1
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Eskandari A, Leow TC, Rahman MBA, Oslan SN. Structural investigation, computational analysis, and theoretical cryoprotectant approach of antifreeze protein type IV mutants. EUROPEAN BIOPHYSICS JOURNAL : EBJ 2024:10.1007/s00249-024-01719-7. [PMID: 39327310 DOI: 10.1007/s00249-024-01719-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 09/28/2024]
Abstract
Antifreeze proteins (AFPs) have unique features to sustain life in sub-zero environments due to ice recrystallization inhibition (IRI) and thermal hysteresis (TH). AFPs are in demand as agents in cryopreservation, but some antifreeze proteins have low levels of activity. This research aims to improve the cryopreservation activity of an AFPIV. In this in silico study, the helical peptide afp1m from an Antarctic yeast AFP was modeled into a sculpin AFPIV, to replace each of its four α-helices in turn, using various computational tools. Additionally, a new linker between the first two helices of AFPIV was designed, based on a flounder AFPI, to boost the ice interaction activity of the mutants. Bioinformatics tools such as ExPASy Prot-Param, Pep-Wheel, SOPMA, GOR IV, Swiss-Model, Phyre2, MODFOLD, MolPropity, and ProQ were used to validate and analyze the structural and functional properties of the model proteins. Furthermore, to evaluate the AFP/ice interaction, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were executed for 20, 100, and 500 ns at various temperatures using GROMACS software. The primary, secondary, and 3D modeling analysis showed the best model for a redesigned antifreeze protein (AFP1mb, with afp1m in place of the fourth AFPIV helix) with a QMEAN (Swiss-Model) Z score value of 0.36, a confidence of 99.5%, a coverage score of 22%, and a p value of 0.01. The results of the MD simulations illustrated that AFP1mb had more rigidity and better ice interactions as a potential cryoprotectant than the other models; it also displayed enhanced activity in limiting ice growth at different temperatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azadeh Eskandari
- Enzyme and Microbial Technology Research Centre, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Thean Chor Leow
- Enzyme and Microbial Technology Research Centre, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Enzyme Technology and X-Ray Crystallography Laboratory, VacBio 5, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | | | - Siti Nurbaya Oslan
- Enzyme and Microbial Technology Research Centre, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
- Enzyme Technology and X-Ray Crystallography Laboratory, VacBio 5, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
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2
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Dan N, Shelake S, Luo WC, Rahman M, Lu J, Bogner RH, Lu X. Impact of controlled ice nucleation on intracellular dehydration, ice formation and their implications on T cell freeze-thaw viability. Int J Pharm 2024; 665:124694. [PMID: 39265855 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2024.124694] [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: 06/15/2024] [Revised: 08/22/2024] [Accepted: 09/08/2024] [Indexed: 09/14/2024]
Abstract
Cryopreservation is important in manufacturing of cell therapy products, influencing their safety and effectiveness. During freezing and thawing, intracellular events such as dehydration and ice formation can impact cell viability. In this study, the impact of controlling the ice nucleation temperature on intracellular events and viability were investigated. A model T cell line, Jurkat cells, were evaluated in commercially relevant cryoformulations (2.5 and 5 % v/v DMSO in Plasma-Lyte A) using a cryomicroscopic setup to monitor the dynamic changes cells go through during freeze-thaw as well as a controlled rate freezer to study bulk freeze-thaw. The equilibrium freezing temperatures of the studied formulations and a DMSO/Plasma-Lyte A liquidus curve were determined using DSC. The cryomicroscopic studies revealed that an ice nucleation temperature of -6°C, close to the equilibrium freezing temperatures of cryoformulations, led to more intracellular dehydration and less intracellular ice formation during freezing compared to either a lower ice nucleation temperature (-10 °C) or uncontrolled ice nucleation. The cell membrane integrity and post thaw viability in bulk cryopreservation consistently demonstrated the advantage of the higher ice nucleation temperature, and the correlation between the cellular events and cell viability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nirnoy Dan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Sagar Shelake
- Johnson and Johnson Innovative Medicine, Malvern, PA, 19355, USA
| | - Wei-Chung Luo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Mohsina Rahman
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Jonathan Lu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Robin H Bogner
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Xiuling Lu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
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3
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Ramamurthy A, Tommasi A, Saha K. Advances in manufacturing chimeric antigen receptor immune cell therapies. Semin Immunopathol 2024; 46:12. [PMID: 39150566 DOI: 10.1007/s00281-024-01019-4] [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: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/20/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
Biomedical research has witnessed significant strides in manufacturing chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR-T) therapies, marking a transformative era in cellular immunotherapy. Nevertheless, existing manufacturing methods for autologous cell therapies still pose several challenges related to cost, immune cell source, safety risks, and scalability. These challenges have motivated recent efforts to optimize process development and manufacturing for cell therapies using automated closed-system bioreactors and models created using artificial intelligence. Simultaneously, non-viral gene transfer methods like mRNA, CRISPR genome editing, and transposons are being applied to engineer T cells and other immune cells like macrophages and natural killer cells. Alternative sources of primary immune cells and stem cells are being developed to generate universal, allogeneic therapies, signaling a shift away from the current autologous paradigm. These multifaceted innovations in manufacturing underscore a collective effort to propel this therapeutic approach toward broader clinical adoption and improved patient outcomes in the evolving landscape of cancer treatment. Here, we review current CAR immune cell manufacturing strategies and highlight recent advancements in cell therapy scale-up, automation, process development, and engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Apoorva Ramamurthy
- Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Anna Tommasi
- Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Krishanu Saha
- Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
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4
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Gu X, Zhang Y, Zhou W, Wang F, Yan F, Gao H, Wang W. Infusion and delivery strategies to maximize the efficacy of CAR-T cell immunotherapy for cancers. Exp Hematol Oncol 2024; 13:70. [PMID: 39061100 PMCID: PMC11282638 DOI: 10.1186/s40164-024-00542-2] [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: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has achieved substantial clinical outcomes for tumors, especially for hematological malignancies. However, extending the duration of remission, reduction of relapse for hematological malignancies and improvement of the anti-tumor efficacy for solid tumors are challenges for CAR-T cells immunotherapy. Besides the endeavors to enhance the functionality of CAR-T cell per se, optimization of the infusion and delivery strategies facilitates the breakthrough of the hurdles that limited the efficacy of this cancer immunotherapy. Here, we summarized the infusion and delivery strategies of CAR-T cell therapies under pre-clinical study, clinical trials and on-market status, through which the improvements of safety and efficacy for hematological and solid tumors were analyzed. Of note, novel infusion and delivery strategies, including local-regional infusion, biomaterials bearing the CAR-T cells and multiple infusion technique, overcome many limitations of CAR-T cell therapy. This review provides hints to determine infusion and delivery strategies of CAR-T cell cancer immunotherapy to maximize clinical benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Gu
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | - Yalan Zhang
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | - Weilin Zhou
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | - Fengling Wang
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | - Feiyang Yan
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | - Haozhan Gao
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, People's Republic of China.
