strategies, types of cells that are modified and main results in different disorders. EXPERT OPINION Clinical trials are already ongoing, and soon approved therapies for LSD based on ex vivo gene therapy approaches should reach the market.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edina Poletto
- Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto alegre, Brazil
- Centro de Pesquisa Experimental (CPE), Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Andrew Oliveira Silva
- Centro de Pesquisa Experimental (CPE), Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Weinlich
- Centro de Pesquisa Experimental (CPE), Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Centro de Ensino e Pesquisa/Pesquisa Experimental, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Davi Coe Torres
- Centro de Ensino e Pesquisa/Pesquisa Experimental, Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Roberto Giugliani
- Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto alegre, Brazil
- Centro de Pesquisa Experimental (CPE), Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Baldo
- Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto alegre, Brazil
- Centro de Pesquisa Experimental (CPE), Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, Brazil
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Borot F, Humbert O, Newby GA, Fields E, Kohli S, Radtke S, Laszlo GS, Mayuranathan T, Ali AM, Weiss MJ, Yen JS, Walter RB, Liu DR, Mukherjee S, Kiem HP. Multiplex Base Editing to Protect from CD33-Directed Therapy: Implications for Immune and Gene Therapy. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.23.529353. [PMID: 36865281 PMCID: PMC9980058 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.23.529353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
On-target toxicity to normal cells is a major safety concern with targeted immune and gene therapies. Here, we developed a base editing (BE) approach exploiting a naturally occurring CD33 single nucleotide polymorphism leading to removal of full-length CD33 surface expression on edited cells. CD33 editing in human and nonhuman primate (NHP) hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) protects from CD33-targeted therapeutics without affecting normal hematopoiesis in vivo , thus demonstrating potential for novel immunotherapies with reduced off-leukemia toxicity. For broader applications to gene therapies, we demonstrated highly efficient (>70%) multiplexed adenine base editing of the CD33 and gamma globin genes, resulting in long-term persistence of dual gene-edited cells with HbF reactivation in NHPs. In vitro , dual gene-edited cells could be enriched via treatment with the CD33 antibody-drug conjugate, gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO). Together, our results highlight the potential of adenine base editors for improved immune and gene therapies. Graphical abstract
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15
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Zarghamian P, Klermund J, Cathomen T. Clinical genome editing to treat sickle cell disease-A brief update. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 9:1065377. [PMID: 36698803 PMCID: PMC9868311 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2022.1065377] [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: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is one of the most common hemoglobinopathies. Due to its high prevalence, with about 20 million affected individuals worldwide, the development of novel effective treatments is highly warranted. While transplantation of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) is the standard curative treatment approach, a variety of gene transfer and genome editing strategies have demonstrated their potential to provide a prospective cure for SCD patients. Several stratagems employing CRISPR-Cas nucleases or base editors aim at reactivation of γ-globin expression to replace the faulty β-globin chain. The fetal hemoglobin (HbF), consisting of two α-globin and two γ-globin chains, can compensate for defective adult hemoglobin (HbA) and reverse the sickling of hemoglobin-S (HbS). Both disruption of cis-regulatory elements that are involved in inhibiting γ-globin expression, such as BCL11A or LRF binding sites in the γ-globin gene promoters (HBG1/2), or the lineage-specific disruption of BCL11A to reduce its expression in human erythroblasts, have been demonstrated to reestablish HbF expression. Alternatively, the point mutation in the HBB gene has been corrected using homology-directed repair (HDR)-based methodologies. In general, genome editing has shown promising results not only in preclinical animal models but also in clinical trials, both in terms of efficacy and safety. This review provides a brief update on the recent clinical advances in the genome editing space to offer cure for SCD patients, discusses open questions with regard to off-target effects induced by the employed genome editors, and gives an outlook of forthcoming developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parinaz Zarghamian
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Gene Therapy, Medical Center — University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany,Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency (CCI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany,Ph.D. Program, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Julia Klermund
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Gene Therapy, Medical Center — University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany,Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency (CCI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Toni Cathomen
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Gene Therapy, Medical Center — University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany,Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency (CCI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany,*Correspondence: Toni Cathomen,
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CRISPR/Cas9, a promising approach for the treatment of β-thalassemia: a systematic review. Mol Genet Genomics 2023; 298:1-11. [PMID: 36403178 DOI: 10.1007/s00438-022-01978-z] [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: 09/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The CRISPR/Cas9 technique is easily programmable, fast, more powerful, and efficient at generating a mutation compared to previous gene therapy methods. β-thalassemia is the most common autosomal recessive disorder worldwide. Appropriate genomic changes in the β gene can be modified to alleviate the symptoms of the disease using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. PubMed/Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and SID databases were searched in Persian and English from February 2000 to September 2022. Finally, 39 articles had inclusion criteria which were reviewed by two separate individuals. Among the reviewed articles, articles were divided into three categories. In the first group, studies attemped to increase the expression of γ-globin and production of hemoglobin F. The strategy of second group of studies were the reduction of the α-globin chain to prevent hemolysis of RBCs by accumulation of excessive α-globins. The third group corrected the mutations causing β-thalassemia. Studies have shown that the genome of β-thalassemia patients can be modified using the CRISPR/Cas9 technique, and this approach might be promising for the treatment of β-thalassemia.
