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Gillespie W, Zhang Y, Ruiz OE, Cerda J, Ortiz-Guzman J, Turner WD, Largoza G, Sherman M, Mosser LE, Fujimoto E, Chien CB, Kwan KM, Arenkiel BR, Devine WP, Wythe JD. Multisite Assembly of Gateway Induced Clones (MAGIC): a flexible cloning toolbox with diverse applications in vertebrate model systems. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.13.603267. [PMID: 39026881 PMCID: PMC11257631 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.13.603267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
Here we present the Multisite Assembly of Gateway Induced Clones (MAGIC) system, which harnesses site-specific recombination-based cloning via Gateway technology for rapid, modular assembly of between 1 and 3 "Entry" vector components, all into a fourth, standard high copy "Destination" plasmid backbone. The MAGIC toolkit spans a range of in vitro and in vivo uses, from directing tunable gene expression, to driving simultaneous expression of microRNAs and fluorescent reporters, to enabling site-specific recombinase-dependent gene expression. All MAGIC system components are directly compatible with existing multisite gateway Tol2 systems currently used in zebrafish, as well as existing eukaryotic cell culture expression Destination plasmids, and available mammalian lentiviral and adenoviral Destination vectors, allowing rapid cross-species experimentation. Moreover, herein we describe novel vectors with flanking piggyBac transposon elements for stable genomic integration in vitro or in vivo when used with piggyBac transposase. Collectively, the MAGIC system facilitates transgenesis in cultured mammalian cells, electroporated mouse and chick embryos, as well as in injected zebrafish embryos, enabling the rapid generation of innovative DNA constructs for biological research due to a shared, common plasmid platform.
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2
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Nassauer L, Staecker H, Huang P, Renslo B, Goblet M, Harre J, Warnecke A, Schott JW, Morgan M, Galla M, Schambach A. Protection from cisplatin-induced hearing loss with lentiviral vector-mediated ectopic expression of the anti-apoptotic protein BCL-XL. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2024; 35:102157. [PMID: 38450280 PMCID: PMC10915631 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
Cisplatin is a highly effective chemotherapeutic agent, but it can cause sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in patients. Cisplatin-induced ototoxicity is closely related to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and subsequent death of hair cells (HCs) and spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs). Despite various strategies to combat ototoxicity, only one therapeutic agent has thus far been clinically approved. Therefore, we have developed a gene therapy concept to protect cochlear cells from cisplatin-induced toxicity. Self-inactivating lentiviral (LV) vectors were used to ectopically express various antioxidant enzymes or anti-apoptotic proteins to enhance the cellular ROS scavenging or prevent apoptosis in affected cell types. In direct comparison, anti-apoptotic proteins mediated a stronger reduction in cytotoxicity than antioxidant enzymes. Importantly, overexpression of the most promising candidate, Bcl-xl, achieved an up to 2.5-fold reduction in cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity in HEI-OC1 cells, phoenix auditory neurons, and primary SGN cultures. BCL-XL protected against cisplatin-mediated tissue destruction in cochlear explants. Strikingly, in vivo application of the LV BCL-XL vector improved hearing and increased HC survival in cisplatin-treated mice. In conclusion, we have established a preclinical gene therapy approach to protect mice from cisplatin-induced ototoxicity that has the potential to be translated to clinical use in cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Nassauer
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Hinrich Staecker
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Peixin Huang
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Bryan Renslo
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Madeleine Goblet
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence “Hearing4all”, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Jennifer Harre
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence “Hearing4all”, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Athanasia Warnecke
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence “Hearing4all”, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Juliane W. Schott
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael Morgan
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Melanie Galla
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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3
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Chiyyeadu A, Asgedom G, Bruhn M, Rocha C, Schlegel TU, Neumann T, Galla M, Vollmer Barbosa P, Hoffmann M, Ehrhardt K, Ha TC, Morgan M, Schoeder CT, Pöhlmann S, Kalinke U, Schambach A. A tetravalent bispecific antibody outperforms the combination of its parental antibodies and neutralizes diverse SARS-CoV-2 variants. Clin Immunol 2024; 260:109902. [PMID: 38218210 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2024.109902] [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: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
The devastating impact of COVID-19 on global health shows the need to increase our pandemic preparedness. Recombinant therapeutic antibodies were successfully used to treat and protect at-risk patients from COVID-19. However, the currently circulating Omicron subvariants of SARS-CoV-2 are largely resistant to therapeutic antibodies, and novel approaches to generate broadly neutralizing antibodies are urgently needed. Here, we describe a tetravalent bispecific antibody, A7A9 TVB, which actively neutralized many SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, including early Omicron subvariants. Interestingly, A7A9 TVB neutralized more variants at lower concentration as compared to the combination of its parental monoclonal antibodies, A7K and A9L. A7A9 also reduced the viral load of authentic Omicron BA.1 virus in infected pseudostratified primary human nasal epithelial cells. Overall, A7A9 displayed the characteristics of a potent broadly neutralizing antibody, which may be suitable for prophylactic and therapeutic applications in the clinics, thus highlighting the usefulness of an effective antibody-designing approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek Chiyyeadu
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; REBIRTH Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Girmay Asgedom
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Matthias Bruhn
- Institute for Experimental Infection Research, TWINCORE, Center for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and the Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Cheila Rocha
- German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Faculty of Biology and Psychology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Tom U Schlegel
- Institute for Drug Discovery, Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thomas Neumann
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Melanie Galla
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; REBIRTH Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Philippe Vollmer Barbosa
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; REBIRTH Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Markus Hoffmann
- German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Faculty of Biology and Psychology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Katrin Ehrhardt
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Teng-Cheong Ha
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; REBIRTH Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael Morgan
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; REBIRTH Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Clara T Schoeder
- Institute for Drug Discovery, Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig University, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stefan Pöhlmann
- German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Faculty of Biology and Psychology, Georg-August-University Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ulrich Kalinke
- Institute for Experimental Infection Research, TWINCORE, Center for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, a joint venture between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and the Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; Cluster of Excellence RESIST (EXC 2155), Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; REBIRTH Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, United States of America.
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Hirch T, Brander N, Schenk F, Pöllmann SJ, Reichenbach J, Schubert R, Modlich U. Expression of a large coding sequence: Gene therapy vectors for Ataxia Telangiectasia. Sci Rep 2023; 13:19386. [PMID: 37938627 PMCID: PMC10632516 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-46332-4] [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: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Ataxia telangiectasia is a monogenetic disorder caused by mutations in the ATM gene. Its encoded protein kinase ATM plays a fundamental role in DNA repair of double strand breaks (DSBs). Impaired function of this kinase leads to a multisystemic disorder including immunodeficiency, progressive cerebellar degeneration, radiation sensitivity, dilated blood vessels, premature aging and a predisposition to cancer. Since allogenic hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation improved disease outcome, gene therapy based on autologous HSCs is an alternative promising concept. However, due to the large cDNA of ATM (9.2 kb), efficient packaging of retroviral particles and sufficient transduction of HSCs remains challenging.We generated lentiviral, gammaretroviral and foamy viral vectors with a GFP.F2A.Atm fusion or a GFP transgene and systematically compared transduction efficiencies. Vector titers dropped with increasing transgene size, but despite their described limited packaging capacity, we were able to produce lentiviral and gammaretroviral particles. The reduction in titers could not be explained by impaired packaging of the viral genomes, but the main differences occurred after transduction. Finally, after transduction of Atm-deficient (ATM-KO) murine fibroblasts with the lentiviral vector expressing Atm, we could show the expression of ATM protein which phosphorylated its downstream substrates (pKap1 and p-p53).
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Hirch
- Division of Veterinary Medicine, RG Gene Modification in Stem Cells, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Langen, Germany
| | - Nadine Brander
- Division of Veterinary Medicine, RG Gene Modification in Stem Cells, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Langen, Germany
| | - Franziska Schenk
- Division of Veterinary Medicine, RG Gene Modification in Stem Cells, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Langen, Germany
| | - Simon J Pöllmann
- Division of Veterinary Medicine, RG Gene Modification in Stem Cells, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Langen, Germany
- Department of Gene and Cell Therapy, Institute for Regenerative Medicine - IREM, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland
| | - Janine Reichenbach
- Department of Gene and Cell Therapy, Institute for Regenerative Medicine - IREM, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland
- Deptartment of Somatic Gene Therapy, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Competence Center for Applied Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine (CABMM), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ralf Schubert
- Department for Children and Adolescents, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Ute Modlich
- Division of Veterinary Medicine, RG Gene Modification in Stem Cells, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Langen, Germany.
- Department of Gene and Cell Therapy, Institute for Regenerative Medicine - IREM, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland.
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Wang C, Wang J, Che S, Zhao H. CAR-T cell therapy for hematological malignancies: History, status and promise. Heliyon 2023; 9:e21776. [PMID: 38027932 PMCID: PMC10658259 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21776] [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: 07/08/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
For many years, the methods of cancer treatment are usually surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Although these methods help to improve the condition, most tumors still have a poor prognosis. In recent years, immunotherapy has great potential in tumor treatment. Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell immunotherapy (CAR-T) uses the patient's own T cells to express chimeric antigen receptors. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) recognizes tumor-associated antigens and kills tumor cells. CAR-T has achieved good results in the treatment of hematological tumors. In 2017, the FDA approved the first CAR-T for the treatment of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). In October of the same year, the FDA approved CAR-T to treat B-cell lymphoma. In order to improve and enhance the therapeutic effect, CAR-T has become a research focus in recent years. The structure of CAR, the targets of CAR-T treatment, adverse reactions and improvement measures during the treatment process are summarized. This review is an attempt to highlight recent and possibly forgotten findings of advances in chimeric antigen receptor T cell for treatment of hematological tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No. 16 Jiangsu Road, Qingdao, Shandong, 266005, China
| | - Jianpeng Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No. 16 Jiangsu Road, Qingdao, Shandong, 266005, China
| | - Shusheng Che
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No. 16 Jiangsu Road, Qingdao, Shandong, 266005, China
| | - Hai Zhao
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, No. 16 Jiangsu Road, Qingdao, Shandong, 266005, China
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Selich A, Fleischauer J, Roepke T, Weisskoeppel L, Galla M, von Kaisenberg C, Maus UA, Schambach A, Rothe M. Inflammation-inducible promoters to overexpress immune inhibitory factors by MSCs. Stem Cell Res Ther 2023; 14:270. [PMID: 37742038 PMCID: PMC10518110 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-023-03501-6] [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: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are excessively investigated in the context of inflammation-driven diseases, but the clinical results are often moderate. MSCs are naturally activated by inflammatory signals, which lead to the secretion of immune inhibitory factors in inflamed tissues. Many work groups try to improve the therapeutic outcome of MSCs by genetic modification and the constitutive overexpression of immune modulatory transgenes. However, the ectopic secretion of immune inhibitory transgenes increases the chances of infections, and constitutive transgene expression is not necessary for chronic diseases undergoing different inflammatory stages. METHODS We designed and tested inflammation-induced promoters to control transgene expression from integrating lentiviral vectors in human umbilical cord MSCs. Therefore, we investigated different combinations of general transcription factor elements to achieve a minimal promoter with low basal activity. The best candidates were combined with interferon-induced GAS or ISRE DNA motifs. The constructs with the highest transgene expression upon addition of pro-inflammatory cytokines were compared to vectorized promoters from inflammation-induced genes (CD317, CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11 and IDO1). Finally, we investigated IL10 as a potential immune inhibitory transgene by transcriptome analyses, ELISA and in an acute lung injury mouse model. RESULTS The synthetic promoters achieved a high and specific transgene expression upon IFN-γ addition. However, the CXCL11 promoter showed synergistic activity upon IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL1-β treatment and surpassed the transgene expression height of all tested promoters in the study. We observed in transcriptome analyses that IL10 has no effect on MSCs and in ELISA that IL10 is only secreted by our genetically modified and activated CXCL11-IL10-MSCs. Finally, transplanted CXCL11-IL10-MSCs increased CD19+ and CD4+ lymphoid cells, and decreased CD11b+ Ly6g myeloid cells in an ALI mouse model. CONCLUSION These results provide new insights into MSC inflammatory activation and the subsequent translation into a tool for a tailored expression of transgenes in inflammatory microenvironments. The newly developed promoter elements are potentially interesting for other inflamed tissues, and can be combined with other elements or used in other cell types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Selich
- Hannover Medical School, Institute of Experimental Hematology, Building J11, HBZ, Level 01, Room, 6540, Hannover, Germany
| | - Jenni Fleischauer
- Hannover Medical School, Institute of Experimental Hematology, Building J11, HBZ, Level 01, Room, 6540, Hannover, Germany
| | - Tina Roepke
- Division of Experimental Pneumology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Luisa Weisskoeppel
- Hannover Medical School, Institute of Experimental Hematology, Building J11, HBZ, Level 01, Room, 6540, Hannover, Germany
| | - Melanie Galla
- Hannover Medical School, Institute of Experimental Hematology, Building J11, HBZ, Level 01, Room, 6540, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Ulrich A Maus
- Division of Experimental Pneumology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- German Center for Lung Research, Partner Site BREATH, Hannover, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Hannover Medical School, Institute of Experimental Hematology, Building J11, HBZ, Level 01, Room, 6540, Hannover, Germany
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael Rothe
- Hannover Medical School, Institute of Experimental Hematology, Building J11, HBZ, Level 01, Room, 6540, Hannover, Germany.