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Huynh DC, Nguyen MP, Ngo DT, Nguyen XH, Nguyen DT, Mai TH, Le TH, Hoang MD, Le KL, Nguyen KQ, Nguyen VH, Kelley KW. A comprehensive analysis of the immune system in healthy Vietnamese people. Heliyon 2024; 10:e30647. [PMID: 38765090 PMCID: PMC11101793 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Lifestyle, diet, socioeconomic status and genetics all contribute to heterogeneity in immune responses. Vietnam is plagued with a variety of health problems, but there are no available data on immune system values in the Vietnamese population. This study aimed to establish reference intervals for immune cell parameters specific to the healthy Vietnamese population by utilizing multi-color flow cytometry (MCFC). We provide a comprehensive analysis of total leukocyte count, quantitative and qualitative shifts within lymphocyte subsets, serum and cytokine and chemokine levels and functional attributes of key immune cells including B cells, T cells, natural killer (NK) cells and their respective subpopulations. By establishing these reference values for the Vietnamese population, these data contribute significantly to our understanding of the human immune system variations across diverse populations. These data will be of substantial comparative value and be instrumental in developing personalized medical approaches and optimizing diagnostic strategies for individuals based on their unique immune profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Keith W Kelley
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
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6
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Gahvari Z, Brunner M, Schmidt T, Callander NS. Update on the current and future use of CAR-T to treat multiple myeloma. Eur J Haematol 2024; 112:493-503. [PMID: 38099401 DOI: 10.1111/ejh.14145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy has become an important intervention in the management of relapsed and relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (MM). Currently, B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) is the most targeted surface protein due to its ubiquitous expression on plasma cells, with increasing expression of this essential transmembrane protein on malignant plasma cells as patients develop more advanced disease. This review will explore the earliest CAR-T trials in myeloma, discuss important issues involved in CAR-T manufacturing and processing, as well as review current clinical trials that led to the approval of the two commercially available CAR-T products, Idecabtagene vicleucel and ciltacabtagene autoleucel. The most recent data from trials investigating the use of CAR-T as an earlier line of therapy will be presented. Finally, the problem of relapses after CAR-T will be presented, including several theories as to why CAR-T therapies fail and possible clinical caveats. The next generation of MM-specific CAR-T will likely include new targets such as G-protein-coupled receptor class C, Group 5, member D (GPRC5D) and signaling lymphocyte activation molecular Family 7 (SLAMF7). The role of CAR-T in the treatment of MM will undoubtedly increase exponentially in the next decade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhubin Gahvari
- Division of Hematology, Medical Oncology, and Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Matthew Brunner
- Division of Hematology, Medical Oncology, and Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Timothy Schmidt
- Division of Hematology, Medical Oncology, and Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Natalie S Callander
- Division of Hematology, Medical Oncology, and Palliative Care, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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7
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Valentini CG, Pellegrino C, Teofili L. Pros and Cons of Cryopreserving Allogeneic Stem Cell Products. Cells 2024; 13:552. [PMID: 38534396 DOI: 10.3390/cells13060552] [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: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has precipitously changed the practice of transplanting fresh allografts. The safety measures adopted during the pandemic prompted the near-universal graft cryopreservation. However, the influence of cryopreserving allogeneic grafts on long-term transplant outcomes has emerged only in the most recent literature. In this review, the basic principles of cell cryopreservation are revised and the effects of cryopreservation on the different graft components are carefully reexamined. Finally, a literature revision on studies comparing transplant outcomes in patients receiving cryopreserved and fresh grafts is illustrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Giovanna Valentini
- Dipartimento di Diagnostica per Immagini, Radioterapia Oncologica ed Ematologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio Pellegrino
- Dipartimento di Diagnostica per Immagini, Radioterapia Oncologica ed Ematologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
- Sezione di Ematologia, Dipartimento di Scienze Radiologiche ed Ematologiche, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Luciana Teofili
- Dipartimento di Diagnostica per Immagini, Radioterapia Oncologica ed Ematologia, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy
- Sezione di Ematologia, Dipartimento di Scienze Radiologiche ed Ematologiche, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
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8
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Song HW, Benzaoui M, Dwivedi A, Underwood S, Shao L, Achar S, Posarac V, Remley VA, Prochazkova M, Cai Y, Jin P, Somerville RP, Stroncek DF, Altan-Bonnet G, Shah NN, Chien CD, Taylor N, Highfill SL. Manufacture of CD22 CAR T cells following positive versus negative selection results in distinct cytokine secretion profiles and γδ T cell output. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2024; 32:101171. [PMID: 38298420 PMCID: PMC10827561 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2023.101171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CART) have demonstrated curative potential for hematological malignancies, but the optimal manufacturing has not yet been determined and may differ across products. The first step, T cell selection, removes contaminating cell types that can potentially suppress T cell expansion and transduction. While positive selection of CD4/CD8 T cells after leukapheresis is often used in clinical trials, it may modulate signaling cascades downstream of these co-receptors; indeed, the addition of a CD4/CD8-positive selection step altered CD22 CART potency and toxicity in patients. While negative selection may avoid this drawback, it is virtually absent from good manufacturing practices. Here, we performed both CD4/CD8-positive and -negative clinical scale selections of mononuclear cell apheresis products and generated CD22 CARTs per our ongoing clinical trial (NCT02315612NCT02315612). While the selection process did not yield differences in CART expansion or transduction, positively selected CART exhibited a significantly higher in vitro interferon-γ and IL-2 secretion but a lower in vitro tumor killing rate. Notably, though, CD22 CART generated from both selection protocols efficiently eradicated leukemia in NSG mice, with negatively selected cells exhibiting a significant enrichment in γδ CD22 CART. Thus, our study demonstrates the importance of the initial T cell selection process in clinical CART manufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah W. Song
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Mehdi Benzaoui
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Alka Dwivedi
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sarah Underwood
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lipei Shao
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sooraj Achar
- Laboratory of Integrative Cancer Immunology, NCI, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - Victoria A. Remley
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Michaela Prochazkova
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Yihua Cai
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ping Jin
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Robert P. Somerville
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - David F. Stroncek
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - Nirali N. Shah
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Christopher D. Chien
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Naomi Taylor
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Institut de Génétique Moléculaire de Montpellier, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Steven L. Highfill
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Kim H, Kim S, Lim H, Chung AJ. Expanding CAR-T cell immunotherapy horizons through microfluidics. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:1088-1120. [PMID: 38174732 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00622k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapies have revolutionized cancer treatment, particularly in hematological malignancies. However, their application to solid tumors is limited, and they face challenges in safety, scalability, and cost. To enhance current CAR-T cell therapies, the integration of microfluidic technologies, harnessing their inherent advantages, such as reduced sample consumption, simplicity in operation, cost-effectiveness, automation, and high scalability, has emerged as a powerful solution. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the step-by-step manufacturing process of CAR-T cells, identifies existing difficulties at each production stage, and discusses the successful implementation of microfluidics and related technologies in addressing these challenges. Furthermore, this review investigates the potential of microfluidics-based methodologies in advancing cell-based therapy across various applications, including solid tumors, next-generation CAR constructs, T-cell receptors, and the development of allogeneic "off-the-shelf" CAR products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyelee Kim
- Department of Bioengineering, Korea University, 02841 Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Interdisciplinary Program in Precision Public Health (PPH), Korea University, 02841 Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Suyeon Kim
- Department of Bioengineering, Korea University, 02841 Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Interdisciplinary Program in Precision Public Health (PPH), Korea University, 02841 Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Hyunjung Lim
- Interdisciplinary Program in Precision Public Health (PPH), Korea University, 02841 Seoul, Republic of Korea.
| | - Aram J Chung
- Department of Bioengineering, Korea University, 02841 Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Interdisciplinary Program in Precision Public Health (PPH), Korea University, 02841 Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Korea University, 02841 Seoul, Republic of Korea.