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17
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Wienert B, Cromer MK. CRISPR nuclease off-target activity and mitigation strategies. Front Genome Ed 2022; 4:1050507. [PMID: 36439866 PMCID: PMC9685173 DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2022.1050507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery of CRISPR has allowed site-specific genomic modification to become a reality and this technology is now being applied in a number of human clinical trials. While this technology has demonstrated impressive efficacy in the clinic to date, there remains the potential for unintended on- and off-target effects of CRISPR nuclease activity. A variety of in silico-based prediction tools and empirically derived experimental methods have been developed to identify the most common unintended effect-small insertions and deletions at genomic sites with homology to the guide RNA. However, large-scale aberrations have recently been reported such as translocations, inversions, deletions, and even chromothripsis. These are more difficult to detect using current workflows indicating a major unmet need in the field. In this review we summarize potential sequencing-based solutions that may be able to detect these large-scale effects even at low frequencies of occurrence. In addition, many of the current clinical trials using CRISPR involve ex vivo isolation of a patient's own stem cells, modification, and re-transplantation. However, there is growing interest in direct, in vivo delivery of genome editing tools. While this strategy has the potential to address disease in cell types that are not amenable to ex vivo manipulation, in vivo editing has only one desired outcome-on-target editing in the cell type of interest. CRISPR activity in unintended cell types (both on- and off-target) is therefore a major safety as well as ethical concern in tissues that could enable germline transmission. In this review, we have summarized the strengths and weaknesses of current editing and delivery tools and potential improvements to off-target and off-tissue CRISPR activity detection. We have also outlined potential mitigation strategies that will ensure that the safety of CRISPR keeps pace with efficacy, a necessary requirement if this technology is to realize its full translational potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beeke Wienert
- Graphite Bio, Inc., South San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - M. Kyle Cromer
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Eli and Edythe Broad Center for Regeneration Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
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Boyne A, Yang M, Pulicani S, Feola M, Tkach D, Hong R, Duclert A, Duchateau P, Juillerat A. Efficient multitool/multiplex gene engineering with TALE-BE. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:1033669. [PMID: 36440442 PMCID: PMC9684181 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.1033669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
TALE base editors are a recent addition to the genome editing toolbox. These molecular tools are fusions of a transcription activator-like effector domain (TALE), split-DddA deaminase halves, and an uracil glycosylase inhibitor (UGI) that have the distinct ability to directly edit double strand DNA, converting a cytosine (C) to a thymine (T). To dissect the editing rules of TALE-BE, we combined the screening of dozens of TALE-BE targeting nuclear genomic loci with a medium/high throughput strategy based on precise knock-in of TALE-BE target site collections into the cell genome. This latter approach allowed us to gain in depth insight of the editing rules in cellulo, while excluding confounding factors such as epigenetic and microenvironmental differences among different genomic loci. Using the knowledge gained, we designed TALE-BE targeting CD52 and achieved very high frequency of gene knock-out (up to 80% of phenotypic CD52 knock out). We further demonstrated that TALE-BE generate only insignificant levels of Indels and byproducts. Finally, we combined two molecular tools, a TALE-BE and a TALEN, for multiplex genome engineering, generating high levels of double gene knock-out (∼75%) without creation of translocations between the two targeted sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Boyne
- Cellectis Inc., New York, NY, United States
| | - Ming Yang
- Cellectis Inc., New York, NY, United States
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Alexandre Juillerat
- Cellectis Inc., New York, NY, United States
- *Correspondence: Alexandre Juillerat,
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19
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Bäckström A, Yudovich D, Žemaitis K, Nilsén Falck L, Subramaniam A, Larsson J. Combinatorial gene targeting in primary human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Sci Rep 2022; 12:18169. [PMID: 36307542 PMCID: PMC9616885 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23118-8] [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: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The CRISPR/Cas9 system offers enormous versatility for functional genomics but many applications have proven to be challenging in primary human cells compared to cell lines or mouse cells. Here, to establish a paradigm for multiplexed gene editing in primary human cord blood-derived hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), we used co-delivery of lentiviral sgRNA vectors expressing either Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein (EGFP) or Kusabira Orange (KuO), together with Cas9 mRNA, to simultaneously edit two genetic loci. The fluorescent markers allow for tracking of either single- or double-edited cells, and we could achieve robust double knockout of the cell surface molecules CD45 and CD44 with an efficiency of ~ 70%. As a functional proof of concept, we demonstrate that this system can be used to model gene dependencies for cell survival, by simultaneously targeting the cohesin genes STAG1 and STAG2. Moreover, we show combinatorial effects with potential synergy for HSPC expansion by targeting the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AHR) in conjunction with members of the CoREST complex. Taken together, our traceable multiplexed CRISPR/Cas9 system enables studies of genetic dependencies and cooperation in primary HSPCs, and has important implications for modelling polygenic diseases, as well as investigation of the underlying mechanisms of gene interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Bäckström