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7
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Bastone AL, Dziadek V, John-Neek P, Mansel F, Fleischauer J, Agyeman-Duah E, Schaudien D, Dittrich-Breiholz O, Schwarzer A, Schambach A, Rothe M. Development of an in vitro genotoxicity assay to detect retroviral vector-induced lymphoid insertional mutants. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2023; 30:515-533. [PMID: 37693949 PMCID: PMC10491817 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2023.08.017] [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: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Safety assessment in retroviral vector-mediated gene therapy remains challenging. In clinical trials for different blood and immune disorders, insertional mutagenesis led to myeloid and lymphoid leukemia. We previously developed the In Vitro Immortalization Assay (IVIM) and Surrogate Assay for Genotoxicity Assessment (SAGA) for pre-clinical genotoxicity prediction of integrating vectors. Murine hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (mHSPCs) transduced with mutagenic vectors acquire a proliferation advantage under limiting dilution (IVIM) and activate stem cell- and cancer-related transcriptional programs (SAGA). However, both assays present an intrinsic myeloid bias due to culture conditions. To detect lymphoid mutants, we differentiated mHSPCs to mature T cells and analyzed their phenotype, insertion site pattern, and gene expression changes after transduction with retroviral vectors. Mutagenic vectors induced a block in differentiation at an early progenitor stage (double-negative 2) compared to fully differentiated untransduced mock cultures. Arrested samples harbored high-risk insertions close to Lmo2, frequently observed in clinical trials with severe adverse events. Lymphoid insertional mutants displayed a unique gene expression signature identified by SAGA. The gene expression-based highly sensitive molecular readout will broaden our understanding of vector-induced oncogenicity and help in pre-clinical prediction of retroviral genotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella L. Bastone
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- REBIRTH – Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Violetta Dziadek
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- REBIRTH – Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Philipp John-Neek
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- REBIRTH – Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Friederike Mansel
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- REBIRTH – Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Jenni Fleischauer
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- REBIRTH – Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Eric Agyeman-Duah
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Dirk Schaudien
- Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine ITEM, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Adrian Schwarzer
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- REBIRTH – Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- REBIRTH – Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael Rothe
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- REBIRTH – Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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8
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Fleischauer J, Bastone AL, Selich A, John-Neek P, Weisskoeppel L, Schaudien D, Schambach A, Rothe M. TGF β Inhibitor A83-01 Enhances Murine HSPC Expansion for Gene Therapy. Cells 2023; 12:1978. [PMID: 37566057 PMCID: PMC10416825 DOI: 10.3390/cells12151978] [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: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Murine hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) are commonly used as model systems during gene therapeutic retroviral vector development and preclinical biosafety assessment. Here, we developed cell culture conditions to maintain stemness and prevent differentiation during HSPC culture. We used the small compounds A83-01, pomalidomide, and UM171 (APU). Highly purified LSK SLAM cells expanded in medium containing SCF, IL-3, FLT3-L, and IL-11 but rapidly differentiated to myeloid progenitors and mast cells. The supplementation of APU attenuated the differentiation and preserved the stemness of HSPCs. The TGFβ inhibitor A83-01 was identified as the major effector. It significantly inhibited the mast-cell-associated expression of FcεR1α and the transcription of genes regulating the formation of granules and promoted a 3800-fold expansion of LSK cells. As a functional readout, we used expanded HSPCs in state-of-the-art genotoxicity assays. Like fresh cells, APU-expanded HSPCs transduced with a mutagenic retroviral vector developed a myeloid differentiation block with clonal restriction and dysregulated oncogenic transcriptomic signatures due to vector integration near the high-risk locus Mecom. Thus, expanded HSPCs might serve as a novel cell source for retroviral vector testing and genotoxicity studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenni Fleischauer
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (J.F.); (A.L.B.); (A.S.); (P.J.-N.); (L.W.); (A.S.)
- REBIRTH—Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Antonella Lucia Bastone
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (J.F.); (A.L.B.); (A.S.); (P.J.-N.); (L.W.); (A.S.)
- REBIRTH—Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Anton Selich
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (J.F.); (A.L.B.); (A.S.); (P.J.-N.); (L.W.); (A.S.)
- REBIRTH—Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Philipp John-Neek
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (J.F.); (A.L.B.); (A.S.); (P.J.-N.); (L.W.); (A.S.)
- REBIRTH—Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Luisa Weisskoeppel
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (J.F.); (A.L.B.); (A.S.); (P.J.-N.); (L.W.); (A.S.)
- REBIRTH—Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Dirk Schaudien
- Department of Inhalation Toxicology, Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine ITEM, Nikolai Fuchs Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany;
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (J.F.); (A.L.B.); (A.S.); (P.J.-N.); (L.W.); (A.S.)
- REBIRTH—Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael Rothe
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (J.F.); (A.L.B.); (A.S.); (P.J.-N.); (L.W.); (A.S.)
- REBIRTH—Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
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9
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Wichmann M, Maire CL, Nuppenau N, Habiballa M, Uhde A, Kolbe K, Schröder T, Lamszus K, Fehse B, Głów D. Deep Characterization and Comparison of Different Retrovirus-like Particles Preloaded with CRISPR/Cas9 RNPs. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11399. [PMID: 37511168 PMCID: PMC10380221 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411399] [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: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The CRISPR/Cas system has a broad range of possible medical applications, but its clinical translation has been hampered, particularly by the lack of safe and efficient vector systems mediating the short-term expression of its components. Recently, different virus-like particles (VLPs) have been introduced as promising vectors for the delivery of CRISPR/Cas genome editing components. Here, we characterized and directly compared three different types of retrovirus-based (R) VLPs, two derived from the γ-retrovirus murine leukemia virus (gRVLPs and "enhanced" egRVLPs) and one from the lentivirus human immunodeficiency virus, HIV (LVLPs). First, we unified and optimized the production of the different RVLPs. To ensure maximal comparability of the produced RVLPs, we adapted several assays, including nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), multi-parametric imaging flow cytometry (IFC), and Cas9-ELISA, to analyze their morphology, surface composition, size, and concentration. Next, we comparatively tested the three RVLPs targeting different genes in 293T model cells. Using identical gRNAs, we found egRVLPs to mediate the most efficient editing. Functional analyses indicated better cargo (i.e., Cas9) transfer and/or release as the underlying reason for their superior performance. Finally, we compared on- and off-target activities of the three RVLPs in human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) exploiting the clinically relevant C-C motif chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) as the target. Again, egRVLPs facilitated the highest, almost 100% knockout rates, importantly with minimal off-target activity. In conclusion, in direct comparison, egRVLPs were the most efficient RVLPs. Moreover, we established methods for in-depth characterization of VLPs, facilitating their validation and thus more predictable and safe application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Wichmann
- Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Cecile L Maire
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Niklas Nuppenau
- Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Moataz Habiballa
- Institute of Neuroanatomy, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Almut Uhde
- Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Katharina Kolbe
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tanja Schröder
- Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Katrin Lamszus
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Boris Fehse
- Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), 20246 Hamburg, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hamburg-Lübeck-Borstel-Riems, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Dawid Głów
- Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), 20246 Hamburg, Germany
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10
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Vornholz L, Isay SE, Kurgyis Z, Strobl DC, Loll P, Mosa MH, Luecken MD, Sterr M, Lickert H, Winter C, Greten FR, Farin HF, Theis FJ, Ruland J. Synthetic enforcement of STING signaling in cancer cells appropriates the immune microenvironment for checkpoint inhibitor therapy. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadd8564. [PMID: 36921054 PMCID: PMC10017047 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.add8564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) enhance anticancer immunity by releasing repressive signals into tumor microenvironments (TMEs). To be effective, ICIs require preexisting immunologically "hot" niches for tumor antigen presentation and lymphocyte recruitment. How the mutational landscape of cancer cells shapes these immunological niches remains poorly defined. We found in human and murine colorectal cancer (CRC) models that the superior antitumor immune response of mismatch repair (MMR)-deficient CRC required tumor cell-intrinsic activation of cGAS-STING signaling triggered by genomic instability. Subsequently, we synthetically enforced STING signaling in CRC cells with intact MMR signaling using constitutively active STING variants. Even in MMR-proficient CRC, genetically encoded gain-of-function STING was sufficient to induce cancer cell-intrinsic interferon signaling, local activation of antigen-presenting cells, recruitment of effector lymphocytes, and sensitization of previously "cold" TMEs to ICI therapy in vivo. Thus, our results introduce a rational strategy for modulating cancer cell-intrinsic programs via engineered STING enforcement to sensitize resistant tumors to ICI responsiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larsen Vornholz
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- TranslaTUM, Center for Translational Cancer Research, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Sophie E. Isay
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- TranslaTUM, Center for Translational Cancer Research, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Zsuzsanna Kurgyis
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- TranslaTUM, Center for Translational Cancer Research, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of Dermatology and Allergology, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Daniel C. Strobl
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- TranslaTUM, Center for Translational Cancer Research, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Computational Biology, Department of Computational Health, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Patricia Loll
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- TranslaTUM, Center for Translational Cancer Research, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Mohammed H. Mosa
- Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Malte D. Luecken
- Institute of Computational Biology, Department of Computational Health, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Lung Health and Immunity (LHI), Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
- Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Munich, Germany
| | - Michael Sterr
- Institute of Diabetes and Regeneration Research, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Heiko Lickert
- Institute of Diabetes and Regeneration Research, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
- German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD), Neuherberg, Germany
- Institute of Stem Cell Research, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
- School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Christof Winter
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- TranslaTUM, Center for Translational Cancer Research, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Munich partner site, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Frankfurt/Mainz partner site, Germany
| | - Florian R. Greten
- Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Frankfurt/Mainz partner site, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Henner F. Farin
- Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Frankfurt/Mainz partner site, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Fabian J. Theis
- Institute of Computational Biology, Department of Computational Health, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
- Department of Mathematics, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- TUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Jürgen Ruland
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- TranslaTUM, Center for Translational Cancer Research, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Munich partner site, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Frankfurt/Mainz partner site, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Munich partner site, Germany
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11
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Rommel MG, Walz L, Fotopoulou F, Kohlscheen S, Schenk F, Miskey C, Botezatu L, Krebs Y, Voelker IM, Wittwer K, Holland-Letz T, Ivics Z, von Messling V, Essers MA, Milsom MD, Pfaller CK, Modlich U. Influenza A virus infection instructs hematopoiesis to megakaryocyte-lineage output. Cell Rep 2022; 41:111447. [DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
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12
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CD147 a direct target of miR-146a supports energy metabolism and promotes tumor growth in ALK+ ALCL. Leukemia 2022; 36:2050-2063. [PMID: 35676454 PMCID: PMC9343252 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-022-01617-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
We recently reported that miR-146a is differentially expressed in ALK+ and ALK− anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). In this study, the downstream targets of miR-146a in ALK+ ALCL were investigated by transcriptome analysis, identifying CD147 as potential target gene. Because CD147 is differentially expressed in ALK+ ALCL versus ALK− ALCL and normal T cells, this gene emerged as a strong candidate for the pathogenesis of this tumor. Here we demonstrate that CD147 is a direct target of miR-146 and contributes to the survival and proliferation of ALK+ ALCL cells in vitro and to the engraftment and tumor growth in vivo in an ALK+ ALCL-xenotransplant mouse model. CD147 knockdown in ALK+ ALCL cells resulted in loss of monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1) expression, reduced glucose consumption and tumor growth retardation, as demonstrated by [18F]FDG-PET/MRI analysis. Investigation of metabolism in vitro and in vivo supported these findings, revealing reduced aerobic glycolysis and increased basal respiration in CD147 knockdown. In conclusion, our findings indicate that CD147 is of vital importance for ALK+ ALCL to maintain the high energy demand of rapid cell proliferation, promoting lactate export, and tumor growth. Furthermore, CD147 has the potential to serve as a novel therapeutic target in ALK+ ALCL, and warrants further investigation.
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13
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Glienke W, Dragon AC, Zimmermann K, Martyniszyn-Eiben A, Mertens M, Abken H, Rossig C, Altvater B, Aleksandrova K, Arseniev L, Kloth C, Stamopoulou A, Moritz T, Lode HN, Siebert N, Blasczyk R, Goudeva L, Schambach A, Köhl U, Eiz-Vesper B, Esser R. GMP-Compliant Manufacturing of TRUCKs: CAR T Cells targeting GD2 and Releasing Inducible IL-18. Front Immunol 2022; 13:839783. [PMID: 35401506 PMCID: PMC8988144 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.839783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T cells can be highly effective in the treatment of hematological malignancies, but mostly fail in the treatment of solid tumors. Thus, approaches using 4th advanced CAR T cells secreting immunomodulatory cytokines upon CAR signaling, known as TRUCKs (“T cells redirected for universal cytokine-mediated killing”), are currently under investigation. Based on our previous development and validation of automated and closed processing for GMP-compliant manufacturing of CAR T cells, we here present the proof of feasibility for translation of this method to TRUCKs. We generated IL-18-secreting TRUCKs targeting the tumor antigen GD2 using the CliniMACS Prodigy® system using a recently described “all-in-one” lentiviral vector combining constitutive anti-GD2 CAR expression and inducible IL-18. Starting with 0.84 x 108 and 0.91 x 108 T cells after enrichment of CD4+ and CD8+ we reached 68.3-fold and 71.4-fold T cell expansion rates, respectively, in two independent runs. Transduction efficiencies of 77.7% and 55.1% was obtained, and yields of 4.5 x 109 and 3.6 x 109 engineered T cells from the two donors, respectively, within 12 days. Preclinical characterization demonstrated antigen-specific GD2-CAR mediated activation after co-cultivation with GD2-expressing target cells. The functional capacities of the clinical-scale manufactured TRUCKs were similar to TRUCKs generated in laboratory-scale and were not impeded by cryopreservation. IL-18 TRUCKs were activated in an antigen-specific manner by co-cultivation with GD2-expressing target cells indicated by an increased expression of activation markers (e.g. CD25, CD69) on both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and an enhanced release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and cytolytic mediators (e.g. IL-2, granzyme B, IFN-γ, perforin, TNF-α). Manufactured TRUCKs showed a specific cytotoxicity towards GD2-expressing target cells indicated by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release, a decrease of target cell numbers, microscopic detection of cytotoxic clusters and detachment of target cells in real-time impedance measurements (xCELLigence). Following antigen-specific CAR activation of TRUCKs, CAR-triggered release IL-18 was induced, and the cytokine was biologically active, as demonstrated in migration assays revealing specific attraction of monocytes and NK cells by supernatants of TRUCKs co-cultured with GD2-expressing target cells. In conclusion, GMP-compliant manufacturing of TRUCKs is feasible and delivers high quality T cell products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Glienke
- ATMP-GMP Development Unit, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Integrated Research and Treatment Center for Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- *Correspondence: Wolfgang Glienke, ; Axel Schambach,
| | - Anna Christina Dragon
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Katharina Zimmermann
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Alexandra Martyniszyn-Eiben
- ATMP-GMP Development Unit, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Integrated Research and Treatment Center for Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Mira Mertens
- ATMP-GMP Development Unit, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Integrated Research and Treatment Center for Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Hinrich Abken
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy, Div Genetic Immunotherapy, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Claudia Rossig
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children’s Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Bianca Altvater
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children’s Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Krasimira Aleksandrova
- Cellular Therapy Center, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Lubomir Arseniev
- Cellular Therapy Center, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Christina Kloth
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Andriana Stamopoulou
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Thomas Moritz
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Holger N. Lode
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Nikolai Siebert
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Rainer Blasczyk
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Lilia Goudeva
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Wolfgang Glienke, ; Axel Schambach,
| | - Ulrike Köhl
- ATMP-GMP Development Unit, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Integrated Research and Treatment Center for Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Cellular Therapy Center, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
- Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Britta Eiz-Vesper
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine and Transplant Engineering, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ruth Esser
- ATMP-GMP Development Unit, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Integrated Research and Treatment Center for Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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14