- MxT Biotech, 04785 Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Liao YM, Hsu SH, Chiou SS. Harnessing the Transcriptional Signatures of CAR-T-Cells and Leukemia/Lymphoma Using Single-Cell Sequencing Technologies. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2416. [PMID: 38397092 PMCID: PMC10889174 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25042416] [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: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T-cell therapy has greatly improved outcomes for patients with relapsed or refractory hematological malignancies. However, challenges such as treatment resistance, relapse, and severe toxicity still hinder its widespread clinical application. Traditional transcriptome analysis has provided limited insights into the complex transcriptional landscape of both leukemia cells and engineered CAR-T-cells, as well as their interactions within the tumor microenvironment. However, with the advent of single-cell sequencing techniques, a paradigm shift has occurred, providing robust tools to unravel the complexities of these factors. These techniques enable an unbiased analysis of cellular heterogeneity and molecular patterns. These insights are invaluable for precise receptor design, guiding gene-based T-cell modification, and optimizing manufacturing conditions. Consequently, this review utilizes modern single-cell sequencing techniques to clarify the transcriptional intricacies of leukemia cells and CAR-Ts. The aim of this manuscript is to discuss the potential mechanisms that contribute to the clinical failures of CAR-T immunotherapy. We examine the biological characteristics of CAR-Ts, the mechanisms that govern clinical responses, and the intricacies of adverse events. By exploring these aspects, we hope to gain a deeper understanding of CAR-T therapy, which will ultimately lead to improved clinical outcomes and broader therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Mei Liao
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan;
| | - Shih-Hsien Hsu
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Research Center for Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Center of Applied Genomics, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
| | - Shyh-Shin Chiou
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan;
- Research Center for Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Center of Applied Genomics, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
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11
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Das S, Niemeyer E, Leung ZA, Fritsch T, Matosevic S. Human Natural Killer Cells Cryopreserved without DMSO Sustain Robust Effector Responses. Mol Pharm 2024; 21:651-660. [PMID: 38230666 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.3c00798] [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] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cell-based immunotherapy has benefitted from the multiple strengths that NK cells offer in adoptive transfer settings, not the least of which is their safety and potential for allogeneic use. Such use, however, necessitates the cryopreservation of NK cell-based therapy products to support logistical efforts in deploying these cells in different locations, decentralized from the point of collection or manufacturing. DMSO, the most commonly used cryoprotective agent (CPA), has been effective in protecting immune cells during freezing and thawing, but its ability to induce molecular and genetic changes to immune cells as well as its toxicity has stimulated interest in alternative CPAs. However, replacing DMSO's ability to act intracellularly has been difficult, and the sensitivity of human peripheral blood-derived NK cells to freezing and thawing-induced damage has meant that investigations into the potential of replacing DMSO are lacking. As a first step toward establishing the feasibility of cryopreserving human NK cells with CPAs' alternative to DMSO, we investigate the potential of using noncell-penetrating and cell-penetrating CPAs to recover NK cells post-thaw without DMSO. Here, we find that cryoprotection using cell-penetrating CPAs can retain the viability of human peripheral blood-derived NK cells to a comparable degree to DMSO. In addition, non-DMSO-cryopreserved human NK cells were as cytotoxic as those cryopreserved with DMSO and displayed a comparable level of surface markers of activation. In summary, we present the first example of the potential of developing non-DMSO CPA formulations that could be deployed in future cell therapy regimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumyajit Das
- Department of Industrial and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Emmett Niemeyer
- Department of Industrial and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Zach A Leung
- Department of Industrial and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Tyler Fritsch
- Department of Industrial and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Sandro Matosevic
- Department of Industrial and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
- Institute for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
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12
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Cai Y, Prochazkova M, Kim YS, Jiang C, Ma J, Moses L, Martin K, Pham V, Zhang N, Highfill SL, Somerville RP, Stroncek DF, Jin P. Assessment and comparison of viability assays for cellular products. Cytotherapy 2024; 26:201-209. [PMID: 38085197 PMCID: PMC10872314 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2023.11.008] [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: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AIMS Accurate assessment of cell viability is crucial in cellular product manufacturing, yet selecting the appropriate viability assay presents challenges due to various factors. This study compares and evaluates different viability assays on fresh and cryopreserved cellular products, including peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) apheresis products, purified PBMCs and cultured chimeric antigen receptor and T-cell receptor-engineered T-cell products. METHODS Viability assays, including manual Trypan Blue exclusion, flow cytometry-based assays using 7-aminoactinomycin D (7-AAD) or propidium iodide (PI) direct staining or cell surface marker staining in conjunction with 7-AAD, Cellometer (Nexcelom Bioscience LLC, Lawrence, MA, USA) Acridine Orange/PI staining and Vi-CELL BLU Cell Viability Analyzer (Beckman Coulter, Inc, Brea, CA, USA), were evaluated. A viability standard was established using live and dead cell mixtures to assess the accuracy of these assays. Furthermore, precision assessment was conducted to determine the reproducibility of the viability assays. Additionally, the viability of individual cell populations from cryopreserved PBSC and PBMC apheresis products was examined. RESULTS All methods provided accurate viability measurements and generated consistent and reproducible viability data. The assessed viability assays were demonstrated to be reliable alternatives when evaluating the viability of fresh cellular products. However, cryopreserved products exhibited variability among the tested assays. Additionally, analyzing the viability of each subset of the cryopreserved PBSC and PBMC apheresis products revealed that T cells and granulocytes were more susceptible to the freeze-thaw process, showing decreased viability. CONCLUSIONS The study demonstrates the importance of careful assay selection, validation and standardization, particularly for assessing the viability of cryopreserved products. Given the complexity of cellular products, choosing a fit-for-purpose viability assay is essential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihua Cai
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Michaela Prochazkova
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Yong-Soo Kim
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Chunjie Jiang
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jinxia Ma
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Larry Moses
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Kathryn Martin
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Victoria Pham
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Nan Zhang
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Steven L Highfill
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Robert P Somerville
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - David F Stroncek
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Ping Jin
- Center for Cellular Engineering, Department of Transfusion Medicine, National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
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13
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Worel N, Ljungman P, Verheggen ICM, Hoogenboom JD, Knelange NS, Eikema DJ, Sánchez-Ortega I, Riillo C, Centorrino I, Averbuch D, Chabannon C, de la Camara R, Kuball J, Ruggeri A. Fresh or frozen grafts for allogeneic stem cell transplantation: conceptual considerations and a survey on the practice during the COVID-19 pandemic from the EBMT Infectious Diseases Working Party (IDWP) and Cellular Therapy & Immunobiology Working Party (CTIWP). Bone Marrow Transplant 2023; 58:1348-1356. [PMID: 37673982 DOI: 10.1038/s41409-023-02099-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Revised: 08/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on medical practices, including the delivery of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). In response, transplant centers have made changes to their procedures, including an increased use of cryopreservation for allogeneic haematopoietic progenitor cell (HPC) grafts. The use of cryopreserved grafts for allogeneic HCT has been reviewed and analysed in terms of potential benefits and drawbacks based on existing data on impact on cell subsets, hematological recovery, and clinical outcomes of approximately 2000 patients from different studies. A survey of European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation centers was also conducted to assess changes in practice during the pandemic and any unnecessary burdens on HPC donors. Before the pandemic, only 7.4% of transplant centers were routinely cryopreserving HPC products, but this percentage increased to 90% during the pandemic. The results of this review and survey suggest that cryopreservation of HPC grafts is a viable option for allogeneic HCT in certain situations, but further research is needed to determine long-term effects and ethical discussions are required to balance the needs of donors and patients when using frozen allografts.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Worel
- Medical University Vienna; Department. of Transfusion Medicine and Cell Therapy, Vienna, Austria.
| | - P Ljungman
- Department. of Cellular Therapy and Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation, Karolinska Comprehensive Cancer Center, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge and Div. of Hematology, Department. of Medicine Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | | | | | - D-J Eikema
- EBMT Statistical Unit, Leiden, Netherlands
| | | | - C Riillo
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - I Centorrino
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - D Averbuch
- Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem; Hadassah Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - C Chabannon
- Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Centre de Lutte Contre le Cancer; Centre d'Investigations Cliniques en Biothérapie, Université d'Aix-Marseille, Inserm CBT, 1409, Marseille, France
| | | | - J Kuball
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - A Ruggeri
- Ospedale San Raffaele s.r.l., Haematology and BMT, Milan, Italy
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14
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Pessach I, Nagler A. Leukapheresis for CAR-T cell production and therapy. Transfus Apher Sci 2023; 62:103828. [PMID: 37838564 DOI: 10.1016/j.transci.2023.103828] [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] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is an effective, individualized immunotherapy, and novel treatment for hematologic malignancies. Six commercial CAR-T cell products are currently approved for lymphatic malignancies and multiple myeloma. In addition, an increasing number of clinical centres produce CAR-T cells on-site, which enable the administration of CAR-T cells on site. The CAR-T cell products are either fresh or cryopreserved. Manufacturing CAR-T cells is a complicated process that begins with leukapheresis to obtain T cells from the patient's peripheral blood. An optimal leukapheresis product is crucial step for a successful CAR-T cell therapy; therefore, it is imperative to understand the factors that may affect the quality or T cells. The leukapheresis for CAR-T cell production is well tolerated and safe for both paediatric and adult patients and CAR-Τ cell therapy presents high clinical response rate in many studies. CAR-T cell therapy is under continuous improvement, and it has transformed into an almost standard procedure in clinical haematology and stem cell transplantation facilities that provide both autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplantations. In patients suffering from advanced haematological malignancies, CAR-T cell therapy shows incredible antitumor efficacy. Even after a single infusion of autologous CD19-targeting CAR-T cells in patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), long lasting remission is observed, and a fraction of the patients are being cured. Future novel constructs are being developed with better T cell persistence and better expansion. New next-generation CAR-T cells are currently designed to avoid toxicities such as cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilias Pessach
- Hematology Department, Athens Medical Center, Athens, Greece
| | - Arnon Nagler
- Hematology Division, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Israel.
