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Cooney AL, Loza LM, Najdawi K, Brommel CM, McCray PB, Sinn PL. High ionic strength vector formulations enhance gene transfer to airway epithelia. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:9369-9383. [PMID: 39077931 PMCID: PMC11381324 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae640] [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: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/31/2024] Open
Abstract
A fundamental challenge for cystic fibrosis (CF) gene therapy is ensuring sufficient transduction of airway epithelia to achieve therapeutic correction. Hypertonic saline (HTS) is frequently administered to people with CF to enhance mucus clearance. HTS transiently disrupts epithelial cell tight junctions, but its ability to improve gene transfer has not been investigated. Here, we asked if increasing the concentration of NaCl enhances the transduction efficiency of three gene therapy vectors: adenovirus, AAV, and lentiviral vectors. Vectors formulated with 3-7% NaCl exhibited markedly increased transduction for all three platforms, leading to anion channel correction in primary cultures of human CF epithelial cells and enhanced gene transfer in mouse and pig airways in vivo. The mechanism of transduction enhancement involved tonicity but not osmolarity or pH. Formulating vectors with a high ionic strength solution is a simple strategy to greatly enhance efficacy and immediately improve preclinical or clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley L Cooney
- University of Iowa, Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- University of Iowa, Pappajohn Biomedical Institute; Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Laura Marquez Loza
- University of Iowa, Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- University of Iowa, Pappajohn Biomedical Institute; Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Kenan Najdawi
- University of Iowa, Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- University of Iowa, Pappajohn Biomedical Institute; Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Christian M Brommel
- University of Iowa, Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- University of Iowa, Pappajohn Biomedical Institute; Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Paul B McCray
- University of Iowa, Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- University of Iowa, Pappajohn Biomedical Institute; Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- University of Iowa, Center for Gene Therapy; Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Patrick L Sinn
- University of Iowa, Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- University of Iowa, Pappajohn Biomedical Institute; Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- University of Iowa, Center for Gene Therapy; Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
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2
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McCarron A, Ling KM, Montgomery ST, Martinovich KM, Cmielewski P, Rout-Pitt N, Kicic A, Parsons D, Donnelley M. Lentiviral vector gene therapy and CFTR modulators show comparable effectiveness in cystic fibrosis rat airway models. Gene Ther 2024:10.1038/s41434-024-00480-y. [PMID: 39183346 DOI: 10.1038/s41434-024-00480-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2024] [Revised: 08/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
Mutation-agnostic treatments such as airway gene therapy have the potential to treat any individual with cystic fibrosis (CF), irrespective of their CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene variants. The aim of this study was to employ two CF rat models, Phe508del and CFTR knockout (KO), to assess the comparative effectiveness of CFTR modulators and lentiviral (LV) vector-mediated gene therapy. Cells were isolated from the tracheas of rats and used to establish air-liquid interface (ALI) cultures. Phe508del rat ALIs were treated with the modulator combination, elexacaftor-tezacaftor-ivacaftor (ETI), and separate groups of Phe508del and KO tracheal epithelial cells were treated with LV-CFTR followed by differentiation at ALI. Ussing chamber measurements were performed to assess CFTR function. ETI-treated Phe508del ALI cultures demonstrated CFTR function that was 59% of wild-type level, while gene-addition therapy restored Phe508del to 68% and KO to 47% of wild-type level, respectively. Our findings show that rat Phe508del-CFTR protein can be successfully rescued with ETI treatment, and that CFTR gene-addition therapy provides significant CFTR correction in Phe508del and KO ALI cultures to levels that were comparable to ETI. These findings highlight the potential of an LV vector-based gene therapy for the treatment of CF lung disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra McCarron
- Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
- Robinson Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
- Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Women's and Children's Hospital, North Adelaide, SA, Australia.