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Baron Y, Sens J, Lange L, Nassauer L, Klatt D, Hoffmann D, Kleppa MJ, Barbosa PV, Keisker M, Steinberg V, Suerth JD, Vondran FWR, Meyer J, Morgan M, Schambach A, Galla M. Improved alpharetrovirus-based Gag.MS2 particles for efficient and transient delivery of CRISPR-Cas9 into target cells. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2022; 27:810-823. [PMID: 35141043 PMCID: PMC8801357 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2021.12.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
DNA-modifying technologies, such as the CRISPR-Cas9 system, are promising tools in the field of gene and cell therapies. However, high and prolonged expression of DNA-modifying enzymes may cause cytotoxic and genotoxic side effects and is therefore unwanted in therapeutic approaches. Consequently, development of new and potent short-term delivery methods is of utmost importance. Recently, we developed non-integrating gammaretrovirus- and MS2 bacteriophage-based Gag.MS2 (g.Gag.MS2) particles for transient transfer of non-retroviral CRISPR-Cas9 RNA into target cells. In the present study, we further improved the technique by transferring the system to the alpharetroviral vector platform (a.Gag.MS2), which significantly increased CRISPR-Cas9 delivery into target cells and allowed efficient targeted knockout of endogenous TP53/Trp53 genes in primary murine fibroblasts as well as primary human fibroblasts, hepatocytes, and cord-blood-derived CD34+ stem and progenitor cells. Strikingly, co-packaging of Cas9 mRNA and multiple single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) into a.Gag.MS2 chimera displayed efficient targeted knockout of up to three genes. Co-transfection of single-stranded DNA donor oligonucleotides during CRISPR-Cas9 particle production generated all-in-one particles, which mediated up to 12.5% of homology-directed repair in primary cell cultures. In summary, optimized a.Gag.MS2 particles represent a versatile tool for short-term delivery of DNA-modifying enzymes into a variety of target cells, including primary murine and human cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvonne Baron
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Johanna Sens
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Lucas Lange
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Larissa Nassauer
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Denise Klatt
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Dirk Hoffmann
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Marc-Jens Kleppa
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Philippe Vollmer Barbosa
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany.,Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Maximilian Keisker
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Viviane Steinberg
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Julia D Suerth
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Florian W R Vondran
- ReMediES, Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany.,German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Hannover-Braunschweig, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Johann Meyer
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Michael Morgan
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany.,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Melanie Galla
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany
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15
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Van Looveren D, Giacomazzi G, Thiry I, Sampaolesi M, Gijsbers R. Improved functionality and potency of next generation BinMLV viral vectors toward safer gene therapy. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2021; 23:51-67. [PMID: 34553002 PMCID: PMC8433069 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2021.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
To develop safer retroviral murine leukemia virus (MLV)-based vectors, we previously mutated and re-engineered the MLV integrase: the W390A mutation abolished the interaction with its cellular tethering factors, BET proteins, and a retargeting peptide (the chromodomain of the CBX1 protein) was fused C-terminally. The resulting BET-independent MLVW390A-CBX was shown to integrate efficiently and more randomly, away from typical retroviral markers. In this study, we assessed the functionality and stability of expression of the redistributed MLVW390A-CBX vector in more depth, and evaluated safety using a clinically more relevant vector design encompassing a self-inactivated (SIN) LTR and a weak internal elongation factor 1α short (EFS) promoter. MLVW390A-CBX-EFS produced like MLVWT and efficiently transduced laboratory cells and primary human CD34+ hematopoetic stem cells (HSC) without transgene silencing over time, while displaying a more preferred, redistributed, and safer integration pattern. In a human mesoangioblast (MAB) stem cell model, the myogenic fusion capacity was hindered following MLVWT transduction, while this remained unaffected when applying MLVW390A-CBX. Likewise, smooth muscle cell differentiation of MABs was unaltered by MLVW390A-CBX-EFS. Taken together, our results underscore the potential of MLVW390A-CBX-EFS as a clinically relevant viral vector for ex-vivo gene therapy, combining efficient production with a preferable integration site distribution profile and stable expression over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominique Van Looveren
- Laboratory for Viral Vector Technology and Gene Therapy, Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Giorgia Giacomazzi
- Laboratory of Translational Cardiomyology, Department of Development and Regeneration, Stem Cell Research Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Irina Thiry
- Laboratory for Viral Vector Technology and Gene Therapy, Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Maurilio Sampaolesi
- Laboratory of Translational Cardiomyology, Department of Development and Regeneration, Stem Cell Research Institute, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rik Gijsbers
- Laboratory for Viral Vector Technology and Gene Therapy, Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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16
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Büning H, Fehse B, Ivics Z, Kochanek S, Koehl U, Kupatt C, Mussolino C, Nettelbeck DM, Schambach A, Uckert W, Wagner E, Cathomen T. Gene Therapy "Made in Germany": A Historical Perspective, Analysis of the Status Quo, and Recommendations for Action by the German Society for Gene Therapy. Hum Gene Ther 2021; 32:987-996. [PMID: 34662229 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2021.29178.hbu] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene therapies have been successfully applied to treat severe inherited and acquired disorders. Although research and development are sufficiently well funded in Germany and while the output of scientific publications and patents is comparable with the leading nations in gene therapy, the country lags noticeably behind with regard to the number of both clinical studies and commercialized gene therapy products. In this article, we give a historical perspective on the development of gene therapy in Germany, analyze the current situation from the standpoint of the German Society for Gene Therapy (DG-GT), and define recommendations for action that would enable our country to generate biomedical and economic advantages from innovations in this sector, instead of merely importing advanced therapy medicinal products. Inter alia, we propose (1) to harmonize and simplify regulatory licensing processes to enable faster access to advanced therapies, and (2) to establish novel coordination, support and funding structures that facilitate networking of the key players. Such a center would provide the necessary infrastructure and know-how to translate cell and gene therapies to patients on the one hand, and pave the way for commercialization of these promising and innovative technologies on the other. Hence, these courses of action would not only benefit the German biotech and pharma landscape but also the society and the patients in need of new treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hildegard Büning
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Boris Fehse
- Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Zoltán Ivics
- Division of Medical Biotechnology, Paul Ehrlich Institute, Langen, Germany
| | | | - Ulrike Koehl
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI) and Institute of Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Christian Kupatt
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Innere Medizin I, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany.,German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany
| | - Claudio Mussolino
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Gene Therapy, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency (CCI), Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Dirk M Nettelbeck
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Virotherapy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Uckert
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Gene Therapy, Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Ernst Wagner
- Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Center for System-based Drug Research, Center for NanoScience (CeNS), Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Toni Cathomen
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Gene Therapy, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency (CCI), Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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17
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Fráguas-Eggenschwiler M, Eggenschwiler R, Söllner JH, Cortnumme L, Vondran FWR, Cantz T, Ott M, Niemann H. Direct conversion of porcine primary fibroblasts into hepatocyte-like cells. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9334. [PMID: 33927320 PMCID: PMC8085017 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88727-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The pig is an important model organism for biomedical research, mainly due to its extensive genetic, physiological and anatomical similarities with humans. Until date, direct conversion of somatic cells into hepatocyte-like cells (iHeps) has only been achieved in rodents and human cells. Here, we employed lentiviral vectors to screen a panel of 12 hepatic transcription factors (TF) for their potential to convert porcine fibroblasts into hepatocyte-like cells. We demonstrate for the first time, hepatic conversion of porcine somatic cells by over-expression of CEBPα, FOXA1 and HNF4α2 (3TF-piHeps). Reprogrammed 3TF-piHeps display a hepatocyte-like morphology and show functional characteristics of hepatic cells, including albumin secretion, Dil-AcLDL uptake, storage of lipids and glycogen and activity of cytochrome P450 enzymes CYP1A2 and CYP2C33 (CYP2C9 in humans). Moreover, we show that markers of mature hepatocytes are highly expressed in 3TF-piHeps, while fibroblastic markers are reduced. We envision piHeps as useful cell sources for future studies on drug metabolism and toxicity as well as in vitro models for investigation of pig-to-human infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariane Fráguas-Eggenschwiler
- Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology Department, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. .,Twincore Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Hannover, Germany.
| | - Reto Eggenschwiler
- Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology Department, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Translational Hepatology and Stem Cell Biology, REBIRTH - Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine and Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Jenny-Helena Söllner
- Institute of Farm Animal Genetics, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI), Mariensee, Neustadt, Germany
| | - Leon Cortnumme
- Translational Hepatology and Stem Cell Biology, REBIRTH - Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine and Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Florian W R Vondran
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplant Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Tobias Cantz
- Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology Department, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Translational Hepatology and Stem Cell Biology, REBIRTH - Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine and Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael Ott
- Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology Department, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Twincore Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Hannover, Germany
| | - Heiner Niemann
- Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endocrinology Department, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. .,Twincore Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, Hannover, Germany.
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18
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Johnson NM, Alvarado AF, Moffatt TN, Edavettal JM, Swaminathan TA, Braun SE. HIV-based lentiviral vectors: origin and sequence differences. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2021; 21:451-465. [PMID: 33981779 PMCID: PMC8065252 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2021.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Three gene therapy strategies have received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval; one includes HIV-1-based lentiviral vectors. These vectors incorporate features to provide long-term gene transfer and expression while minimizing generation of a replication-competent virus or pathogenicity. Importantly, the coding regions of viral proteins were deleted, and the cis-acting regulatory elements were retained. With the use of representative vectors developed for clinical/commercial applications, we compared the vector backbone sequences to the initial sources of the HIV-1. All vectors included required elements: 5′ long terminal repeat (LTR) through the Ψ packaging signal, central polypurine tract/chain termination sequence (cPPT/CTS), Rev responsive element (RRE), and 3′ LTR, including a poly(A) signal. The Ψ signaling sequence demonstrated the greatest similarity between all vectors with only minor changes. The 3′ LTR was the most divergent sequence with a range of deletions. The RRE length varied between vectors. Phylogenetic analysis of the cPPT/CTS indicated multiple sources, perhaps because of its later inclusion into lentiviral vector systems, whereas other regions revealed node clusters around the HIV-1 reference genomes HXB2 and NL4-3. We examine the function of each region in a lentiviral vector, the molecular differences between vectors, and where optimization may guide development of the lentiviral delivery systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan M Johnson
- Division of Immunology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, Covington, LA 70433, USA
| | - Anna Francesca Alvarado
- Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Trey N Moffatt
- Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Joshua M Edavettal
- Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Tarun A Swaminathan
- Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
| | - Stephen E Braun
- Division of Immunology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University School of Medicine, Covington, LA 70433, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA
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19
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Garcia-Perez L, van Eggermond MCJA, Maietta E, van der Hoorn MLP, Pike-Overzet K, Staal FJT. A Novel Branched DNA-Based Flowcytometric Method for Single-Cell Characterization of Gene Therapy Products and Expression of Therapeutic Genes. Front Immunol 2021; 11:607991. [PMID: 33584681 PMCID: PMC7876092 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.607991] [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: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Many preclinical and clinical studies of hematopoietic stem cell-based gene therapy (GT) are based on the use of lentiviruses as the vector of choice. Assessment of the vector titer and transduction efficiency of the cell product is critical for these studies. Efficacy and safety of the modified cell product are commonly determined by assessing the vector copy number (VCN) using qPCR. However, this optimized and well-established method in the GT field is based on bulk population averages, which can lead to misinterpretation of the actual VCN per transduced cell. Therefore, we introduce here a single cell-based method that allows to unmask cellular heterogeneity in the GT product, even when antibodies are not available. We use Invitrogen's flow cytometry-based PrimeFlow™ RNA Assay with customized probes to determine transduction efficiency of transgenes of interest, promoter strength, and the cellular heterogeneity of murine and human stem cells. The assay has good specificity and sensitivity to detect the transgenes, as shown by the high correlations between PrimeFlow™-positive cells and the VCN. Differences in promoter strengths can readily be detected by differences in percentages and fluorescence intensity. Hence, we show a customizable method that allows to determine the number of transduced cells and the actual VCN per transduced cell in a GT product. The assay is suitable for all therapeutic genes for which antibodies are not available or too cumbersome for routine flow cytometry. The method also allows co-staining of surface markers to analyze differential transduction efficiencies in subpopulations of target cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Garcia-Perez
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, Netherlands
| | | | - Elisa Maietta
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, Netherlands
| | | | - Karin Pike-Overzet
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Frank J T Staal
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, Netherlands
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20
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Houghton BC, Booth C. Gene Therapy for Primary Immunodeficiency. Hemasphere 2021; 5:e509. [PMID: 33403354 PMCID: PMC7773329 DOI: 10.1097/hs9.0000000000000509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the past 3 decades, there has been significant progress in refining gene therapy technologies and procedures. Transduction of hematopoietic stem cells ex vivo using lentiviral vectors can now create a highly effective therapeutic product, capable of reconstituting many different immune system dysfunctions when reinfused into patients. Here, we review the key developments in the gene therapy landscape for primary immune deficiency, from an experimental therapy where clinical efficacy was marred by adverse events, to a commercialized product with enhanced safety and efficacy. We also discuss progress being made in preclinical studies for challenging disease targets and emerging gene editing technologies that are showing promising results, particularly for conditions where gene regulation is important for efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin C. Houghton
- Molecular and Cellular Immunology, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Claire Booth
- Molecular and Cellular Immunology, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Paediatric Immunology, Great Ormond Street NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
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21
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Han J, Tam K, Ma F, Tam C, Aleshe B, Wang X, Quintos JP, Morselli M, Pellegrini M, Hollis RP, Kohn DB. β-Globin Lentiviral Vectors Have Reduced Titers due to Incomplete Vector RNA Genomes and Lowered Virion Production. Stem Cell Reports 2020; 16:198-211. [PMID: 33186538 PMCID: PMC7897704 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2020.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Lentiviral vectors (LVs) commonly used for the treatment of hemoglobinopathies often have low titers and sub-optimal gene transfer efficiency for human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), hindering clinical translation and commercialization for ex vivo gene therapy. We observed that a high percentage of β-globin LV viral genomic RNAs were incomplete toward the 3′ end in packaging cells and in released vector particles. The incomplete vector genomes impeded reverse transcription in target cells, limiting stable gene transfer to HSPCs. By combining three modifications to vector design and production (shortening the vector length to 5.3 kb; expressing HIV-1 Tat protein during packaging; and packaging in PKR−/− cells) there was a 30-fold increase in vector titer and a 3-fold increase in vector infectivity in HSPCs. These approaches may improve the manufacturing of β-globin and other complex LVs for enhanced gene delivery and may facilitate clinical applications. Vector genomes are truncated in a length-dependent manner during packaging Truncated RNAs cannot be reverse transcribed, impeding titer and infectivity Protein kinase R inhibits virion formation for bidirectional lentiviral vectors Three strategies to improve lentiviral vector titer by 30× and infectivity by 3×
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaying Han
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Terasaki Life Sciences Building, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1489, USA
| | - Kevin Tam
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Feiyang Ma
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Curtis Tam
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Bamidele Aleshe
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Xiaoyan Wang
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jason P Quintos
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Marco Morselli
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Matteo Pellegrini
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Roger P Hollis
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Donald B Kohn
- Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Terasaki Life Sciences Building, 610 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1489, USA; Department of Microbiology, Immunology & Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, USA; Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, USA; The Eli & Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine & Stem Cell Research, University of California, Los Angeles, USA; UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, USA.