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15
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Leone G, Baldini V, Bramanti S, Crocchiolo R, Gattillo S, Ermini S, Giudice V, Ferrero I, Moscato T, Milani R, Gozzer M, Piccirillo N, Tassi C, Tassi V, Coluccia P. Managing leukapheresis in adult and pediatric patients eligible for chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy: suggestions from an Italian Expert Panel. BLOOD TRANSFUSION = TRASFUSIONE DEL SANGUE 2023; 21:514-525. [PMID: 37146295 PMCID: PMC10645345 DOI: 10.2450/bloodtransfus.471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy relies on T cells engineered to target specific tumor antigens such as CD-19 in B-cell malignancies. In this setting, the commercially available products have offered a potential long-term cure for both pediatric and adult patients. Yet manufacturing CAR T cells is a cumbersome, multistep process, the success of which strictly depends on the characteristics of the starting material, i.e., lymphocyte collection yield and composition. These, in turn, might be affected by patient factors such as age, performance status, comorbidities, and previous therapies. Ideally, CAR T-cell therapies are a one-off treatment; therefore, optimization and the possible standardization of the leukapheresis procedure is critical, also in view of the novel CAR T cells currently under investigation for hematological malignancies and solid tumors. The most recent Best Practice recommendations for the management of children and adults undergoing CAR T-cell therapy provide a comprehensive guide to their use. However, their application in local practice is not straightforward and some grey areas remain. An Italian Expert Panel of apheresis specialists and hematologists from the centers authorized to administer CAR T-cell therapy took part in a detailed discussion on the following: 1) pre-apheresis patient evaluation; 2) management of the leukapheresis procedure, also in special situations represented by low lymphocyte count, peripheral blastosis, pediatric population <25 kg, and the COVID-19 outbreak; and 3) release and cryopreservation of the apheresis unit. This article presents some of the important challenges that must be faced to optimize the leukapheresis procedure and offers suggestions as to how to improve it, some of which are specific to the Italian setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanna Leone
- Unit of Immuno-Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Stefania Bramanti
- Cancer Center, Humanitas Cancer Center, IRCCS, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Salvatore Gattillo
- Immuno-Hematology and Transfusion Medicine Unit, San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefano Ermini
- Transfusion Service, University Hospital Meyer, Children’s Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Valeria Giudice
- Immuno-Hematology and Transfusion Medicine Unit, University Hospital Sant’ Orsola-Malpighi, Bologna, Italy
| | - Ivana Ferrero
- Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Laboratory, Paediatric Onco-Hematology Division, Regina Margherita Children’s Hospital, City of Health and Science of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Tiziana Moscato
- Stem Cell Transplant and Cellular Therapies Unit, Hemato-Oncology and Radiotherapy Department, Bianchi-Melacrino-Morelli Hospital, Reggio Calabria, Italy
| | - Raffaella Milani
- Immunohematology and Transfusion Medicine Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Gozzer
- Hematology, Department of Translational and Precision Medicine, Sapienza University Policlinico Umberto I, Rome, Italy
| | - Nicola Piccirillo
- Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Oncological Radiotherapy and Hematology, Complex Operational Unit of Blood Transfusion, Gemelli University Hospital IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Cristina Tassi
- Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Laboratory, Paediatric Onco-Hematology Division, Regina Margherita Children’s Hospital, City of Health and Science of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Valter Tassi
- Blood Bank and Immunohematology, City of Health and Science of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Paola Coluccia
- Immunohematology and Transfusion Medicine Service, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
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16
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Gonzalez-Martinez N, Gibson MI. Post-thaw application of ROCK-inhibitors increases cryopreserved T-cell yield. RSC Med Chem 2023; 14:2058-2067. [PMID: 37859712 PMCID: PMC10583820 DOI: 10.1039/d3md00378g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Emerging cell-based therapies such as CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T) cells require cryopreservation to store and deliver intact and viable cells. Conventional cryopreservation formulations use DMSO to mitigate cold-induced damage, but do not address all the biochemical damage mechanisms induced by cold stress, such as programmed cell death (apoptosis). Rho-associated protein kinases (ROCK) are a key component of apoptosis, and their activation contributes to apoptotic blebbing. Here we demonstrate that the ROCK inhibitor fasudil hydrochloride, when supplemented into the thawing medium of T-cells increases the overall yield of healthy cells. Cell yield was highest using 5 or 10% DMSO cryopreservation solutions, with lower DMSO concentrations (2.5%) leading to significant physical damage to the cells. After optimisation, the post-thaw yield of T-cells increased by approximately 20% using this inhibitor, a significant increase in the context of a therapy. Flow cytometry analysis did not show a significant reduction in the relative percentage of cell populations undergoing apoptosis, but there was a small reduction in the 8 hours following thawing. Fasudil also led to a reduction in reactive oxygen species. Addition of fasudil into the cryopreservation solution, followed by dilution (rather than washing) upon thaw also gave a 20% increase in cell yield, demonstrating how this could be deployed in a cell-therapy context, without needing to change clinical thawing routines. Overall, this shows that modulation of post-thaw biochemical pathways which lead to apoptosis (or other degradative pathways) can be effectively targeted as a strategy to increase T-cell yield and function post-thaw.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthew I Gibson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick Gibbet Hill Road Coventry CV4 7AL UK
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick Gibbet Hill Road Coventry CV4 7AL UK
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17
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Wu KL, Martinez-Paniagua M, Reichel K, Menon PS, Deo S, Roysam B, Varadarajan N. Automated detection of apoptotic bodies and cells in label-free time-lapse high-throughput video microscopy using deep convolutional neural networks. Bioinformatics 2023; 39:btad584. [PMID: 37773981 PMCID: PMC10563152 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btad584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/01/2023] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Reliable label-free methods are needed for detecting and profiling apoptotic events in time-lapse cell-cell interaction assays. Prior studies relied on fluorescent markers of apoptosis, e.g. Annexin-V, that provide an inconsistent and late indication of apoptotic onset for human melanoma cells. Our motivation is to improve the detection of apoptosis by directly detecting apoptotic bodies in a label-free manner. RESULTS Our trained ResNet50 network identified nanowells containing apoptotic bodies with 92% accuracy and predicted the onset of apoptosis with an error of one frame (5 min/frame). Our apoptotic body segmentation yielded an IoU accuracy of 75%, allowing associative identification of apoptotic cells. Our method detected apoptosis events, 70% of which were not detected by Annexin-V staining. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION Open-source code and sample data provided at https://github.com/kwu14victor/ApoBDproject.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwan-Ling Wu
- William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, United States
| | - Melisa Martinez-Paniagua
- William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, United States
| | - Kate Reichel
- William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, United States
| | - Prashant S Menon
- William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, United States
| | - Shravani Deo
- William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, United States
| | - Badrinath Roysam
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, United States
| | - Navin Varadarajan
- William A. Brookshire Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, United States
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18
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Murray A, Kilbride P, Gibson MI. Proline pre-conditioning of Jurkat cells improves recovery after cryopreservation. RSC Med Chem 2023; 14:1704-1711. [PMID: 37731697 PMCID: PMC10507795 DOI: 10.1039/d3md00274h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell therapies such as allogenic CAR T-cell therapy, natural killer cell therapy and stem cell transplants must be cryopreserved for transport and storage. This is typically achieved by addition of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) but the cryoprotectant does not result in 100% cell recovery. New additives or technologies to improve their cryopreservation could have major impact for these emerging therapies. l-Proline is an amino acid osmolyte produced as a cryoprotectant by several organisms such as the codling moth Cydia pomonella and the larvae of the fly Chymomyza costata, and has been found to modulate post-thaw outcomes for several cell lines but has not been studied with Jurkat cells, a T lymphocyte cell line. Here we investigate the effectiveness of l-proline compared to d-proline and l-alanine for the cryopreservation of Jurkat cells. It is shown that 24-hour pre-freezing incubation of Jurkat cells with 200 mM l-proline resulted in a modest increase in cell recovery post-thaw at high cell density, but a larger increase in recovery was observed at the lower cell densities. l-Alanine was as effective as l-proline at lower cell densities, and addition of l-proline to the cryopreservation media (without incubation) had no benefit. The pre-freeze incubation with l-proline led to significant reductions in cell proliferation supporting an intracellular, biochemical, mechanism of action which was shown to be cell-density dependent. Controls with d-proline were found to reduce post-thaw recovery attributed to osmotic stress as d-proline cannot enter the cells. Preliminary analysis of apoptosis/necrosis profiles by flow cytometry indicated that inhibition of apoptosis is not the primary mode of action. Overall, this supports the use of l-proline pre-conditioning to improve T-cell post-thaw recovery without needing any changes to cryopreservation solutions nor methods and hence is simple to implement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Murray
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick Gibbet Hill Road CV4 7AL Coventry UK
| | | | - Matthew I Gibson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick Gibbet Hill Road CV4 7AL Coventry UK
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick Gibbet Hill Road CV4 7AL Coventry UK
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19