| | - Kak-Ming Ling
- Wal-Yan Respiratory Research Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia
| | - Samuel T Montgomery
- Wal-Yan Respiratory Research Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia
| | - Kelly M Martinovich
- Wal-Yan Respiratory Research Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Centre for Child Health Research, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Patricia Cmielewski
- Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Robinson Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Women's and Children's Hospital, North Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Nathan Rout-Pitt
- Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Robinson Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Women's and Children's Hospital, North Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Anthony Kicic
- Wal-Yan Respiratory Research Centre, Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- School of Population Health, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia
- Department of Respiratory and Sleep, Perth Children's Hospital, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Centre for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, The University of Western Australia and Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - David Parsons
- Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Robinson Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Women's and Children's Hospital, North Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Martin Donnelley
- Adelaide Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Robinson Research Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Women's and Children's Hospital, North Adelaide, SA, Australia
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Lee-Ferris RE, Okuda K, Galiger JR, Schworer SA, Rogers TD, Dang H, Gilmore R, Edwards C, Nakano S, Cawley AM, Pickles RJ, Gallant SC, Crisci E, Rivier L, Hagood JS, O'Neal WK, Baric RS, Grubb BR, Boucher RC, Randell SH. Prolonged airway explant culture enables study of health, disease, and viral pathogenesis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.03.578756. [PMID: 38370820 PMCID: PMC10871200 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.03.578756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
In vitro models play a major role in studying airway physiology and disease. However, the native lung's complex tissue architecture and non-epithelial cell lineages are not preserved in these models. Ex vivo tissue models could overcome in vitro limitations, but methods for long-term maintenance of ex vivo tissue has not been established. We describe methods to culture human large airway explants, small airway explants, and precision-cut lung slices for at least 14 days. Human airway explants recapitulate genotype-specific electrophysiology, characteristic epithelial, endothelial, stromal and immune cell populations, and model viral infection after 14 days in culture. These methods also maintain mouse, rabbit, and pig tracheal explants. Notably, intact airway tissue can be cryopreserved, thawed, and used to generate explants with recovery of function 14 days post-thaw. These studies highlight the broad applications of airway tissue explants and their use as translational intermediates between in vitro and in vivo studies.
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Cooney AL, Loza LM, Najdawi K, Brommel CM, McCray PB, Sinn PL. High ionic strength vector formulations enhance gene transfer to airway epithelia. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.22.576687. [PMID: 38328187 PMCID: PMC10849541 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.22.576687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
A fundamental challenge for cystic fibrosis (CF) gene therapy is ensuring sufficient transduction of airway epithelia to achieve therapeutic correction. Hypertonic saline (HTS) is frequently administered to people with CF to enhance mucus clearance. HTS transiently disrupts epithelial cell tight junctions, but its ability to improve gene transfer has not been investigated. Here we asked if increasing the concentration of NaCl enhances the transduction efficiency of three gene therapy vectors: adenovirus, AAV, and lentiviral vectors. Vectors formulated with 3-7% NaCl exhibited markedly increased transduction for all three platforms, leading to anion channel correction in primary cultures of human CF epithelial cells and enhanced gene transfer in mouse and pig airways in vivo. The mechanism of transduction enhancement involved tonicity but not osmolarity or pH. Formulating vectors with a high ionic strength solution is a simple strategy to greatly enhance efficacy and immediately improve preclinical or clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley L. Cooney
- University of Iowa, Department of Pediatrics; Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- University of Iowa, Center for Cystic Fibrosis Gene Therapy; Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Laura Marquez Loza
- University of Iowa, Department of Pediatrics; Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- University of Iowa, Center for Cystic Fibrosis Gene Therapy; Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Kenan Najdawi
- University of Iowa, Department of Pediatrics; Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- University of Iowa, Center for Cystic Fibrosis Gene Therapy; Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Christian M. Brommel