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22
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Paredes R, Kelly JR, Geary B, Almarzouq B, Schneider M, Pearson S, Narayanan P, Williamson A, Lovell SC, Wiseman DH, Chadwick JA, Jones NJ, Kustikova O, Schambach A, Garner T, Amaral FMR, Pierce A, Stevens A, Somervaille TCP, Whetton AD, Meyer S. EVI1 phosphorylation at S436 regulates interactions with CtBP1 and DNMT3A and promotes self-renewal. Cell Death Dis 2020; 11:878. [PMID: 33082307 PMCID: PMC7576810 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-03099-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Revised: 08/02/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The transcriptional regulator EVI1 has an essential role in early development and haematopoiesis. However, acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) driven by aberrantly high EVI1 expression has very poor prognosis. To investigate the effects of post-translational modifications on EVI1 function, we carried out a mass spectrometry (MS) analysis of EVI1 in AML and detected dynamic phosphorylation at serine 436 (S436). Wild-type EVI1 (EVI1-WT) with S436 available for phosphorylation, but not non-phosphorylatable EVI1-S436A, conferred haematopoietic progenitor cell self-renewal and was associated with significantly higher organised transcriptional patterns. In silico modelling of EVI1-S436 phosphorylation showed reduced affinity to CtBP1, and CtBP1 showed reduced interaction with EVI1-WT compared with EVI1-S436A. The motif harbouring S436 is a target of CDK2 and CDK3 kinases, which interacted with EVI1-WT. The methyltransferase DNMT3A bound preferentially to EVI1-WT compared with EVI1-S436A, and a hypomethylated cell population associated by EVI1-WT expression in murine haematopoietic progenitors is not maintained with EVI1-S436A. These data point to EVI1-S436 phosphorylation directing functional protein interactions for haematopoietic self-renewal. Targeting EVI1-S436 phosphorylation may be of therapeutic benefit when treating EVI1-driven leukaemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Paredes
- Stem Cell and Leukaemia Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - James R Kelly
- Stem Cell and Leukaemia Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Bethany Geary
- Stem Cell and Leukaemia Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Batool Almarzouq
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Integrative Biology/School of Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Marion Schneider
- Stem Cell and Leukaemia Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Stella Pearson
- Stem Cell and Leukaemia Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Prakrithi Narayanan
- Stem Cell and Leukaemia Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Andrew Williamson
- Stem Cell and Leukaemia Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Simon C Lovell
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester, UK
- Division of Evolution and Genomic Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Daniel H Wiseman
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester, UK
- Epigenetics of Haematopoiesis Laboratory, Division of Cancer Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - John A Chadwick
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester, UK
- Leukaemia Biology Laboratory, CRUK Manchester Institute, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Nigel J Jones
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Integrative Biology/School of Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| | - Olga Kustikova
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Terence Garner
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester, UK
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Fabio M R Amaral
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester, UK
- Leukaemia Biology Laboratory, CRUK Manchester Institute, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Andrew Pierce
- Stem Cell and Leukaemia Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Adam Stevens
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester, UK
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Tim C P Somervaille
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester, UK
- Leukaemia Biology Laboratory, CRUK Manchester Institute, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Anthony D Whetton
- Stem Cell and Leukaemia Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester, UK
- Stoller Biomarker Discovery Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Stefan Meyer
- Stem Cell and Leukaemia Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester, UK.
- Department of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology, Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Manchester, UK.
- Young Oncology Unit, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK.
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23
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Competitive sgRNA Screen Identifies p38 MAPK as a Druggable Target to Improve HSPC Engraftment. Cells 2020; 9:cells9102194. [PMID: 33003308 PMCID: PMC7600420 DOI: 10.3390/cells9102194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous gene therapy trials for X-linked chronic granulomatous disease (X-CGD) lacked long-term engraftment of corrected hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). Chronic inflammation and high levels of interleukin-1 beta (IL1B) might have caused aberrant cell cycling in X-CGD HSPCs with a concurrent loss of their long-term repopulating potential. Thus, we performed a targeted CRISPR-Cas9-based sgRNA screen to identify candidate genes that counteract the decreased repopulating capacity of HSPCs during gene therapy. The candidates were validated in a competitive transplantation assay and tested in a disease context using IL1B-challenged or X-CGD HSPCs. The sgRNA screen identified Mapk14 (p38) as a potential target to increase HSPC engraftment. Knockout of p38 prior to transplantation was sufficient to induce a selective advantage. Inhibition of p38 increased expression of the HSC homing factor CXCR4 and reduced apoptosis and proliferation in HSPCs. For potential clinical translation, treatment of IL1B-challenged or X-CGD HSPCs with a p38 inhibitor led to a 1.5-fold increase of donor cell engraftment. In summary, our findings demonstrate that p38 may serve as a potential druggable target to restore engraftment of HSPCs in the context of X-CGD gene therapy.
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24
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MICAL2 is essential for myogenic lineage commitment. Cell Death Dis 2020; 11:654. [PMID: 32811811 PMCID: PMC7434877 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-02886-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Contractile myofiber units are mainly composed of thick myosin and thin actin (F-actin) filaments. F-Actin interacts with Microtubule Associated Monooxygenase, Calponin And LIM Domain Containing 2 (MICAL2). Indeed, MICAL2 modifies actin subunits and promotes actin filament turnover by severing them and preventing repolymerization. In this study, we found that MICAL2 increases during myogenic differentiation of adult and pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) towards skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscle cells and localizes in the nucleus of acute and chronic regenerating muscle fibers. In vivo delivery of Cas9–Mical2 guide RNA complexes results in muscle actin defects and demonstrates that MICAL2 is essential for skeletal muscle homeostasis and functionality. Conversely, MICAL2 upregulation shows a positive impact on skeletal and cardiac muscle commitments. Taken together these data demonstrate that modulations of MICAL2 have an impact on muscle filament dynamics and its fine-tuned balance is essential for the regeneration of muscle tissues.
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25
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Rommel MGE, Hoerster K, Milde C, Schenk F, Roser L, Kohlscheen S, Heinz N, Modlich U. Signaling properties of murine MPL and MPL mutants after stimulation with thrombopoietin and romiplostim. Exp Hematol 2020; 85:33-46.e6. [PMID: 32417303 DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2020.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Revised: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Thrombopoietin (THPO) and its receptor myeloproliferative leukemia virus oncogene (MPL) regulate hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) quiescence and maintenance, but also megakaryopoiesis. Thrombocytopenias or aplastic anemias can be treated today with THPO peptide mimetics (romiplostim) or small-molecule THPO receptor agonists (e.g., eltrombopag). These THPO mimetics were designed for human application; however, many preclinical studies are performed in murine models. We investigated the activation of wild-type murine MPL (mMPL) by romiplostim. Romiplostim stimulated AKT, ERK1/2, and STAT5 phosphorylation without preference for one of these pathways, however, with a four- to fivefold lower phosphorylation intensity at high concentration. Faster internalization of mMPL after romiplostim binding could be one explanation of reduced signaling. In vitro megakaryocyte differentiation, proliferation, and maturation by romiplostim was less efficient compared with stimulation with mTHPO. We further dissected mMPL signaling by lentiviral overexpression of mMPL mutants with tyrosine (Y)-to-phenylalanine (F) substitutions in the distal cytoplasmic tyrosines 582 (Y582F), 616 (Y616F), and 621 (Y621F) individually and in combination (Y616F_Y621F) and in truncated receptors lacking 53 (Δ53) or 69 (Δ69) C-terminal amino acids. Mutation at tyrosine residue Y582F caused a gain-of-function with baseline activation and increased ERK1/2 phosphorylation upon stimulation. In agreement with this, proliferation in Y582F-32D cells was increased, yet did not rescue in vitro megakaryopoiesis from Mpl-deficient cells. Y616F and Y621F mutated receptors exhibited strongly impaired ERK1/2 and decreased AKT signaling and conferred reduced proliferation to 32D cells upon mTHPO stimulation but a partial correction of immature megakaryopoiesis in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel G E Rommel
- Research Group for Gene Modification in Stem Cells, Division of Veterinary Medicine, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Langen, Germany
| | - Keven Hoerster
- Research Group for Gene Modification in Stem Cells, Division of Veterinary Medicine, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Langen, Germany; Institute for Transfusion Medicine, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Christian Milde
- Research Group for Gene Modification in Stem Cells, Division of Veterinary Medicine, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Langen, Germany
| | - Franziska Schenk
- Research Group for Gene Modification in Stem Cells, Division of Veterinary Medicine, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Langen, Germany
| | - Luise Roser
- Research Group for Gene Modification in Stem Cells, Division of Veterinary Medicine, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Langen, Germany
| | - Saskia Kohlscheen
- Research Group for Gene Modification in Stem Cells, Division of Veterinary Medicine, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Langen, Germany
| | - Niels Heinz
- Research Group for Gene Modification in Stem Cells, Division of Veterinary Medicine, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Langen, Germany
| | - Ute Modlich
- Research Group for Gene Modification in Stem Cells, Division of Veterinary Medicine, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Langen, Germany.
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26
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Martens R, Permanyer M, Werth K, Yu K, Braun A, Halle O, Halle S, Patzer GE, Bošnjak B, Kiefer F, Janssen A, Friedrichsen M, Poetzsch J, Kohli K, Lueder Y, Gutierrez Jauregui R, Eckert N, Worbs T, Galla M, Förster R. Efficient homing of T cells via afferent lymphatics requires mechanical arrest and integrin-supported chemokine guidance. Nat Commun 2020; 11:1114. [PMID: 32111837 PMCID: PMC7048855 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-14921-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 02/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Little is known regarding lymph node (LN)-homing of immune cells via afferent lymphatics. Here, we show, using a photo-convertible Dendra-2 reporter, that recently activated CD4 T cells enter downstream LNs via afferent lymphatics at high frequencies. Intra-lymphatic immune cell transfer and live imaging data further show that activated T cells come to an instantaneous arrest mediated passively by the mechanical 3D-sieve barrier of the LN subcapsular sinus (SCS). Arrested T cells subsequently migrate randomly on the sinus floor independent of both chemokines and integrins. However, chemokine receptors are imperative for guiding cells out of the SCS, and for their subsequent directional translocation towards the T cell zone. By contrast, integrins are dispensable for LN homing, yet still contribute by increasing the dwell time within the SCS and by potentially enhancing T cell sensing of chemokine gradients. Together, these findings provide fundamental insights into mechanisms that control homing of lymph-derived immune cells. Immune cells mostly enter lymph nodes (LN) from blood circulation, but whether afferent lymphatics contributes to LN entry is unclear. Here, the authors show, using a photo-convertible reporter, that T cells in afferent lymphatics frequently enter LN and become arrested in the subcapsular sinus, with chemokines and integrins further guiding their migration in the LN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rieke Martens
- Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Marc Permanyer
- Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Kathrin Werth
- Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Kai Yu
- Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Asolina Braun
- Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Olga Halle
- Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Stephan Halle
- Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Berislav Bošnjak
- Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Friedemann Kiefer
- Mammalian Cell Signaling Laboratory, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, Münster, Germany
| | - Anika Janssen
- Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Jenny Poetzsch
- Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Karan Kohli
- Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Yvonne Lueder
- Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Nadine Eckert
- Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Tim Worbs
- Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Melanie Galla
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Reinhold Förster
- Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. .,Cluster of Excellence RESIST (EXC 2155), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
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27
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Zimmermann K, Kuehle J, Dragon AC, Galla M, Kloth C, Rudek LS, Sandalcioglu IE, Neyazi B, Moritz T, Meyer J, Rossig C, Altvater B, Eiz-Vesper B, Morgan MA, Abken H, Schambach A. Design and Characterization of an "All-in-One" Lentiviral Vector System Combining Constitutive Anti-G D2 CAR Expression and Inducible Cytokines. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12020375. [PMID: 32041222 PMCID: PMC7072617 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12020375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetically modified T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) so far have mostly failed in the treatment of solid tumors owing to a number of limitations, including an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and insufficient CAR T cell activation and persistence. Next-generation approaches using CAR T cells that secrete transgenic immunomodulatory cytokines upon CAR signaling, known as TRUCKs (“T cells redirected for universal cytokine-mediated killing”), are currently being explored. As TRUCKs were engineered by the transduction of T cells with two separate vectors, we developed a lentiviral modular “all-in-one” vector system that combines constitutive CAR expression and inducible nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT)-driven transgene expression for more efficient production of TRUCKs. Activation of the GD2-specific CAR via GD2+ target cells induced NFAT promoter-driven cytokine release in primary human T cells, and indicated a tight linkage of CAR-specific activation and transgene expression that was further improved by a modified NFATsyn promoter. As proof-of-concept, we showed that T cells containing the “all-in-one” vector system secrete the immunomodulatory cytokines interleukin (IL)12 or IL18 upon co-cultivation with primary human GD2+ tumor cells, resulting in enhanced effector cell properties and increased monocyte recruitment. This highlights the potential of our system to simplify application of TRUCK-modified T cells in solid tumor therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Zimmermann
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (K.Z.); (M.G.); (C.K.); (L.S.R.); (T.M.); (J.M.)
| | - Johannes Kuehle
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne, University of Cologne, and Department I of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany;
| | - Anna Christina Dragon
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (A.C.D.); (B.E.-V.)
| | - Melanie Galla
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (K.Z.); (M.G.); (C.K.); (L.S.R.); (T.M.); (J.M.)
| | - Christina Kloth
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (K.Z.); (M.G.); (C.K.); (L.S.R.); (T.M.); (J.M.)
| | - Loreen Sophie Rudek
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (K.Z.); (M.G.); (C.K.); (L.S.R.); (T.M.); (J.M.)
| | - I. Erol Sandalcioglu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Faculty, Otto-von-Guericke University, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany; (I.E.S.); (B.N.)
| | - Belal Neyazi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Medical Faculty, Otto-von-Guericke University, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany; (I.E.S.); (B.N.)
| | - Thomas Moritz
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (K.Z.); (M.G.); (C.K.); (L.S.R.); (T.M.); (J.M.)
| | - Johann Meyer
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (K.Z.); (M.G.); (C.K.); (L.S.R.); (T.M.); (J.M.)
| | - Claudia Rossig
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children’s Hospital Muenster, 48149 Muenster, Germany; (C.R.); (B.A.)
| | - Bianca Altvater
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Children’s Hospital Muenster, 48149 Muenster, Germany; (C.R.); (B.A.)
| | - Britta Eiz-Vesper
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (A.C.D.); (B.E.-V.)
| | - Michael Alexander Morgan
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (K.Z.); (M.G.); (C.K.); (L.S.R.); (T.M.); (J.M.)
| | - Hinrich Abken
- Regensburg Centre for Interventional Immunology (RCI), Department of Genetic Immunotherapy, and University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany;
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (K.Z.); (M.G.); (C.K.); (L.S.R.); (T.M.); (J.M.)