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Huang Z, Liu W, Ma T, Zhao H, He X, Liu B. Slow Cooling and Controlled Ice Nucleation Enabling the Cryopreservation of Human T Lymphocytes with Low-Concentration Extracellular Trehalose. Biopreserv Biobank 2023; 21:417-426. [PMID: 36001824 DOI: 10.1089/bio.2022.0028] [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] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cryopreservation of human T lymphocytes has become a key strategy for supporting cell-based immunotherapy. However, the effects of ice seeding on the cryopreservation of cells under relatively slow cooling have not been well researched. The cryopreservation strategy with a nontoxic, single-ingredient, and injectable cryoprotective solution remains to be developed. We conducted ice seeding for the cells in a solution of normal saline with 1% (v/v) dimethyl sulfoxide (Me2SO), 0.1 M trehalose, and 4% (w/v) human serum albumin (HSA) under different slow cooling rates. With the positive results, we further applied seeding in the solution of 0.2 M trehalose and 4% (w/v) HSA under the same cooling rates. The optimal concentration of trehalose in the Me2SO-free solutions was then investigated under the optimized cooling rate with seeding, with control groups without seeding, and in a freezing container. In vitro toxicity of the cryoprotective solutions to the cells was also tested. We found that the relative viability of cells (1% [v/v] Me2SO, 0.1 M trehalose and 4% [w/v] HSA) was improved significantly from 88.6% to 94.1% with ice seeding, compared with that without seeding (p < 0.05). The relative viability of cells (0.2 M trehalose and 4% [w/v] HSA) with seeding was significantly higher than that without seeding, 96.3% and 92.0%, respectively (p < 0.05). With no significant difference in relative viability between the solutions of 0.2 M trehalose or 0.3 M trehalose with 4% (w/v) HSA (92.4% and 94.6%, respectively, p > 0.05), the solution of 0.2 M trehalose and 4% (w/v) HSA was selected as the optimized Me2SO-free solution. This strategy could cryopreserve human T lymphocytes without any toxic cryoprotectant and boost the application of cell products in humans by intravenous injection, with the osmolality of the low-concentration cryoprotective solution close to that of human plasma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyong Huang
- Institute of Bio-Thermal Science and Technology, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Institute of Bio-Thermal Science and Technology, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | | | | | - Xiaowen He
- Origincell Technology Group Co., Shanghai, China
| | - Baolin Liu
- Institute of Bio-Thermal Science and Technology, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
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20
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Ai J. Take a spin: Apheresis in the care of adult leukaemia patients. Best Pract Res Clin Haematol 2023; 36:101467. [PMID: 37353291 DOI: 10.1016/j.beha.2023.101467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
Apheresis is an automated process to separate the whole blood of a patient or a donor, collect or remove specific blood components, and return the remaining back to the individual. Apheresis is an integral part of blood and marrow transplantation and has been increasingly utilized in novel cellular therapies for a variety of blood disorders. This review uses clinical cases to highlight the multiple roles of apheresis in the care of adult leukaemia patients, including therapeutic leukapheresis in hyperleukocytosis, mobilized peripheral blood hematopoietic progenitor cell collection in donors, mononucleated cell collection in preparation of donor lymphocyte infusion or chimeric antigen receptor T cells manufacture, and extracorporeal photopheresis in the treatment of graft versus host diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Ai
- Transplant and Cellular Therapy Program, Levine Cancer Institute, Atrium Health, 1021 Morehead Medical Drive, LCI 2, Charlotte, NC, 28204, USA.
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21
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Huang S, Wang X, Wang Y, Wang Y, Fang C, Wang Y, Chen S, Chen R, Lei T, Zhang Y, Xu X, Li Y. Deciphering and advancing CAR T-cell therapy with single-cell sequencing technologies. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:80. [PMID: 37149643 PMCID: PMC10163813 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-023-01783-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has made remarkable progress in cancer immunotherapy, but several challenges with unclear mechanisms hinder its wide clinical application. Single-cell sequencing technologies, with the powerful unbiased analysis of cellular heterogeneity and molecular patterns at unprecedented resolution, have greatly advanced our understanding of immunology and oncology. In this review, we summarize the recent applications of single-cell sequencing technologies in CAR T-cell therapy, including the biological characteristics, the latest mechanisms of clinical response and adverse events, promising strategies that contribute to the development of CAR T-cell therapy and CAR target selection. Generally, we propose a multi-omics research mode to guide potential future research on CAR T-cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengkang Huang
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyu Wang
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu Wang
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yajing Wang
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chenglong Fang
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yazhuo Wang
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Sifei Chen
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Runkai Chen
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Tao Lei
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuchen Zhang
- The Second School of Clinical Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinjie Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
| | - Yuhua Li
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
- Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou, China.
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22
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Kao CY, Mills JA, Burke CJ, Morse B, Marques BF. Role of Cytokines and Growth Factors in the Manufacturing of iPSC-Derived Allogeneic Cell Therapy Products. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:biology12050677. [PMID: 37237491 DOI: 10.3390/biology12050677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Cytokines and other growth factors are essential for cell expansion, health, function, and immune stimulation. Stem cells have the additional reliance on these factors to direct differentiation to the appropriate terminal cell type. Successful manufacturing of allogeneic cell therapies from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) requires close attention to the selection and control of cytokines and factors used throughout the manufacturing process, as well as after administration to the patient. This paper employs iPSC-derived natural killer cell/T cell therapeutics to illustrate the use of cytokines, growth factors, and transcription factors at different stages of the manufacturing process, ranging from the generation of iPSCs to controlling of iPSC differentiation into immune-effector cells through the support of cell therapy after patient administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chen-Yuan Kao
- Process and Product Development, Century Therapeutics, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jason A Mills
- Process and Product Development, Century Therapeutics, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Carl J Burke
- Process and Product Development, Century Therapeutics, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Barry Morse
- Research and Development, Century Therapeutics, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Bruno F Marques
- Process and Product Development, Century Therapeutics, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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Ngo HT, Dang VT, Nguyen NHT, Bui ANT, Van Pham P. Comparison of cytotoxic potency between freshly cultured and freshly thawed cytokine-induced killer cells from human umbilical cord blood. Cell Tissue Bank 2023; 24:139-152. [PMID: 35792988 DOI: 10.1007/s10561-022-10022-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Immune cell therapy has been incorporated into cancer therapy over the past few years. Chimeric antigen receptor T cells (Car-T cells) transplantation is a novel and promising therapy for cancer treatment and introduces a new age of immune cell therapy. However, the expensive nature of genetic modification procedures limits the accessibility of Car-T cells for cancer treatment. Cytokine-induced killer cells (CIKs) can kill the target cells in an MHC-non-restricted manner; these cells can be developed to "off-the-shelf" immune cell products for cancer treatment. However, the anti-tumor potency of freshly thawed CIKs is not well documented. This study aimed to fill this gap, evaluating the anti-tumor potency of freshly thawed CIKs compared to that of freshly cultured CIKs. CIKs were produced from the human umbilical cord blood in accordance with published protocols. CIKs were cryopreserved in xeno-free cryomedium that contains 5% DMSO, 10% human serum in phosphate buffer saline at - 86 °C. These cells were thawed and immediately utilized in assays (called freshly thawed CIKs) with freshly cultured cells are control. The expression of the surface markers of CIKs, cytokine production, and in vitro anti-tumor cytotoxic cells of freshly thawed CIKs were evaluated and compared to freshly cultured CIKs. Additionally, the freshly thawed CIKs were injected into the breast of tumor-bearing mice to assess the anti-tumor potency in vivo. The results obtained in freshly thawed CIKs and freshly cultured CIKs demonstrated that the expression of CD3, and CD56 were comparable in both cases. The production of TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-10 was slightly reduced in freshly thawed cells compared to the freshly cultured cells. The in vitro lysis toward MCF-7 cancer cells was similar between freshly thawed and freshly cultured CIKs. Moreover, the freshly thawed CIKs displayed anti-breast tumor activity in the breast tumor-bearing mice. The volume of tumors significantly reduced in the mice grafted with freshly thawed CIKs while, conversely, the tumor volume in mice of the placebo group gradually increased. This study substantiated that freshly thawed CIKs preserved their anti-tumor potency in both in vitro and in vivo conditions. The results initially revealed the great potential of UCB-CIKs for "off-the-shelf" CIK product manufacturing. However, further studies on the effects of cryomedia, freezing rate, and thawing procedure should be undertaken before freshly thawed off-the-shelf UCB-CIKs are utilized in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hieu Trong Ngo
- Stem Cell Institute, University of Science Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.,Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - Vy Thanh Dang
- Stem Cell Institute, University of Science Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.,Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - Nguyen Ho-Thao Nguyen
- Stem Cell Institute, University of Science Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.,Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - Anh Nguyen-Tu Bui
- Stem Cell Institute, University of Science Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.,Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - Phuc Van Pham
- Stem Cell Institute, University of Science Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. .,Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. .,Laboratory of Stem Cell Research and Application, University of Science Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. .,Laboratory of Cancer Research, University of Science Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam.