- University of Iowa, Department of Pediatrics; Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- University of Iowa, Center for Cystic Fibrosis Gene Therapy; Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Paul B. McCray
- University of Iowa, Department of Pediatrics; Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- University of Iowa, Center for Cystic Fibrosis Gene Therapy; Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- University of Iowa, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
| | - Patrick L. Sinn
- University of Iowa, Department of Pediatrics; Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- University of Iowa, Center for Cystic Fibrosis Gene Therapy; Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
- University of Iowa, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
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Woodall M, Tarran R, Lee R, Anfishi H, Prins S, Counsell J, Vergani P, Hart S, Baines D. Expression of gain-of-function CFTR in cystic fibrosis airway cells restores epithelial function better than wild-type or codon-optimized CFTR. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2023; 30:593-605. [PMID: 37701179 PMCID: PMC10494266 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2023.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
Class Ia/b cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) variants cause severe lung disease in 10% of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients and are untreatable with small-molecule pharmaceuticals. Genetic replacement of CFTR offers a cure, but its effectiveness is limited in vivo. We hypothesized that enhancing protein levels (using codon optimization) and/or activity (using gain-of-function variants) of CFTR would more effectively restore function to CF bronchial epithelial cells. Three different variants of the CFTR protein were tested: codon optimized (high codon adaptation index [hCAI]), a gain-of-function (GOF) variant (K978C), and a combination of both (hˆK978C). In human embryonic kidney (HEK293T) cells, initial results showed that hCAI and hˆK978C produced greater than 10-fold more CFTR protein and displayed ∼4-fold greater activity than wild-type (WT) CFTR. However, functionality was profoundly different in CF bronchial epithelial cells. Here, K978C CFTR more potently restored essential epithelial functions (anion transport, airway surface liquid height, and pH) than WT CFTR. hCAI and hˆK978C CFTRs had limited impact because of mislocalization in the cell. These data provide a proof of principle showing that GOF variants may be more effective than codon-optimized forms of CFTR for CF gene therapy. Video abstract
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximillian Woodall
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St George’s, University of London, Cranmer Terrace, Tooting, London SW17 0RE, UK
| | - Robert Tarran
- Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7248, USA
| | - Rhianna Lee
- Department of Cell Biology & Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7248, USA
| | - Hafssa Anfishi
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St George’s, University of London, Cranmer Terrace, Tooting, London SW17 0RE, UK
| | - Stella Prins
- Neuroscience, Physiology, & Pharmacology, Division of Biosciences, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - John Counsell
- Genetics & Genomic Medicine Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Paola Vergani
- Neuroscience, Physiology, & Pharmacology, Division of Biosciences, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Stephen Hart
- Genetics & Genomic Medicine Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Deborah Baines
- Institute for Infection and Immunity, St George’s, University of London, Cranmer Terrace, Tooting, London SW17 0RE, UK
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Lee JA, Cho A, Huang EN, Xu Y, Quach H, Hu J, Wong AP. Gene therapy for cystic fibrosis: new tools for precision medicine. J Transl Med 2021; 19:452. [PMID: 34717671 PMCID: PMC8556969 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-021-03099-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery of the Cystic fibrosis (CF) gene in 1989 has paved the way for incredible progress in treating the disease such that the mean survival age of individuals living with CF is now ~58 years in Canada. Recent developments in gene targeting tools and new cell and animal models have re-ignited the search for a permanent genetic cure for all CF. In this review, we highlight some of the more recent gene therapy approaches as well as new models that will provide insight into personalized therapies for CF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin-A Lee
- Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay Street, PGCRL 16-9420, Toronto, ON, M5G0A4, Canada
| | - Alex Cho
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Elena N Huang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Yiming Xu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Henry Quach
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Jim Hu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.,Program in Translational Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, M5G0A4, Canada
| | - Amy P Wong
- Program in Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Hospital for Sick Children, 686 Bay Street, PGCRL 16-9420, Toronto, ON, M5G0A4, Canada. .,Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
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