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-511-532-5170
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Hambach J, Riecken K, Cichutek S, Schütze K, Albrecht B, Petry K, Röckendorf JL, Baum N, Kröger N, Hansen T, Schuch G, Haag F, Adam G, Fehse B, Bannas P, Koch-Nolte F. Targeting CD38-Expressing Multiple Myeloma and Burkitt Lymphoma Cells In Vitro with Nanobody-Based Chimeric Antigen Receptors (Nb-CARs). Cells 2020; 9:E321. [PMID: 32013131 PMCID: PMC7072387 DOI: 10.3390/cells9020321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The NAD-hydrolyzing ecto-enzyme CD38 is overexpressed by multiple myeloma and other hematological malignancies. We recently generated CD38-specific nanobodies, single immunoglobulin variable domains derived from heavy-chain antibodies naturally occurring in llamas. Nanobodies exhibit high solubility and stability, allowing easy reformatting into recombinant fusion proteins. Here we explore the utility of CD38-specific nanobodies as ligands for nanobody-based chimeric antigen receptors (Nb-CARs). We cloned retroviral expression vectors for CD38-specific Nb-CARs. The human natural killer cell line NK-92 was transduced to stably express these Nb-CARs. As target cells we used CD38-expressing as well as CRISPR/Cas9-generated CD38-deficient tumor cell lines (CA-46, LP-1, and Daudi) transduced with firefly luciferase. With these effector and target cells we established luminescence and flow-cytometry CAR-dependent cellular cytotoxicity assays (CARDCCs). Finally, the cytotoxic efficacy of Nb-CAR NK-92 cells was tested on primary patient-derived CD38-expressing multiple myeloma cells. NK-92 cells expressing CD38-specific Nb-CARs specifically lysed CD38-expressing but not CD38-deficient tumor cell lines. Moreover, the Nb-CAR-NK cells effectively depleted CD38-expressing multiple myeloma cells in primary human bone marrow samples. Our results demonstrate efficacy of Nb-CARs in vitro. The potential clinical efficacy of Nb-CARs in vivo remains to be evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Hambach
- Institute of Immunology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), 20246 Hamburg, Germany; (J.H.); (K.S.); (B.A.); (K.P.); (J.L.R.); (N.B.); (F.H.)
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, UKE, 20246 Hamburg, Germany;
| | - Kristoffer Riecken
- Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, UKE, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; (K.R.); (S.C.)
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, UKE, 20246 Hamburg, Germany;
| | - Sophia Cichutek
- Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, UKE, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; (K.R.); (S.C.)
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, UKE, 20246 Hamburg, Germany;
| | - Kerstin Schütze
- Institute of Immunology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), 20246 Hamburg, Germany; (J.H.); (K.S.); (B.A.); (K.P.); (J.L.R.); (N.B.); (F.H.)
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, UKE, 20246 Hamburg, Germany;
| | - Birte Albrecht
- Institute of Immunology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), 20246 Hamburg, Germany; (J.H.); (K.S.); (B.A.); (K.P.); (J.L.R.); (N.B.); (F.H.)
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, UKE, 20246 Hamburg, Germany;
| | - Katharina Petry
- Institute of Immunology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), 20246 Hamburg, Germany; (J.H.); (K.S.); (B.A.); (K.P.); (J.L.R.); (N.B.); (F.H.)
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, UKE, 20246 Hamburg, Germany;
| | - Jana Larissa Röckendorf
- Institute of Immunology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), 20246 Hamburg, Germany; (J.H.); (K.S.); (B.A.); (K.P.); (J.L.R.); (N.B.); (F.H.)
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, UKE, 20246 Hamburg, Germany;
| | - Natalie Baum
- Institute of Immunology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), 20246 Hamburg, Germany; (J.H.); (K.S.); (B.A.); (K.P.); (J.L.R.); (N.B.); (F.H.)
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, UKE, 20246 Hamburg, Germany;
| | - Nicolaus Kröger
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, UKE, 20246 Hamburg, Germany;
| | - Timon Hansen
- Hematological-Oncology Center Altona, 22767 Hamburg, Germany; (T.H.); (G.S.)
| | - Gunter Schuch
- Hematological-Oncology Center Altona, 22767 Hamburg, Germany; (T.H.); (G.S.)
| | - Friedrich Haag
- Institute of Immunology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), 20246 Hamburg, Germany; (J.H.); (K.S.); (B.A.); (K.P.); (J.L.R.); (N.B.); (F.H.)
| | - Gerhard Adam
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, UKE, 20246 Hamburg, Germany;
| | - Boris Fehse
- Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, UKE, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; (K.R.); (S.C.)
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, UKE, 20246 Hamburg, Germany;
| | - Peter Bannas
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, UKE, 20246 Hamburg, Germany;
| | - Friedrich Koch-Nolte
- Institute of Immunology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), 20246 Hamburg, Germany; (J.H.); (K.S.); (B.A.); (K.P.); (J.L.R.); (N.B.); (F.H.)
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Müller S, Bexte T, Gebel V, Kalensee F, Stolzenberg E, Hartmann J, Koehl U, Schambach A, Wels WS, Modlich U, Ullrich E. High Cytotoxic Efficiency of Lentivirally and Alpharetrovirally Engineered CD19-Specific Chimeric Antigen Receptor Natural Killer Cells Against Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Front Immunol 2020; 10:3123. [PMID: 32117200 PMCID: PMC7025537 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.03123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Autologous chimeric antigen receptor-modified (CAR) T cells with specificity for CD19 showed potent antitumor efficacy in clinical trials against relapsed and refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). Contrary to T cells, natural killer (NK) cells kill their targets in a non-antigen-specific manner and do not carry the risk of inducing graft vs. host disease (GvHD), allowing application of donor-derived cells in an allogenic setting. Hence, unlike autologous CAR-T cells, therapeutic CD19-CAR-NK cells can be generated as an off-the-shelf product from healthy donors. Nevertheless, genetic engineering of peripheral blood (PB) derived NK cells remains challenging and optimized protocols are needed. In our study, we aimed to optimize the generation of CD19-CAR-NK cells by retroviral transduction to improve the high antileukemic capacity of NK cells. We compared two different retroviral vector platforms, the lentiviral and alpharetroviral, both in combination with two different transduction enhancers (Retronectin and Vectofusin-1). We further explored different NK cell isolation techniques (NK cell enrichment and CD3/CD19 depletion) to identify the most efficacious methods for genetic engineering of NK cells. Our results demonstrated that transduction of NK cells with RD114-TR pseudotyped retroviral vectors, in combination with Vectofusin-1 was the most efficient method to generate CD19-CAR-NK cells. Retronectin was potent in enhancing lentiviral/VSV-G gene delivery to NK cells but not alpharetroviral/RD114-TR. Furthermore, the Vectofusin-based transduction of NK cells with CD19-CARs delivered by alpharetroviral/RD114-TR and lentiviral/RD114-TR vectors outperformed lentiviral/VSV-G vectors. The final generated CD19-CAR-NK cells displayed superior cytotoxic activity against CD19-expressing target cells when compared to non-transduced NK cells achieving up to 90% specific killing activity. In summary, our findings present the use of RD114-TR pseudotyped retroviral particles in combination with Vectofusin-1 as a successful strategy to genetically modify PB-derived NK cells to achieve highly cytotoxic CD19-CAR-NK cells at high yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Müller
- Experimental Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Division of Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Tobias Bexte
- Experimental Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Division of Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Partner Site Frankfurt/Mainz, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Veronika Gebel
- Experimental Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Division of Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Franziska Kalensee
- Experimental Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Division of Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Eva Stolzenberg
- Experimental Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Division of Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jessica Hartmann
- Division of Medical Biotechnology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Langen, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany.,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Winfried S Wels
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Partner Site Frankfurt/Mainz, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ute Modlich
- Research Group for Gene Modification in Stem Cells, Division of Veterinary Medicine, Paul-Ehrlich Institute, Langen, Germany
| | - Evelyn Ullrich
- Experimental Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Division of Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Partner Site Frankfurt/Mainz, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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30
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Selich A, Zimmermann K, Tenspolde M, Dittrich-Breiholz O, von Kaisenberg C, Schambach A, Rothe M. Umbilical cord as a long-term source of activatable mesenchymal stromal cells for immunomodulation. Stem Cell Res Ther 2019; 10:285. [PMID: 31547865 PMCID: PMC6755709 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-019-1376-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are used in over 800 clinical trials mainly due to their immune inhibitory activity. Umbilical cord (UC), the second leading source of clinically used MSCs, is usually cut in small tissue pieces. Subsequent cultivation leads to a continuous outgrowth of MSC explant monolayers (MSC-EMs) for months. Currently, the first MSC-EM culture takes approximately 2 weeks to grow out, which is then expanded and applied to patients. The initiating tissue pieces are then discarded. However, when UC pieces are transferred to new culture dishes, MSC-EMs continue to grow out. In case the functional integrity of these cells is maintained, later induced cultures could also be expanded and used for cell therapy. This would drastically increase the number of available cells for each patient. To test the functionality of MSC-EMs from early and late induction time points, we compared the first cultures to those initiated after 2 months by investigating their clonality and immunomodulatory capacity. METHODS We analyzed the clonal composition of MSC-EM cultures by umbilical cord piece transduction using integrating lentiviral vectors harboring genetic barcodes assessed by high-throughput sequencing. We investigated the transcriptome of these cultures by microarrays. Finally, the secretome was analyzed by multiplexed ELISAs, in vitro assays, and in vivo in mice. RESULTS DNA barcode analysis showed polyclonal MSC-EMs even after months of induction cycles. A transcriptome and secretome analyses of early and late MSC cultures showed only minor changes over time. However, upon activation with TNF-α and IFN-γ, cells from both induction time points produced a multitude of immunomodulatory cytokines. Interestingly, the later induced MSC-EMs produced higher amounts of cytokines. To test whether the different cytokine levels were in a therapeutically relevant range, we used conditioned medium (CM) in an in vitro MLR and an in vivo killing assay. CM from late induced MSC-EMs was at least as immune inhibitory as CM from early induced MSC-EMs. CONCLUSION Human umbilical cord maintains a microenvironment for the long-term induction of polyclonal and immune inhibitory active MSCs for months. Thus, our results would offer the possibility to drastically increase the number of therapeutically applicable MSCs for a substantial amount of patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Selich
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Katharina Zimmermann
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Michel Tenspolde
- Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Endocrinology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | | | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael Rothe
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. .,REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
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31
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Selich A, Ha TC, Morgan M, Falk CS, von Kaisenberg C, Schambach A, Rothe M. Cytokine Selection of MSC Clones with Different Functionality. Stem Cell Reports 2019; 13:262-273. [PMID: 31303506 PMCID: PMC6700478 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2019.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Revised: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are used in many clinical applications. However, ex vivo expansion is required to reach clinically relevant cell numbers, which might lead to selection of clones with different characteristics. To follow clonal selection, we transduced MSC progenitors in umbilical cord pieces (UCPs) with vectors encoding fluorescent proteins and genetic barcodes. After marked MSC cultures grew out from UCPs, we investigated the influence of cytokines on MSC functionality. Specific cytokine conditions selected for clones from common progenitors. MSC secretome analyses revealed differences dependent on the culture conditions used. Clones expanded in human serum containing culture medium secreted a plethora of growth factors. When expanded in the same medium containing TGF-β, MSCs secreted negligible amounts of cytokines but at the same time led to an increased human chimerism after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation into immunodeficient mice. Our results suggest a major influence of cytokine additives on MSC functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anton Selich
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Building J11, Level 01, Room 6540, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Teng-Cheong Ha
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Building J11, Level 01, Room 6540, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany; Integrated Research and Treatment Center Transplantation (IFB-Tx), 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael Morgan
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Building J11, Level 01, Room 6540, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany; Integrated Research and Treatment Center Transplantation (IFB-Tx), 30625 Hannover, Germany; REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Christine S Falk
- Integrated Research and Treatment Center Transplantation (IFB-Tx), 30625 Hannover, Germany; REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; Institute of Transplant Immunology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Building J11, Level 01, Room 6540, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany; Integrated Research and Treatment Center Transplantation (IFB-Tx), 30625 Hannover, Germany; REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Michael Rothe
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Building J11, Level 01, Room 6540, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, 30625 Hannover, Germany; REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
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32
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Bueren JA, Quintana-Bustamante O, Almarza E, Navarro S, Río P, Segovia JC, Guenechea G. Advances in the gene therapy of monogenic blood cell diseases. Clin Genet 2019; 97:89-102. [PMID: 31231794 DOI: 10.1111/cge.13593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Revised: 05/12/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Hematopoietic gene therapy has markedly progressed during the last 15 years both in terms of safety and efficacy. While a number of serious adverse events (SAE) were initially generated as a consequence of genotoxic insertions of gamma-retroviral vectors in the cell genome, no SAEs and excellent outcomes have been reported in patients infused with autologous hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) transduced with self-inactivated lentiviral and gammaretroviral vectors. Advances in the field of HSC gene therapy have extended the number of monogenic diseases that can be treated with these approaches. Nowadays, evidence of clinical efficacy has been shown not only in primary immunodeficiencies, but also in other hematopoietic diseases, including beta-thalassemia and sickle cell anemia. In addition to the rapid progression of non-targeted gene therapies in the clinic, new approaches based on gene editing have been developed thanks to the discovery of designed nucleases and improved non-integrative vectors, which have markedly increased the efficacy and specificity of gene targeting to levels compatible with its clinical application. Based on advances achieved in the field of gene therapy, it can be envisaged that these therapies will soon be part of the therapeutic approaches used to treat life-threatening diseases of the hematopoietic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan A Bueren
- Division of Hematopoietic Innovative Therapies, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias Fundación Jiménez Díaz (IIS-FJD), Madrid, Spain
| | - Oscar Quintana-Bustamante
- Division of Hematopoietic Innovative Therapies, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias Fundación Jiménez Díaz (IIS-FJD), Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Almarza
- Division of Hematopoietic Innovative Therapies, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias Fundación Jiménez Díaz (IIS-FJD), Madrid, Spain
| | - Susana Navarro
- Division of Hematopoietic Innovative Therapies, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias Fundación Jiménez Díaz (IIS-FJD), Madrid, Spain
| | - Paula Río
- Division of Hematopoietic Innovative Therapies, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias Fundación Jiménez Díaz (IIS-FJD), Madrid, Spain
| | - José C Segovia
- Division of Hematopoietic Innovative Therapies, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias Fundación Jiménez Díaz (IIS-FJD), Madrid, Spain
| | - Guillermo Guenechea
- Division of Hematopoietic Innovative Therapies, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), Madrid, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias Fundación Jiménez Díaz (IIS-FJD), Madrid, Spain
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33
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Geiger S, Ozay EI, Geumann U, Hereth MK, Magnusson T, Shanthalingam S, Hirsch D, Kälin S, Günther C, Osborne BA, Tew GN, Hermann FG, Minter LM. Alpha-1 Antitrypsin-Expressing Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Confer a Long-Term Survival Benefit in a Mouse Model of Lethal GvHD. Mol Ther 2019; 27:1436-1451. [PMID: 31138510 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2019.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Revised: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute graft-versus-host disease is a frequent complication associated with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Patients that become refractory to initial steroid treatment have a poor prognosis. apceth-201 consists of human allogeneic mesenchymal stromal cells, engineered by lentiviral transduction to express the protease inhibitor alpha-1 antitrypsin, to augment the anti-inflammatory potential of the mesenchymal stromal cells. We show that apceth-201 mesenchymal stromal cells efficiently suppress T cell proliferation and polarize macrophages to an anti-inflammatory M2 type, in vitro. To assess the in vivo efficacy of apceth-201, it was tested in two different mouse models of acute graft-versus-host disease. Control animals in a humanized model succumbed quickly to disease, whereas median survival was doubled in apceth-201-treated animals. The product was also tested in a graft-versus-host disease model system that closely mimics haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, an approach that is now being evaluated for use in the clinic. Control animals succumbed quickly to disease, whereas treatment with apceth-201 resulted in long-term survival of 57% of the animals. Within 25 days after the second injection, clinical scores returned to baseline in responding animals, indicating complete resolution of graft-versus-host disease. These promising data have led to planning of a phase I study using apceth-201.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emrah I Ozay
- Program in Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Ulf Geumann
- apceth Biopharma GmbH, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | | | | | - Sudarvili Shanthalingam
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | | | | | | | - Barbara A Osborne
- Program in Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | - Gregory N Tew
- Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| | | | - Lisa M Minter
- Program in Molecular & Cellular Biology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA; Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003, USA.