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24
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Hiltensperger M, Krackhardt AM. Current and future concepts for the generation and application of genetically engineered CAR-T and TCR-T cells. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1121030. [PMID: 36949949 PMCID: PMC10025359 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1121030] [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: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) has seen a steep rise of new therapeutic approaches in its immune-oncology pipeline over the last years. This is in great part due to the recent approvals of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapies and their remarkable efficacy in certain soluble tumors. A big focus of ACT lies on T cells and how to genetically modify them to target and kill tumor cells. Genetically modified T cells that are currently utilized are either equipped with an engineered CAR or a T cell receptor (TCR) for this purpose. Both strategies have their advantages and limitations. While CAR-T cell therapies are already used in the clinic, these therapies face challenges when it comes to the treatment of solid tumors. New designs of next-generation CAR-T cells might be able to overcome these hurdles. Moreover, CARs are restricted to surface antigens. Genetically engineered TCR-T cells targeting intracellular antigens might provide necessary qualities for the treatment of solid tumors. In this review, we will summarize the major advancements of the CAR-T and TCR-T cell technology. Moreover, we will cover ongoing clinical trials, discuss current challenges, and provide an assessment of future directions within the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Hiltensperger
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Munich and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- IIIrd Medical Department, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- *Correspondence: Michael Hiltensperger, ; Angela M. Krackhardt,
| | - Angela M. Krackhardt
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Munich and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- IIIrd Medical Department, Klinikum rechts der Isar, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Center for Translational Cancer Research (TranslaTUM), School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Bavarian Cancer Research Center (BZKF), Erlangen, Germany
- *Correspondence: Michael Hiltensperger, ; Angela M. Krackhardt,
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25
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Malise TTA, Nweke EE, Takundwa MM, Fru PF, Thimiri Govinda Raj DB. Treatment Strategies for Multiple Myeloma Treatment and the Role of High-Throughput Screening for Precision Cancer Therapy. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1436:167-185. [PMID: 37243923 DOI: 10.1007/5584_2023_775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
In the past few years, development of approved drug candidates has improved the disease management of multiple myeloma (MM). However, due to drug resistance, some of the patients do not respond positively, while some of the patients acquire drug resistance, thereby these patients eventually relapse. Hence, there are no other therapeutic options for multiple myeloma patients. Therefore, this necessitates a precision-based approach to multiple myeloma therapy. The use of patient's samples to test drug sensitivity to increase efficacy and reduce treatment-related toxicities is the goal of functional precision medicine. Platforms such as high-throughput-based drug repurposing technology can be used to select effective single drug and drug combinations based on the efficacy and toxicity studies within a time frame of couple of weeks. In this article, we describe the clinical and cytogenetic features of MM. We highlight the various treatment strategies and elaborate on the role of high-throughput screening platforms in a precision-based approach towards clinical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ekene Emmanuel Nweke
- Department of Surgery, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Mutsa M Takundwa
- Synthetic Nanobiotechnology and Biomachines, Synthetic Biology and Precision Medicine Centre, NextGeneration Health Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Pascaline Fonteh Fru
- Department of Surgery, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Deepak B Thimiri Govinda Raj
- Department of Surgery, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
- Synthetic Nanobiotechnology and Biomachines, Synthetic Biology and Precision Medicine Centre, NextGeneration Health Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa.
- Biotechnology Innovation Centre, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa.
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
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26
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Cryopreserved anti-CD22 and bispecific anti-CD19/22 CAR T cells are as effective as freshly infused cells. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2022; 28:51-61. [PMID: 36620075 PMCID: PMC9798176 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2022.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Cryopreservation of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells facilitates shipment, timing of infusions, and storage of subsequent doses. However, reports on the impact of cryopreservation on CAR T cell efficacy have been mixed. We retrospectively compared clinical outcomes between patients who received cryopreserved versus fresh CAR T cells for treatment of B cell leukemia across two cohorts of pediatric and young adult patients: those who received anti-CD22 CAR T cells and those who received bispecific anti-CD19/22 CAR T cells. Manufacturing methods were consistent within each trial but differed between the two trials, allowing for exploration of cryopreservation within different manufacturing platforms. Among 40 patients who received anti-CD22 CAR T cells (21 cryopreserved cells and 19 fresh), there were no differences in in vivo expansion, persistence, incidence of toxicities, or disease response between groups with cryopreserved and fresh CAR T cells. Among 19 patients who received anti-CD19/22 CAR T cells (11 cryopreserved and 8 fresh), patients with cryopreserved cells had similar expansion, toxicity incidence, and disease response, with decreased CAR T cell persistence. Overall, our data demonstrate efficacy of cryopreserved CAR T cells as comparable to fresh infusions, supporting cryopreservation, which will be crucial for advancing the field of cell therapy.
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27
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Brezinger-Dayan K, Itzhaki O, Melnichenko J, Kubi A, Zeltzer LA, Jacoby E, Avigdor A, Shapira Frommer R, Besser MJ. Impact of cryopreservation on CAR T production and clinical response. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1024362. [PMID: 36276077 PMCID: PMC9582437 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1024362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Adoptive cell therapy with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells has become an efficient treatment option for patients with hematological malignancies. FDA approved CAR T products are manufactured in centralized facilities from fresh or frozen leukapheresis and the cryopreserved CAR T infusion product is shipped back to the patient. An increasing number of clinical centers produce CAR T cells on-site, which enables the use of fresh and cryopreserved PBMCs and CAR T cells. Here we determined the effect of cryopreservation on PBMCs and CD19 CAR T cells in a cohort of 118 patients treated with fresh CAR T cells and in several patients head-to-head. Cryopreserved PBMCs, obtained from leukapheresis products, contained less erythrocytes and T cells, but were sufficient to produce CAR T cells for therapy. There was no correlation between the recovery of PBMCs and the transduction efficacy, the number of CAR T cells obtained by the end of the manufacturing process, the in vitro reactivity, or the response rate to CAR T therapy. We could show that CAR T cells cryopreserved during the manufacturing process, stored and resumed expansion at a later time point, yielded sufficient cell numbers for treatment and led to complete remissions. Phenotype analysis including T cell subtypes, chemokine receptor and co-inhibitory/stimulatory molecules, revealed that fresh CAR T cells expressed significantly more TIM-3 and contained less effector T cells in comparison to their frozen counterparts. In addition, fresh CAR T infusion products demonstrated increased in vitro anti-tumor reactivity, however cryopreserved CAR T cells still showed high anti-tumor potency and specificity. The recovery of cryopreserved CAR T cells was similar in responding and non-responding patients. Although fresh CAR T infusion products exhibit higher anti-tumor reactivity, the use of frozen PBMCs as staring material and frozen CAR T infusion products seems a viable option, as frozen products still exhibit high in vitro potency and cryopreservation did not seem to affect the clinical outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin Brezinger-Dayan
- Ella Lemelbaum Institute for Immuno Oncology, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Orit Itzhaki
- Ella Lemelbaum Institute for Immuno Oncology, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
- *Correspondence: Michal J. Besser, ; Orit Itzhaki,
| | - Jenny Melnichenko
- Ella Lemelbaum Institute for Immuno Oncology, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Adva Kubi
- Ella Lemelbaum Institute for Immuno Oncology, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Li-at Zeltzer
- Ella Lemelbaum Institute for Immuno Oncology, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | - Elad Jacoby
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, The Edmond and Lily Safra Children’s Hospital, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
- Department of Hematology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Abraham Avigdor
- Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
| | | | - Michal J. Besser
- Ella Lemelbaum Institute for Immuno Oncology, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, Israel
- Davidoff Center, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel
- Department of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
- *Correspondence: Michal J. Besser, ; Orit Itzhaki,
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28
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Martinez-Cibrian N, Español-Rego M, Pascal M, Delgado J, Ortiz-Maldonado V. Practical aspects of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell administration: From commercial to point-of-care manufacturing. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1005457. [PMID: 36238283 PMCID: PMC9550897 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1005457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T-cells targeting the CD19 antigen have achieved impressive results in patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) B-cell malignancies, leading to their approval in the European Union and other jurisdictions. In Spain, the 100% academic anti-CD19 CART-cell product varnimcabtagene autoleucel (var-cel, ARI-0001 cells) has been extraordinarily approved under the Hospital Exemption clause for the treatment of patients older than 25 years of age with R/R acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Var-cel has also been granted PRIority MEdicines designation by the European Medicines Agency for the same indication. In this review we reveal some practical aspects related to the preparation and administration of academic point-of-care CART-cell products, using var-cel as an example, and put them into the context of commercial products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuria Martinez-Cibrian
- Department of Haematology, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Español-Rego
- Department of Immunology, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mariona Pascal
- Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Immunology, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Julio Delgado
- Department of Haematology, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- *Correspondence: Julio Delgado,
| | - Valentín Ortiz-Maldonado
- Department of Haematology, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Barcelona, Spain
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29