- grid.4514.40000 0001 0930 2361Division of Molecular Medicine and Gene Therapy, Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, BMC A12, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - David Yudovich
- grid.4514.40000 0001 0930 2361Division of Molecular Medicine and Gene Therapy, Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, BMC A12, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Kristijonas Žemaitis
- grid.4514.40000 0001 0930 2361Division of Molecular Medicine and Gene Therapy, Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, BMC A12, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Ludvig Nilsén Falck
- grid.4514.40000 0001 0930 2361Division of Molecular Medicine and Gene Therapy, Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, BMC A12, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Agatheeswaran Subramaniam
- grid.4514.40000 0001 0930 2361Division of Molecular Medicine and Gene Therapy, Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, BMC A12, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Jonas Larsson
- grid.4514.40000 0001 0930 2361Division of Molecular Medicine and Gene Therapy, Lund Stem Cell Center, Lund University, BMC A12, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
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20
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Lu Y, Happi Mbakam C, Song B, Bendavid E, Tremblay JP. Improvements of nuclease and nickase gene modification techniques for the treatment of genetic diseases. Front Genome Ed 2022; 4:892769. [PMID: 35958050 PMCID: PMC9360573 DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2022.892769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Advancements in genome editing make possible to exploit the functions of enzymes for efficient DNA modifications with tremendous potential to treat human genetic diseases. Several nuclease genome editing strategies including Meganucleases (MNs), Zinc Finger Nucleases (ZFNs), Transcription Activator-like Effector Nucleases (TALENs) and Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats-CRISPR associated proteins (CRISPR-Cas) have been developed for the correction of genetic mutations. CRISPR-Cas has further been engineered to create nickase genome editing tools including Base editors and Prime editors with much precision and efficacy. In this review, we summarized recent improvements in nuclease and nickase genome editing approaches for the treatment of genetic diseases. We also highlighted some limitations for the translation of these approaches into clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaoyao Lu
- CHU de Québec Research Center, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Cedric Happi Mbakam
- CHU de Québec Research Center, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Bo Song
- CHU de Québec Research Center, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Eli Bendavid
- CHU de Québec Research Center, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Jacques-P. Tremblay
- CHU de Québec Research Center, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Jacques-P. Tremblay,
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Bou-Fakhredin R, De Franceschi L, Motta I, Cappellini MD, Taher AT. Pharmacological Induction of Fetal Hemoglobin in β-Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Disease: An Updated Perspective. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15060753. [PMID: 35745672 PMCID: PMC9227505 DOI: 10.3390/ph15060753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
A significant amount of attention has recently been devoted to the mechanisms involved in hemoglobin (Hb) switching, as it has previously been established that the induction of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) production in significant amounts can reduce the severity of the clinical course in diseases such as β-thalassemia and sickle cell disease (SCD). While the induction of HbF using lentiviral and genome-editing strategies has been made possible, they present limitations. Meanwhile, progress in the use of pharmacologic agents for HbF induction and the identification of novel HbF-inducing strategies has been made possible as a result of a better understanding of γ-globin regulation. In this review, we will provide an update on all current pharmacological inducer agents of HbF in β-thalassemia and SCD in addition to the ongoing research into other novel, and potentially therapeutic, HbF-inducing agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rayan Bou-Fakhredin
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy; (R.B.-F.); (I.M.)
| | - Lucia De Franceschi
- Department of Medicine, University of Verona and Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Verona, 37128 Verona, Italy;
| | - Irene Motta
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy; (R.B.-F.); (I.M.)
- UOC General Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Domenica Cappellini
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy; (R.B.-F.); (I.M.)
- UOC General Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
- Correspondence: (M.D.C.); (A.T.T.)
| | - Ali T. Taher
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon
- Correspondence: (M.D.C.); (A.T.T.)
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