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Endothelial protein C receptor supports hematopoietic stem cell engraftment and expansion in Mpl-deficient mice. Blood 2019; 133:1465-1478. [DOI: 10.1182/blood-2018-03-837344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Thrombopoietin (Thpo)/myeloproliferative leukemia virus oncogene (Mpl) signaling controls hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) self-renewal and quiescence; however, how these 2 seemingly opposing functions are controlled is not well understood. By transplantation of lentiviral-transduced hematopoietic cells in the Mpl-deficient mouse model, we addressed whether known or predicted Thpo target genes were able to rescue the Mpl-deficient phenotype of the mice. Among the tested genes, we identified endothelial protein C receptor (Epcr) to expand HSCs with the long-term (LT)-HSC surface phenotype in Mpl−/− mice and to enable secondary transplantation of Mpl-deficient bone marrow (BM). Epcr-transduced Mpl−/− HSCs enter quiescence earlier after transplantation than control-transduced Mpl−/− cells, and upregulated expression of the anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-xL. Also, in the wild-type background, Epcr expression marked the engrafting population in the BM. Furthermore, Epcr expression in Mpl−/− hematopoiesis increased the number of megakaryocytes in the BM. In vitro Thpo supported the surface expression of Epcr on primary murine hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. With these data, we add new insights into Thpo-dependent influence on HSC engraftment after transplantation. This may be of use for the in vitro manipulation of HSCs, also in the context of gene therapy.
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Klapdor R, Wang S, Morgan M, Dörk T, Hacker U, Hillemanns P, Büning H, Schambach A. Characterization of a Novel Third-Generation Anti-CD24-CAR against Ovarian Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20030660. [PMID: 30717444 PMCID: PMC6387114 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20030660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Revised: 01/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Novel therapeutic approaches against ovarian cancer (OC) are urgently needed because of its high rate of recurrence even after extensive surgery and multi-agent chemotherapy. We aimed to develop a novel anti-CD24 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) as an immunotherapeutic approach against OC cells and cancer stem cells (CSC). CSC represents a subpopulation of the tumor characterized by enhanced chemoresistance as well as the increased capability of self-renewal and metastasis. We designed a codon-optimized third-generation CAR containing the highly active single chain variable fragment (scFv) “SWA11” against CD24. We equipped the human NK-cell line NK-92 with the anti-CD24 CAR and an anti-CD19 control CAR using lentiviral transduction. Engineered NK-92 cells showed high cytotoxic activity against CD24-positive OC cell lines (SKOV3, OVCAR3). This effect was restricted to CD24-expressing cells as shown after lentiviral transduction of CD24-negative cell lines (A2780, HEK-293T) with CD24 transmembrane proteins. Additionally, NK-92 cells equipped with our novel anti-CD24 CAR were highly effective against patient-derived primary ovarian cancer cells. The activation of NK cells was shown by specific IFNγ secretion upon antigen stimulation. To further reduce possible off-target effects in vivo, we applied a dual-CAR approach using an anti-CD24-CD28-41BB fusion protein linked via a 2A sequence to an anti-mesothelin-CD3ζ-CAR. The dual-CAR was simultaneously active against CD24 and mesothelin expressing cells. Our novel anti-CD24-CAR showed a highly cytotoxic effect against OC cell lines and primary OC cells and will be evaluated in future in vivo trials as a promising immunotherapeutic approach against OC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rüdiger Klapdor
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
- Institute for Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
- Cluster of Excellence REBIRTH, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
| | - Shuo Wang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
- Institute for Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
| | - Michael Morgan
- Institute for Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
- Cluster of Excellence REBIRTH, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
| | - Thilo Dörk
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
| | - Ulrich Hacker
- Institute for Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
- University Cancer Center Leipzig (UCCL), University Hospital Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Peter Hillemanns
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
| | - Hildegard Büning
- Institute for Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
- Cluster of Excellence REBIRTH, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute for Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
- Cluster of Excellence REBIRTH, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany.
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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36
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Knopp Y, Geis FK, Heckl D, Horn S, Neumann T, Kuehle J, Meyer J, Fehse B, Baum C, Morgan M, Meyer J, Schambach A, Galla M. Transient Retrovirus-Based CRISPR/Cas9 All-in-One Particles for Efficient, Targeted Gene Knockout. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2018; 13:256-274. [PMID: 30317165 PMCID: PMC6187057 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2018.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Revised: 09/07/2018] [Accepted: 09/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The recently discovered CRISPR/Cas9 system is widely used in basic research and is a useful tool for disease modeling and gene editing therapies. However, long-term expression of DNA-modifying enzymes can be associated with cytotoxicity and is particularly unwanted in clinical gene editing strategies. Because current transient expression methods may still suffer from cytotoxicity and/or low efficiency, we developed non-integrating retrovirus-based CRISPR/Cas9 all-in-one particles for targeted gene knockout. By redirecting the gammaretroviral packaging machinery, we transiently delivered Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 (SpCas9) mRNA and single-guide RNA transcripts into various (including primary) cell types. Spatiotemporal co-delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 components resulted in efficient disruption of a surrogate reporter gene, as well as functional knockout of endogenous human genes CXCR4 and TP53. Although acting in a hit-and-run fashion, knockout efficiencies of our transient particles corresponded to 52%-80% of those obtained from constitutively active integrating vectors. Stable SpCas9 overexpression at high doses in murine NIH3T3 cells caused a substantial G0/G1 arrest accompanied by reduced cell growth and metabolic activity, which was prevented by transient SpCas9 transfer. In summary, the non-integrating retrovirus-based vector particles introduced here allow efficient and dose-controlled delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 components into target cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvonne Knopp
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Franziska K Geis
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Dirk Heckl
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Stefan Horn
- Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg 20246, Germany
| | - Thomas Neumann
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Johannes Kuehle
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Janine Meyer
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Boris Fehse
- Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg 20246, Germany
| | - Christopher Baum
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany; Presidential Office, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Michael Morgan
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Johann Meyer
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany; Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Melanie Galla
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover 30625, Germany.
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37
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Morgan MA, Schambach A. Engineering CAR-T Cells for Improved Function Against Solid Tumors. Front Immunol 2018; 9:2493. [PMID: 30420856 PMCID: PMC6217729 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.02493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2018] [Accepted: 10/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic engineering T cells to create clinically applied chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells has led to improved patient outcomes for some forms of hematopoietic malignancies. While this has inspired the biomedical community to develop similar strategies to treat solid tumor patients, challenges such as the immunosuppressive character of the tumor microenvironment, CAR-T cell persistence and trafficking to the tumor seem to limit CAR-T cell efficacy in solid cancers. This review provides an overview of mechanisms that tumors exploit to evade eradication by CAR-T cells as well as emerging approaches that incorporate genetic engineering technologies to improve CAR-T cell activity against solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Morgan
- Hannover Medical School, Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover, Germany.,REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Hannover Medical School, Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover, Germany.,REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Division of Hematology/Oncology Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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38
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Paredes R, Schneider M, Stevens A, White DJ, Williamson AJK, Muter J, Pearson S, Kelly JR, Connors K, Wiseman DH, Chadwick JA, Löffler H, Teng HY, Lovell S, Unwin R, van de Vrugt HJ, Smith H, Kustikova O, Schambach A, Somervaille TCP, Pierce A, Whetton AD, Meyer S. EVI1 carboxy-terminal phosphorylation is ATM-mediated and sustains transcriptional modulation and self-renewal via enhanced CtBP1 association. Nucleic Acids Res 2018; 46:7662-7674. [PMID: 29939287 PMCID: PMC6125627 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Revised: 05/24/2018] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The transcriptional regulator EVI1 has an essential role in early hematopoiesis and development. However, aberrantly high expression of EVI1 has potent oncogenic properties and confers poor prognosis and chemo-resistance in leukemia and solid tumors. To investigate to what extent EVI1 function might be regulated by post-translational modifications we carried out mass spectrometry- and antibody-based analyses and uncovered an ATM-mediated double phosphorylation of EVI1 at the carboxy-terminal S858/S860 SQS motif. In the presence of genotoxic stress EVI1-WT (SQS), but not site mutated EVI1-AQA was able to maintain transcriptional patterns and transformation potency, while under standard conditions carboxy-terminal mutation had no effect. Maintenance of hematopoietic progenitor cell clonogenic potential was profoundly impaired with EVI1-AQA compared with EVI1-WT, in particular in the presence of genotoxic stress. Exploring mechanistic events underlying these observations, we showed that after genotoxic stress EVI1-WT, but not EVI1-AQA increased its level of association with its functionally essential interaction partner CtBP1, implying a role for ATM in regulating EVI1 protein interactions via phosphorylation. This aspect of EVI1 regulation is therapeutically relevant, as chemotherapy-induced genotoxicity might detrimentally sustain EVI1 function via stress response mediated phosphorylation, and ATM-inhibition might be of specific targeted benefit in EVI1-overexpressing malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Paredes
- Stem Cell and Leukaemia Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Palatine Road, Manchester M20 3LI, UK
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Marion Schneider
- Stem Cell and Leukaemia Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Palatine Road, Manchester M20 3LI, UK
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Adam Stevens
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
- Division of Developmental Biology and Medicine, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health M13 9WL, University of Manchester, UK
| | - Daniel J White
- Stem Cell and Leukaemia Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Palatine Road, Manchester M20 3LI, UK
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Andrew J K Williamson
- Stem Cell and Leukaemia Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Palatine Road, Manchester M20 3LI, UK
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Joanne Muter
- Stem Cell and Leukaemia Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Palatine Road, Manchester M20 3LI, UK
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Stella Pearson
- Stem Cell and Leukaemia Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Palatine Road, Manchester M20 3LI, UK
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - James R Kelly
- Stem Cell and Leukaemia Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Palatine Road, Manchester M20 3LI, UK
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Kathleen Connors
- Stem Cell and Leukaemia Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Palatine Road, Manchester M20 3LI, UK
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Daniel H Wiseman
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
- Leukaemia Biology Group, CRUK Manchester Institute, Manchester M20 4XB, UK
| | - John A Chadwick
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
- Leukaemia Biology Group, CRUK Manchester Institute, Manchester M20 4XB, UK
| | - Harald Löffler
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Molecular Hematology/Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and Department of Internal Medicine V, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Hsiang Ying Teng
- Stem Cell and Leukaemia Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Palatine Road, Manchester M20 3LI, UK
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Simon Lovell
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
- Evolution, Systems and Genomics Domain,Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Richard Unwin
- Stem Cell and Leukaemia Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Palatine Road, Manchester M20 3LI, UK
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Henri J van de Vrugt
- Oncogenetics, Department of Clinical Genetics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Helen Smith
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
- Evolution, Systems and Genomics Domain,Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Olga Kustikova
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School; Hannover, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School; Hannover, Germany
| | - Tim C P Somervaille
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
- Leukaemia Biology Group, CRUK Manchester Institute, Manchester M20 4XB, UK
| | - Andrew Pierce
- Stem Cell and Leukaemia Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Palatine Road, Manchester M20 3LI, UK
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
| | - Anthony D Whetton
- Stem Cell and Leukaemia Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Palatine Road, Manchester M20 3LI, UK
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
- Stoller Biomarker Discovery Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9NQ, UK
| | - Stefan Meyer
- Stem Cell and Leukaemia Proteomics Laboratory, Division of Cancer Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Palatine Road, Manchester M20 3LI, UK
- Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester, UK
- Department of Paediatric Haematology and Oncology, Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Manchester M13 9WL, UK
- Young Oncology Unit, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester M20 4XB, UK
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39
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Morgan MA, Schambach A. Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells: Extending Translation from Liquid to Solid Tumors. Hum Gene Ther 2018; 29:1083-1097. [PMID: 30156435 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2017.251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Successful translation of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells designed to target and eradicate CD19+ lymphomas has emboldened scientists and physicians worldwide to explore the possibility of applying CAR T-cell technology to other tumor entities, including solid tumors. Next-generation strategies such as fourth-generation CARs (CAR T cells redirected for universal cytokine killing, also known as TRUCKs) designed to deliver immunomodulatory cytokines to the tumor microenvironment, dual CAR designs to improve tumor control, inclusion of suicide genes as safety switches, and precision genome editing are currently being investigated. One major ongoing goal is to determine how best to generate CAR T cells that modulate the tumor microenvironment, overcome tumor survival mechanisms, and thus allow broader applicability as universal allogeneic T-cell therapeutics. Development of state-of-the-art and beyond viral vector systems to deliver designer CARs coupled with targeted genome editing is expected to generate more effective off-the-shelf CAR T cells with activity against a greater number of cancer types and importantly solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Morgan
- 1 Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany .,2 REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- 1 Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany .,2 REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany .,3 Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital , Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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40
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Hammerschmidt SI, Werth K, Rothe M, Galla M, Permanyer M, Patzer GE, Bubke A, Frenk DN, Selich A, Lange L, Schambach A, Bošnjak B, Förster R. CRISPR/Cas9 Immunoengineering of Hoxb8-Immortalized Progenitor Cells for Revealing CCR7-Mediated Dendritic Cell Signaling and Migration Mechanisms in vivo. Front Immunol 2018; 9:1949. [PMID: 30210501 PMCID: PMC6120996 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