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Abraham-Miranda J, Menges M, Atkins R, Mattie M, Kanska J, Turner J, Hidalgo-Vargas MJ, Locke FL. CAR-T manufactured from frozen PBMC yield efficient function with prolonged in vitro production. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1007042. [PMID: 36225930 PMCID: PMC9549966 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1007042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells are engineered to identify and eliminate cells expressing a target antigen. Current manufacturing protocols vary between commercial CAR-T cell products warranting an assessment of these methods to determine which approach optimally balances successful manufacturing capacity and product efficacy. One difference between commercial product manufacturing methods is whether T cell engineering begins with fresh (unfrozen) patient cells or cells that have been cryopreserved prior to manufacture. Starting with frozen PBMC material allows for greater manufacturing flexibility, and the possibility of collecting and storing blood from patients prior to multiple lines of therapy. We prospectively analyzed if second generation anti-CD19 CAR-T cells with either CD28 or 4-1BB co-stimulatory domains have different phenotype or function when prepared side-by-side using fresh or cryopreserved PBMCs. We found that cryopreserved PBMC starting material is associated with slower CAR-T cell expansion during manufacture but does not affect phenotype. We also demonstrate that CAR-T cell activation, cytokine production and in vitro anti-tumor cytotoxicity were not different when CAR-T cells were manufactured from fresh or cryopreserved PBMC. As CAR-T cell therapy expands globally, the need for greater flexibility around the timing of manufacture will continue to grow. This study helps support the concept that cryopreservation of PBMCs could be the solution to these issues without compromising the quality of the final CAR-T product.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julieta Abraham-Miranda
- Department of Clinical Science, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Meghan Menges
- Department of Clinical Science, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Reginald Atkins
- Department of Clinical Science, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Mike Mattie
- Kite Pharma, A Gilead Company, Santa Monica, CA, United States
| | - Justyna Kanska
- Kite Pharma, A Gilead Company, Santa Monica, CA, United States
| | - Joel Turner
- Department of Clinical Science, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Melanie J. Hidalgo-Vargas
- Department of Clinical Science, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Frederick L. Locke
- Department of Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, United States
- *Correspondence: Frederick L. Locke,
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Abstract
Cryopreservation of cells and biologics underpins all biomedical research from routine sample storage to emerging cell-based therapies, as well as ensuring cell banks provide authenticated, stable and consistent cell products. This field began with the discovery and wide adoption of glycerol and dimethyl sulfoxide as cryoprotectants over 60 years ago, but these tools do not work for all cells and are not ideal for all workflows. In this Review, we highlight and critically review the approaches to discover, and apply, new chemical tools for cryopreservation. We summarize the key (and complex) damage pathways during cellular cryopreservation and how each can be addressed. Bio-inspired approaches, such as those based on extremophiles, are also discussed. We describe both small-molecule-based and macromolecular-based strategies, including ice binders, ice nucleators, ice nucleation inhibitors and emerging materials whose exact mechanism has yet to be understood. Finally, looking towards the future of the field, the application of bottom-up molecular modelling, library-based discovery approaches and materials science tools, which are set to transform cryopreservation strategies, are also included.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthew I. Gibson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
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31
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Impact of Cryopreservation and Freeze-Thawing on Therapeutic Properties of Mesenchymal Stromal/Stem Cells and Other Common Cellular Therapeutics. CURRENT STEM CELL REPORTS 2022; 8:72-92. [PMID: 35502223 PMCID: PMC9045030 DOI: 10.1007/s40778-022-00212-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Purpose of Review Cryopreservation and its associated freezing and thawing procedures–short “freeze-thawing”–are among the final steps in economically viable manufacturing and clinical application of diverse cellular therapeutics. Translation from preclinical proof-of-concept studies to larger clinical trials has indicated that these processes may potentially present an Achilles heel to optimal cell product safety and particularly efficacy in clinical trials and routine use. Recent Findings We review the current state of the literature on how cryopreservation of cellular therapies has evolved and how the application of this technique to different cell types is interlinked with their ability to engraft and function upon transfer in vivo, in particular for hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), their progeny, and therapeutic cell products derived thereof. We also discuss pros and cons how this may differ for non-hematopoietic mesenchymal stromal/stem cell (MSC) therapeutics. We present different avenues that may be crucial for cell therapy optimization, both, for hematopoietic (e.g., effector, regulatory, and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T and NK cell based products) and for non-hematopoietic products, such as MSCs and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), to achieve optimal viability, recovery, effective cell dose, and functionality of the cryorecovered cells. Summary Targeted research into optimizing the cryopreservation and freeze-thawing routines and the adjunct manufacturing process design may provide crucial advantages to increase both the safety and efficacy of cellular therapeutics in clinical use and to enable effective market deployment strategies to become economically viable and sustainable medicines.
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Hurme A, Jalkanen P, Heroum J, Liedes O, Vara S, Melin M, Teräsjärvi J, He Q, Pöysti S, Hänninen A, Oksi J, Vuorinen T, Kantele A, Tähtinen PA, Ivaska L, Kakkola L, Lempainen J, Julkunen I. Long-Lasting T Cell Responses in BNT162b2 COVID-19 mRNA Vaccinees and COVID-19 Convalescent Patients. Front Immunol 2022; 13:869990. [PMID: 35529867 PMCID: PMC9073085 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.869990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of novel variants of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has made it more difficult to prevent the virus from spreading despite available vaccines. Reports of breakthrough infections and decreased capacity of antibodies to neutralize variants raise the question whether current vaccines can still protect against COVID-19 disease. We studied the dynamics and persistence of T cell responses using activation induced marker (AIM) assay and Th1 type cytokine production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from BNT162b2 COVID-19 mRNA vaccinated health care workers and COVID-19 patients. We demonstrate that equally high T cell responses following vaccination and infection persist at least for 6 months against Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta variants despite the decline in antibody levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antti Hurme
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- *Correspondence: Antti Hurme,
| | - Pinja Jalkanen
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Jemna Heroum
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Oona Liedes
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Saimi Vara
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Merit Melin
- Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Qiushui He
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Sakari Pöysti
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Clinical Microbiology, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Arno Hänninen
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Clinical Microbiology, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Jarmo Oksi
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Tytti Vuorinen
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Clinical Microbiology, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Anu Kantele
- Meilahti Vaccine Research Center, MeVac, Department of Infectious Diseases, Helsinki University Hospital and University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Paula A. Tähtinen
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Lauri Ivaska
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Laura Kakkola
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Johanna Lempainen
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Ilkka Julkunen
- Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Clinical Microbiology, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
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Watanabe N, Mo F, McKenna MK. Impact of Manufacturing Procedures on CAR T Cell Functionality. Front Immunol 2022; 13:876339. [PMID: 35493513 PMCID: PMC9043864 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.876339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The field of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) modified T cell therapy has rapidly expanded in the past few decades. As of today, there are six CAR T cell products that have been approved by the FDA: KYMRIAH (tisagenlecleucel, CD19 CAR T cells), YESCARTA (axicabtagene ciloleucel, CD19 CAR T cells), TECARTUS (brexucabtagene autoleucel, CD19 CAR T cells), BREYANZI (lisocabtagene maraleucel, CD19 CAR T cells), ABECMA (idecabtagene vicleucel, BCMA CAR T cells) and CARVYKTI (ciltacabtagene autoleucel, BCMA CAR T cells). With this clinical success, CAR T cell therapy has become one of the most promising treatment options to combat cancers. Current research efforts focus on further potentiating its efficacy in non-responding patients and solid tumor settings. To achieve this, recent evidence suggested that, apart from developing next-generation CAR T cells with additional genetic modifications, ex vivo culture conditions could significantly impact CAR T cell functionality - an often overlooked aspect during clinical translation. In this review, we focus on the ex vivo manufacturing process for CAR T cells and discuss how it impacts CAR T cell function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norihiro Watanabe
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital and Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Feiyan Mo
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital and Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
- Graduate Program in Translational Biology and Molecular Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Mary Kathryn McKenna
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children’s Hospital and Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
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Fang F, Xie S, Chen M, Li Y, Yue J, Ma J, Shu X, He Y, Xiao W, Tian Z. Advances in NK cell production. Cell Mol Immunol 2022; 19:460-481. [PMID: 34983953 PMCID: PMC8975878 DOI: 10.1038/s41423-021-00808-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy based on natural killer (NK) cells is a promising approach for treating a variety of cancers. Unlike T cells, NK cells recognize target cells via a major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-independent mechanism and, without being sensitized, kill the cells directly. Several strategies for obtaining large quantities of NK cells with high purity and high cytotoxicity have been developed. These strategies include the use of cytokine-antibody fusions, feeder cells or membrane particles to stimulate the proliferation of NK cells and enhance their cytotoxicity. Various materials, including peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), umbilical cord blood (UCB), induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and NK cell lines, have been used as sources to generate NK cells for immunotherapy. Moreover, genetic modification technologies to improve the proliferation of NK cells have also been developed to enhance the functions of NK cells. Here, we summarize the recent advances in expansion strategies with or without genetic manipulation of NK cells derived from various cellular sources. We also discuss the closed, automated and GMP-controlled large-scale expansion systems used for NK cells and possible future NK cell-based immunotherapy products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Fang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Siqi Xie
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Minhua Chen
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Yutong Li
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Jingjing Yue
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Jie Ma
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Xun Shu
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Yongge He
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
- Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Weihua Xiao
- The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China.