To present antigens to cognate T cells, dendritic cells (DCs) exploit the chemokine receptor CCR7 to travel from peripheral tissue via afferent lymphatic vessels to directly enter draining lymph nodes through the floor of the subcapsular sinus. Here, we combined unlimited proliferative capacity of conditionally Hoxb8-immortalized hematopoietic progenitor cells with CRISPR/Cas9 technology to create a powerful experimental system to investigate DC migration and function. Hematopoietic progenitor cells from the bone marrow of Cas9-transgenic mice were conditionally immortalized by lentiviral transduction introducing a doxycycline-regulated form of the transcription factor Hoxb8 (Cas9-Hoxb8 cells). These cells could be stably cultured for weeks in the presence of doxycycline and puromycin, allowing us to introduce additional genetic modifications applying CRISPR/Cas9 technology. Importantly, modified Cas9-Hoxb8 cells retained their potential to differentiate in vitro into myeloid cells, and GM-CSF-differentiated Cas9-Hoxb8 cells showed the classical phenotype of GM-CSF-differentiated bone marrow-derived dendritic cells. Following intralymphatic delivery Cas9-Hoxb8 DCs entered the lymph node in a CCR7-dependent manner. Finally, we used two-photon microscopy and imaged Cas9-Hoxb8 DCs that expressed the genetic Ca2+ sensor GCaMP6S to visualize in real-time chemokine-induced Ca2+ signaling of lymph-derived DCs entering the LN parenchyma. Altogether, our study not only allows mechanistic insights in DC migration in vivo, but also provides a platform for the immunoengineering of DCs that, in combination with two-photon imaging, can be exploited to further dissect DC dynamics in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kathrin Werth
- Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael Rothe
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Melanie Galla
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Marc Permanyer
- Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Anja Bubke
- Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - David N. Frenk
- Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Anton Selich
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Lucas Lange
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Berislav Bošnjak
- Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Reinhold Förster
- Institute of Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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41
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Aranyossy T, Thielecke L, Glauche I, Fehse B, Cornils K. Genetic Barcodes Facilitate Competitive Clonal Analyses In Vivo. Hum Gene Ther 2018; 28:926-937. [PMID: 28847169 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2017.124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Monitoring the fate of individual cell clones is an important task to better understand normal tissue regeneration, for example after hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation, but also cancerogenesis. Based on their integration into the host cell's genome, retroviral vectors are commonly used to stably mark target cells and their progeny. The development of genetic barcoding techniques has opened new possibilities to determine clonal composition and dynamics in great detail. A modular genetic barcode was recently introduced consisting of 32 variable positions (BC32) with a customized backbone, and its advantages were demonstrated with regard to barcode calling and quantification. The study presented applied the BC32 system in a complex in vivo situation, namely to analyze clonal reconstitution dynamics for HSC grafts consisting of up to three cell populations with distinguishable barcodes using different alpha- and lentiviral vectors. In a competitive transplantation setup, it was possible to follow the differently marked cell populations within individual animals. This enabled the clonal contribution of the different BC32 constructs during reconstitution and long-term hematopoiesis in the peripheral blood and the spatial distribution in bone marrow and spleen to be identified. Thus, it was demonstrated that the system allows the output of individually marked cells to be tracked in vivo and their influence on clonal dynamics to be analyzed. Successful application of the BC32 system in a complex, competitive in vivo situation provided proof-of-principle that its high complexity and the large Hamming distance between individual barcodes, combined with the easy customization, facilitate efficient and precise quantification, even without prior knowledge of individual barcode sequences. Importantly, simultaneous high-sensitivity analyses of different cell populations in single animals may significantly reduce numbers of animals required to investigate specific scientific questions in accordance with RRR principles. It is concluded that this BC32 system will be excellently suited for various research applications in regenerative medicine and cancer biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Aranyossy
- 1 Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lars Thielecke
- 2 Institute for Medical Informatics and Biometry, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Ingmar Glauche
- 2 Institute for Medical Informatics and Biometry, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Boris Fehse
- 1 Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Hamburg, Germany
| | - Kerstin Cornils
- 1 Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Hamburg, Germany .,3 Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Division Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf , Hamburg, Germany .,4 Research Institute Children's Cancer Center Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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42
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Wiedemuth R, Thieme S, Navratiel K, Dorschner B, Brenner S. UTX - moonlighting in the cytoplasm? Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2018; 97:78-82. [PMID: 29421189 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2018.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2017] [Revised: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 02/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The X-linked histone demethylase UTX has a pivotal role in cellular and developmental processes including embryogenesis, hematopoiesis and cancer. UTX removes di- and trimethyl groups on histone H3 lysine 27, thereby regulating gene expression. But there is growing evidence that UTX displays biological functions independent of its histone demethylase activity. To elucidate these novel functions, it is of great interest to define subcellular localizations of UTX. Here we show for the first time that native UTX is primarily localized in the cytoplasm whereas ectopic GFP and Flag-tagged UTX display nuclear and cytoplasmic localization. While its epigenetic function is exerted in the nucleus, its cytoplasmic localization points to a novel function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralf Wiedemuth
- Department of Pediatrics, University Clinic 'Carl Gustav Carus' Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Sebastian Thieme
- Department of Pediatrics, University Clinic 'Carl Gustav Carus' Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Katrin Navratiel
- Department of Pediatrics, University Clinic 'Carl Gustav Carus' Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Benjamin Dorschner
- Department of Pediatrics, University Clinic 'Carl Gustav Carus' Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Sebastian Brenner
- Department of Pediatrics, University Clinic 'Carl Gustav Carus' Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Center for Regenerative Therapies, Technische Universitaet Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
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43
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Foamy Virus Vector Carries a Strong Insulator in Its Long Terminal Repeat Which Reduces Its Genotoxic Potential. J Virol 2017; 92:JVI.01639-17. [PMID: 29046446 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01639-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2017] [Accepted: 09/29/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Strong viral enhancers in gammaretrovirus vectors have caused cellular proto-oncogene activation and leukemia, necessitating the use of cellular promoters in "enhancerless" self-inactivating integrating vectors. However, cellular promoters result in relatively low transgene expression, often leading to inadequate disease phenotype correction. Vectors derived from foamy virus, a nonpathogenic retrovirus, show higher preference for nongenic integrations than gammaretroviruses/lentiviruses and preferential integration near transcriptional start sites, like gammaretroviruses. We found that strong viral enhancers/promoters placed in foamy viral vectors caused extremely low immortalization of primary mouse hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells compared to analogous gammaretrovirus/lentivirus vectors carrying the same enhancers/promoters, an effect not explained solely by foamy virus' modest insertional site preference for nongenic regions compared to gammaretrovirus/lentivirus vectors. Using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated targeted insertion of analogous proviral sequences into the LMO2 gene and then measuring LMO2 expression, we demonstrate a sequence-specific effect of foamy virus, independent of insertional bias, contributing to reduced genotoxicity. We show that this effect is mediated by a 36-bp insulator located in the foamy virus long terminal repeat (LTR) that has high-affinity binding to the CCCTC-binding factor. Using our LMO2 activation assay, LMO2 expression was significantly increased when this insulator was removed from foamy virus and significantly reduced when the insulator was inserted into the lentiviral LTR. Our results elucidate a mechanism underlying the low genotoxicity of foamy virus, identify a novel insulator, and support the use of foamy virus as a vector for gene therapy, especially when strong enhancers/promoters are required.IMPORTANCE Understanding the genotoxic potential of viral vectors is important in designing safe and efficacious vectors for gene therapy. Self-inactivating vectors devoid of viral long-terminal-repeat enhancers have proven safe; however, transgene expression from cellular promoters is often insufficient for full phenotypic correction. Foamy virus is an attractive vector for gene therapy. We found foamy virus vectors to be remarkably less genotoxic, well below what was expected from their integration site preferences. We demonstrate that the foamy virus long terminal repeats contain an insulator element that binds CCCTC-binding factor and reduces its insertional genotoxicity. Our study elucidates a mechanism behind the low genotoxic potential of foamy virus, identifies a unique insulator, and supports the use of foamy virus as a vector for gene therapy.
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44
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Buch A, Müller O, Ivanova L, Döhner K, Bialy D, Bosse JB, Pohlmann A, Binz A, Hegemann M, Nagel CH, Koltzenburg M, Viejo-Borbolla A, Rosenhahn B, Bauerfeind R, Sodeik B. Inner tegument proteins of Herpes Simplex Virus are sufficient for intracellular capsid motility in neurons but not for axonal targeting. PLoS Pathog 2017; 13:e1006813. [PMID: 29284065 PMCID: PMC5761964 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2017] [Revised: 01/10/2018] [Accepted: 12/14/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Upon reactivation from latency and during lytic infections in neurons, alphaherpesviruses assemble cytosolic capsids, capsids associated with enveloping membranes, and transport vesicles harboring fully enveloped capsids. It is debated whether capsid envelopment of herpes simplex virus (HSV) is completed in the soma prior to axonal targeting or later, and whether the mechanisms are the same in neurons derived from embryos or from adult hosts. We used HSV mutants impaired in capsid envelopment to test whether the inner tegument proteins pUL36 or pUL37 necessary for microtubule-mediated capsid transport were sufficient for axonal capsid targeting in neurons derived from the dorsal root ganglia of adult mice. Such neurons were infected with HSV1-ΔUL20 whose capsids recruited pUL36 and pUL37, with HSV1-ΔUL37 whose capsids associate only with pUL36, or with HSV1-ΔUL36 that assembles capsids lacking both proteins. While capsids of HSV1-ΔUL20 were actively transported along microtubules in epithelial cells and in the somata of neurons, those of HSV1-ΔUL36 and -ΔUL37 could only diffuse in the cytoplasm. Employing a novel image analysis algorithm to quantify capsid targeting to axons, we show that only a few capsids of HSV1-ΔUL20 entered axons, while vesicles transporting gD utilized axonal transport efficiently and independently of pUL36, pUL37, or pUL20. Our data indicate that capsid motility in the somata of neurons mediated by pUL36 and pUL37 does not suffice for targeting capsids to axons, and suggest that capsid envelopment needs to be completed in the soma prior to targeting of herpes simplex virus to the axons, and to spreading from neurons to neighboring cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Buch
- Institute of Virology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- NRENNT–Niedersachsen Research Network on Neuroinfectiology, Hannover, Germany
- DZIF—German Center for Infection Research, Hannover, Germany
| | - Oliver Müller
- Institute for Information Processing, Leibniz University, Hannover, Germany
- REBIRTH—From Regenerative Biology to Reconstructive Therapy, Hannover, Germany
| | - Lyudmila Ivanova
- Institute of Virology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- NRENNT–Niedersachsen Research Network on Neuroinfectiology, Hannover, Germany
- REBIRTH—From Regenerative Biology to Reconstructive Therapy, Hannover, Germany
| | - Katinka Döhner
- Institute of Virology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Dagmara Bialy
- Institute of Virology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Jens B. Bosse
- Heinrich-Pette-Institute, Leibniz-Institute for Experimental Virology, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anja Pohlmann
- Institute of Virology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- REBIRTH—From Regenerative Biology to Reconstructive Therapy, Hannover, Germany
| | - Anne Binz
- Institute of Virology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- REBIRTH—From Regenerative Biology to Reconstructive Therapy, Hannover, Germany
| | - Maike Hegemann
- Institute of Virology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | | | - Abel Viejo-Borbolla
- Institute of Virology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- NRENNT–Niedersachsen Research Network on Neuroinfectiology, Hannover, Germany
| | - Bodo Rosenhahn
- Institute for Information Processing, Leibniz University, Hannover, Germany
- REBIRTH—From Regenerative Biology to Reconstructive Therapy, Hannover, Germany
| | - Rudolf Bauerfeind
- Research Core Unit Laser Microscopy, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Beate Sodeik
- Institute of Virology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- NRENNT–Niedersachsen Research Network on Neuroinfectiology, Hannover, Germany
- DZIF—German Center for Infection Research, Hannover, Germany
- REBIRTH—From Regenerative Biology to Reconstructive Therapy, Hannover, Germany
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45
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Peking P, Koller U, Duarte B, Murillas R, Wolf S, Maetzig T, Rothe M, Kocher T, García M, Brachtl G, Schambach A, Larcher F, Reichelt J, Bauer JW, Murauer EM. An RNA-targeted therapy for dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:10259-10269. [PMID: 28973459 PMCID: PMC5737646 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional impairment or complete loss of type VII collagen, caused by mutations within COL7A1, lead to the severe recessive form of the skin blistering disease dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (RDEB). Here, we successfully demonstrate RNA trans-splicing as an auspicious repair option for mutations located in a wide range of exons by fully converting an RDEB phenotype in an ex vivo pre-clinical mouse model based on xenotransplantation. Via a self-inactivating (SIN) lentiviral vector a 3' RNA trans-splicing molecule, capable of replacing COL7A1 exons 65-118, was delivered into type VII collagen deficient patient keratinocytes, carrying a homozygous mutation in exon 80 (c.6527insC). Following vector integration, protein analysis of an isolated corrected single cell clone showed secretion of the corrected type VII collagen at similar levels compared to normal keratinocytes. To confirm full phenotypic and long-term correction in vivo, patches of skin equivalents expanded from the corrected cell clone were grafted onto immunodeficient mice. Immunolabelling of 12 weeks old skin specimens showed strong expression of human type VII collagen restricted to the basement membrane zone. We demonstrate that the RNA trans-splicing technology combined with a SIN lentiviral vector is suitable for an ex vivo molecular therapy approach and thus adaptable for clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Peking
- EB House Austria, Research Program for Molecular Therapy of Genodermatoses, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Austria
| | - Ulrich Koller
- EB House Austria, Research Program for Molecular Therapy of Genodermatoses, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Austria
| | - Blanca Duarte
- Epithelial Biomedicine Division, CIEMAT-CIBERER, Department of Bioengineering, UC3M, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rodolfo Murillas
- Epithelial Biomedicine Division, CIEMAT-CIBERER, Department of Bioengineering, UC3M, Madrid, Spain
| | - Susanne Wolf
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Tobias Maetzig
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael Rothe
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Thomas Kocher
- EB House Austria, Research Program for Molecular Therapy of Genodermatoses, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Austria
| | - Marta García
- Epithelial Biomedicine Division, CIEMAT-CIBERER, Department of Bioengineering, UC3M, Madrid, Spain
| | - Gabriele Brachtl
- Institute for Experimental and Clinical Cell Therapy, Core Facility for Flow Cytometry, SCI-TRECS, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Fernando Larcher
- Epithelial Biomedicine Division, CIEMAT-CIBERER, Department of Bioengineering, UC3M, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de la Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Madrid, Spain
| | - Julia Reichelt
- EB House Austria, Research Program for Molecular Therapy of Genodermatoses, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Austria
| | - Johann W Bauer
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Eva M Murauer
- EB House Austria, Research Program for Molecular Therapy of Genodermatoses, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of the Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg, Austria
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46
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Klapdor R, Wang S, Hacker U, Büning H, Morgan M, Dörk T, Hillemanns P, Schambach A. Improved Killing of Ovarian Cancer Stem Cells by Combining a Novel Chimeric Antigen Receptor-Based Immunotherapy and Chemotherapy. Hum Gene Ther 2017; 28:886-896. [PMID: 28836469 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2017.168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ovarian cancer represents the most lethal gynecological cancer. Although cytoreductive chemotherapy and surgery lead to complete macroscopic tumor removal, most of the patients in advanced stages suffer from recurrent disease and subsequently die. This may be explained by the activity of cancer stem cells (CSC), which are a subpopulation of cells with an elevated chemoresistance and an increased capacity for self-renewal and metastatic spread. Specifically targeting these cells by adoptive immunotherapy represents a promising strategy to reduce the risk for recurrent disease. This study selected the widely accepted CSC marker CD133 as a target for a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-based immunotherapeutic approach to treat ovarian cancer. A lentiviral vector was generated encoding a third-generation anti-CD133-CAR, and clinically used NK92 cells were transduced. These engineered natural killer (NK) cells showed specific killing against CD133-positive ovarian cancer cell lines and primary ovarian cancer cells cultured from sequential ascites harvests. Additionally, specific activation of these engineered NK cells was demonstrated via interferon-gamma secretion assays. To improve clinical efficacy of ovarian cancer treatment, the effect of the chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin was evaluated together with CAR-transduced NK cell treatment. It was demonstrated that NK cells remain cytotoxic and active under cisplatin treatment and, importantly, that sequential treatment with cisplatin followed by CAR-NK cells led to the strongest killing effect. The specific eradication of ovarian CSCs by anti-CD133-CAR expressing NK92 cells represents a promising strategy and, when confirmed in vivo, shall be the basis of future clinical studies with the aim to prevent recurrent disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rüdiger Klapdor
- 1 Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany .,2 Institute for Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany .,3 Cluster of Excellence REBIRTH, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany
| | - Shuo Wang
- 1 Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany .,2 Institute for Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany
| | - Ulrich Hacker
- 2 Institute for Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany .,4 University Cancer Center Leipzig (UCCL), University Hospital Leipzig , Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hildegard Büning
- 2 Institute for Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany .,3 Cluster of Excellence REBIRTH, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael Morgan
- 2 Institute for Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany .,3 Cluster of Excellence REBIRTH, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany
| | - Thilo Dörk
- 1 Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany
| | - Peter Hillemanns
- 1 Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- 2 Institute for Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany .,3 Cluster of Excellence REBIRTH, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany .,5 Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital , Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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47
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Stahlhut M, Schambach A, Kustikova OS. Multimodal Lentiviral Vectors for Pharmacologically Controlled Switching Between Constitutive Single Gene Expression and Tetracycline-Regulated Multiple Gene Collaboration. Hum Gene Ther Methods 2017; 28:191-204. [PMID: 28683573 DOI: 10.1089/hgtb.2017.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Multimodal lentiviral vectors (LVs) allow switching between constitutive and tetracycline-regulated gene co-expressions in genetically modified cells. Transduction of murine primary hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) with multimodal LVs in the absence of doxycycline ensures the constitutive expression of gene of interest 1 (GOI1) only. In the presence of doxycycline, induced tetracycline-regulated expression of a second GOI (GOI2) allows evaluation of the collaboration between two genes. Drug removal retains constitutive expression, which allows the contribution of an individual gene into created networks to be studied. Doxycycline-dependent switching can be tracked via fluorescent markers coupled to constitutive and tetracycline-regulated GOIs. This article describes transduction of murine primary HPCs with different doses of multimodal LVs, distinct cytokine conditions, and their influence on the number and viability of cells co-expressing both collaborating GOIs upon doxycycline induction. A 2-week protocol is provided for multimodal LV production, titer determination, and evaluation of tetracycline responsive promoter background activity in a murine fibroblast cell line. The power of this model to assess the dose/time/order-controlled contribution of single and multiple genes into hematopoietic networks opens new routes in reprogramming, stem cell, and leukemia biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maike Stahlhut
- 1 Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany .,2 Cluster of Excellence REBIRTH, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- 1 Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany .,2 Cluster of Excellence REBIRTH, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany .,3 Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School , Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Olga S Kustikova
- 1 Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany .,2 Cluster of Excellence REBIRTH, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany
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48
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Dütting S, Gaits-Iacovoni F, Stegner D, Popp M, Antkowiak A, van Eeuwijk JMM, Nurden P, Stritt S, Heib T, Aurbach K, Angay O, Cherpokova D, Heinz N, Baig AA, Gorelashvili MG, Gerner F, Heinze KG, Ware J, Krohne G, Ruggeri ZM, Nurden AT, Schulze H, Modlich U, Pleines I, Brakebusch C, Nieswandt B. A Cdc42/RhoA regulatory circuit downstream of glycoprotein Ib guides transendothelial platelet biogenesis. Nat Commun 2017. [PMID: 28643773 PMCID: PMC5481742 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Blood platelets are produced by large bone marrow (BM) precursor cells, megakaryocytes (MKs), which extend cytoplasmic protrusions (proplatelets) into BM sinusoids. The molecular cues that control MK polarization towards sinusoids and limit transendothelial crossing to proplatelets remain unknown. Here, we show that the small GTPases Cdc42 and RhoA act as a regulatory circuit downstream of the MK-specific mechanoreceptor GPIb to coordinate polarized transendothelial platelet biogenesis. Functional deficiency of either GPIb or Cdc42 impairs transendothelial proplatelet formation. In the absence of RhoA, increased Cdc42 activity and MK hyperpolarization triggers GPIb-dependent transmigration of entire MKs into BM sinusoids. These findings position Cdc42 (go-signal) and RhoA (stop-signal) at the centre of a molecular checkpoint downstream of GPIb that controls transendothelial platelet biogenesis. Our results may open new avenues for the treatment of platelet production disorders and help to explain the thrombocytopenia in patients with Bernard-Soulier syndrome, a bleeding disorder caused by defects in GPIb-IX-V.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Dütting
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, University Hospital and University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.,Rudolf Virchow Center, University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Frederique Gaits-Iacovoni
- INSERM UMR1048, Institut des Maladies Métaboliques et Cardiovasculaires-I2MC, UMR1048, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université de Toulouse, 1 Avenue Jean Poulhès, BP 84225, 31432 Toulouse Cedex 4, France
| | - David Stegner
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, University Hospital and University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Michael Popp
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, University Hospital and University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.,Rudolf Virchow Center, University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Adrien Antkowiak
- INSERM UMR1048, Institut des Maladies Métaboliques et Cardiovasculaires-I2MC, UMR1048, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, Université de Toulouse, 1 Avenue Jean Poulhès, BP 84225, 31432 Toulouse Cedex 4, France
| | - Judith M M van Eeuwijk
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, University Hospital and University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.,Rudolf Virchow Center, University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Paquita Nurden
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, University Hospital and University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.,Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire LIRYC, Plateforme Technologique d'Innovation Biomédicale, Hôpital Xavier Arnozan, Avenue du Haut Lévêque, 33604 Pessac, France
| | - Simon Stritt
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, University Hospital and University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.,Rudolf Virchow Center, University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Heib
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, University Hospital and University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.,Rudolf Virchow Center, University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Katja Aurbach
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, University Hospital and University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.,Rudolf Virchow Center, University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Oguzhan Angay
- Rudolf Virchow Center, University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Deya Cherpokova
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, University Hospital and University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.,Rudolf Virchow Center, University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Niels Heinz
- Research Group for Gene Modification in Stem Cells, LOEWE Center for Cell and Gene Therapy Frankfurt/Main and the Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Paul-Ehrlich-Straße 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany
| | - Ayesha A Baig
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, University Hospital and University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.,Rudolf Virchow Center, University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Maximilian G Gorelashvili
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, University Hospital and University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.,Rudolf Virchow Center, University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Frank Gerner
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, University Hospital and University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.,Rudolf Virchow Center, University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Katrin G Heinze
- Rudolf Virchow Center, University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jerry Ware
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham Street, Little Rock, Arkansass 72205, USA
| | - Georg Krohne
- Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Zaverio M Ruggeri
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N Torrey Pines Rd, La Jolla, California 92037, USA
| | - Alan T Nurden
- Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire LIRYC, Plateforme Technologique d'Innovation Biomédicale, Hôpital Xavier Arnozan, Avenue du Haut Lévêque, 33604 Pessac, France
| | - Harald Schulze
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, University Hospital and University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ute Modlich
- Research Group for Gene Modification in Stem Cells, LOEWE Center for Cell and Gene Therapy Frankfurt/Main and the Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Paul-Ehrlich-Straße 51-59, 63225 Langen, Germany
| | - Irina Pleines
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, University Hospital and University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.,Rudolf Virchow Center, University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Cord Brakebusch
- BRIC, Biomedical Institute, University of Copenhagen, Nørregade 10, 1165 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Bernhard Nieswandt
- Institute of Experimental Biomedicine, University Hospital and University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.,Rudolf Virchow Center, University of Würzburg, Josef-Schneider-Str. 2, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
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49
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Geis FK, Galla M, Hoffmann D, Kuehle J, Zychlinski D, Maetzig T, Schott JW, Schwarzer A, Goffinet C, Goff SP, Schambach A. Potent and reversible lentiviral vector restriction in murine induced pluripotent stem cells. Retrovirology 2017; 14:34. [PMID: 28569216 PMCID: PMC5452410 DOI: 10.1186/s12977-017-0358-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2016] [Accepted: 05/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Retroviral vectors are derived from wild-type retroviruses, can be used to study retrovirus-host interactions and are effective tools in gene and cell therapy. However, numerous cell types are resistant or less permissive to retrovirus infection due to the presence of active defense mechanisms, or the absence of important cellular host co-factors. In contrast to multipotent stem cells, pluripotent stem cells (PSC) have potential to differentiate into all three germ layers. Much remains to be elucidated in the field of anti-viral immunity in stem cells, especially in PSC. Results In this study, we report that transduction with HIV-1-based, lentiviral vectors (LV) is impaired in murine PSC. Analyses of early retroviral events in induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) revealed that the restriction is independent of envelope choice and does not affect reverse transcription, but perturbs nuclear entry and proviral integration. Proteasomal inhibition by MG132 could not circumvent the restriction. However, prevention of cyclophilin A (CypA) binding to the HIV-1 capsid via use of either a CypA inhibitor (cyclosporine A) or CypA-independent capsid mutants improved transduction. In addition, application of higher vector doses also increased transduction. Our data revealed a CypA mediated restriction in iPSC, which was acquired during reprogramming, associated with pluripotency and relieved upon subsequent differentiation. Conclusions We showed that murine PSC and iPSC are less susceptible to LV. The block observed in iPSC was CypA-dependent and resulted in reduced nuclear entry of viral DNA and proviral integration. Our study helps to improve transduction of murine pluripotent cells with HIV-1-based vectors and contributes to our understanding of retrovirus-host interactions in PSC. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12977-017-0358-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska K Geis
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, Hannover, Germany.,REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Melanie Galla
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, Hannover, Germany.,REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Dirk Hoffmann
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, Hannover, Germany.,REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Johannes Kuehle
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, Hannover, Germany.,REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Daniela Zychlinski
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, Hannover, Germany.,REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Tobias Maetzig
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, Hannover, Germany.,REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Juliane W Schott
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, Hannover, Germany.,REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Adrian Schwarzer
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, Hannover, Germany.,REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Christine Goffinet
- Institute of Experimental Virology, TWINCORE, Centre for Experimental and Clinical Infections Research, Hannover, Germany
| | - Stephen P Goff
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, Hannover, Germany. .,REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany. .,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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Vink CA, Counsell JR, Perocheau DP, Karda R, Buckley SMK, Brugman MH, Galla M, Schambach A, McKay TR, Waddington SN, Howe SJ. Eliminating HIV-1 Packaging Sequences from Lentiviral Vector Proviruses Enhances Safety and Expedites Gene Transfer for Gene Therapy. Mol Ther 2017; 25:1790-1804. [PMID: 28550974 PMCID: PMC5542766 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2017.04.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2016] [Revised: 04/28/2017] [Accepted: 04/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Lentiviral vector genomic RNA requires sequences that partially overlap wild-type HIV-1 gag and env genes for packaging into vector particles. These HIV-1 packaging sequences constitute 19.6% of the wild-type HIV-1 genome and contain functional cis elements that potentially compromise clinical safety. Here, we describe the development of a novel lentiviral vector (LTR1) with a unique genomic structure designed to prevent transfer of HIV-1 packaging sequences to patient cells, thus reducing the total HIV-1 content to just 4.8% of the wild-type genome. This has been achieved by reconfiguring the vector to mediate reverse-transcription with a single strand transfer, instead of the usual two, and in which HIV-1 packaging sequences are not copied. We show that LTR1 vectors offer improved safety in their resistance to remobilization in HIV-1 particles and reduced frequency of splicing into human genes. Following intravenous luciferase vector administration to neonatal mice, LTR1 sustained a higher level of liver transgene expression than an equivalent dose of a standard lentivirus. LTR1 vectors produce reverse-transcription products earlier and start to express transgenes significantly quicker than standard lentiviruses after transduction. Finally, we show that LTR1 is an effective lentiviral gene therapy vector as demonstrated by correction of a mouse hemophilia B model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conrad A Vink
- Molecular and Cellular Immunology, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - John R Counsell
- Molecular and Cellular Immunology, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK; Gene Transfer Technology Group, Institute for Women's Health, University College London, 86-96 Chenies Mews, London WC1E 6HX, UK.
| | - Dany P Perocheau
- Gene Transfer Technology Group, Institute for Women's Health, University College London, 86-96 Chenies Mews, London WC1E 6HX, UK
| | - Rajvinder Karda
- Gene Transfer Technology Group, Institute for Women's Health, University College London, 86-96 Chenies Mews, London WC1E 6HX, UK
| | - Suzanne M K Buckley
- Gene Transfer Technology Group, Institute for Women's Health, University College London, 86-96 Chenies Mews, London WC1E 6HX, UK
| | - Martijn H Brugman
- Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Melanie Galla
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Tristan R McKay
- School of Healthcare Science, John Dalton Building, Manchester Metropolitan University, Chester Street, Manchester M15 6BH, UK
| | - Simon N Waddington
- Gene Transfer Technology Group, Institute for Women's Health, University College London, 86-96 Chenies Mews, London WC1E 6HX, UK; MRC Antiviral Gene Therapy Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witswatersrand, Johannesburg 2000, South Africa
| | - Steven J Howe
- Molecular and Cellular Immunology, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London WC1N 1EH, UK; Gene Transfer Technology Group, Institute for Women's Health, University College London, 86-96 Chenies Mews, London WC1E 6HX, UK
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