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China.
- Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China.
- Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China.
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China.
| | - Zhigang Tian
- The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230001, China.
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China.
- Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China.
- Engineering Technology Research Center of Biotechnology Drugs Anhui, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China.
- Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China.
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Corti C, Venetis K, Sajjadi E, Zattoni L, Curigliano G, Fusco N. CAR-T cell therapy for triple-negative breast cancer and other solid tumors: preclinical and clinical progress. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2022; 31:593-605. [PMID: 35311430 DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2022.2054326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Most breast cancer-related deaths arise from triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Molecular heterogeneity, aggressiveness and the lack of effective therapies are major hurdles to therapeutic progress. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells have emerged as a promising immunotherapeutic strategy in TNBC. This approach combines the antigen specificity of an antibody with the effector function of T cells. AREAS COVERED This review examines the opportunities provided by CAR-T cell therapies in solid tumors. Emerging targets, ongoing clinical trials, and prospective clinical implications in TNBC are considered later. An emphasis is placed on the key challenges and possible solutions for this therapeutic approach. EXPERT OPINION A challenge for CAR-T cell therapy is the selection of the optimal targets to minimize on-target/off-tumor toxicity. Tumor escape via antigen loss and intrinsic heterogeneity is a further hurdle. TROP2, GD2, ROR1, MUC1 and EpCAM are promising targets. Persistence and trafficking to tumor cells may be enhanced by the implementation of CARs with a chemokine receptor and/or constitutively activated interleukin receptors. Fourth-generation CARs (TRUCKs) may redirect T-cells for universal cytokine-mediated killing. Combinatorial approaches and the application of CARs to other immune cells could revert the suppressive immune environment that characterizes solid neoplasms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Corti
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Elham Sajjadi
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Zattoni
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Curigliano
- Division of New Drugs and Early Drug Development for Innovative Therapies, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy.,Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Nicola Fusco
- Department of Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.,Division of Pathology, IEO, European Institute of Oncology IRCCS, Milan, Italy
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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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Preparing for CAR T cell therapy: patient selection, bridging therapies and lymphodepletion. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2022; 19:342-355. [PMID: 35318469 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-022-00607-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 59.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells have emerged as a potent therapeutic approach for patients with certain haematological cancers, with multiple CAR T cell products currently approved by the FDA for those with relapsed and/or refractory B cell malignancies. However, in order to derive the desired level of effectiveness, patients need to successfully receive the CAR T cell infusion in a timely fashion. This process entails apheresis of the patient's T cells, followed by CAR T cell manufacture. While awaiting infusion at an authorized treatment centre, patients may receive interim disease-directed therapy. Most patients will also receive a course of pre-CAR T cell lymphodepletion, which has emerged as an important factor in enabling durable responses. The time between apheresis and CAR T cell infusion is often not a simple journey, with each milestone being a critical step that can have important downstream consequences for the ability to receive the infusion and the strength of clinical responses. In this Review, we provide a summary of the many considerations for preparing patients with B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma or acute lymphoblastic leukaemia for CAR T cell therapy, and outline current limitations and areas for future research.
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Tang Q, Gu L, Zhou B, Shi J, Wu H, Zhu H, Xu Y, Zhang T. Establishment of a New Cryopreservation Solution for Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells. Biopreserv Biobank 2022; 20:567-574. [PMID: 35294840 DOI: 10.1089/bio.2021.0069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Preservation and transportation are essential for the clinical application of chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells. This study aimed to optimize a cryopreservation solution for CAR-T cells and evaluate the antitumor efficiency of CAR-T cells using this optimized solution in vitro and in vivo. First, the stability of the cryopreservation solution for CAR-T infusion was detected by the L27 (37) orthogonal experiment. Subsequently, osmolality and pH were analyzed for the preservation reagent. Additionally, apoptosis and CAR expression of CAR-T cells were measured by flow cytometry, and the cytotoxicity was determined by calcein-AM staining. The results showed that cryopreservation solutions used in this study demonstrated high chemical stability, which induced only 2% CAR-T cells apoptosis in optimal solutions, which were slightly lower than other commercial solutions. Moreover, the CAR expression was not significantly affected by preservation with these solutions. There were no significant differences in the cytotoxicity between fresh and thawed CAR-T cells cryopreserved in the cryopreservation solutions in vivo and in vitro. This study developed a new cryopreservation solution for CAR-T cells, and it was safe and also had negligible effects on the CAR-T cells antitumor activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qulai Tang
- Department of Liquor Making Engineering, Moutai Institute, Renhuai, China
| | - Lixing Gu
- College of Life Science and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Binquan Zhou
- College of Life Science and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiangzhou Shi
- College of Life Science and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Han Wu
- College of Life Science and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Haichuan Zhu
- College of Life Science and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Yao Xu
- College of Life Science and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Tongcun Zhang
- College of Life Science and Health, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Improving cell viability using counterflow centrifugal elutriation. Cytotherapy 2022; 24:650-658. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jcyt.2022.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Gambella M, Carlomagno S, Raiola AM, Giannoni L, Ghiggi C, Setti C, Giordano C, Luchetti S, Serio A, Bo A, Falco M, Della Chiesa M, Angelucci E, Sivori S. CD19-Targeted Immunotherapies for Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma. Front Immunol 2022; 13:837457. [PMID: 35280988 PMCID: PMC8911710 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.837457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Surgical resection, chemotherapy and radiotherapy were, for many years, the only available cancer treatments. Recently, the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive cell therapies has emerged as promising alternative. These cancer immunotherapies are aimed to support or harness the patient's immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells. Preclinical and clinical studies, based on the use of T cells and more recently NK cells genetically modified with chimeric antigen receptors retargeting the adoptive cell therapy towards tumor cells, have already shown remarkable results. In this review, we outline the latest highlights and progress in immunotherapies for the treatment of Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) patients, focusing on CD19-targeted immunotherapies. We also discuss current clinical trials and opportunities of using immunotherapies to treat DLBCL patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Massimiliano Gambella
- Ematologia e Terapie Cellulari, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Simona Carlomagno
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Raiola
- Ematologia e Terapie Cellulari, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Livia Giannoni
- Ematologia e Terapie Cellulari, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Chiara Ghiggi
- Ematologia e Terapie Cellulari, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Chiara Setti
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Chiara Giordano
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
| | - Silvia Luchetti
- Ematologia e Terapie Cellulari, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alberto Serio
- Ematologia e Terapie Cellulari, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Alessandra Bo
- Ematologia e Terapie Cellulari, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Michela Falco
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Immunology, Integrated Department of Services and Laboratories, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | | | - Emanuele Angelucci
- Ematologia e Terapie Cellulari, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genoa, Italy
| | - Simona Sivori
- Department of Experimental Medicine (DIMES), University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy
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Fujiwara Y, Kato T, Hasegawa F, Sunahara M, Tsurumaki Y. The Past, Present, and Future of Clinically Applied Chimeric Antigen Receptor-T-Cell Therapy. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:207. [PMID: 35215319 PMCID: PMC8876595 DOI: 10.3390/ph15020207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy represents the fourth pillar of cancer therapy after surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T-cell therapy is an artificial immune cell therapy applied in clinical practice and is currently indicated for hematological malignancies, with cluster of differentiation 19 (CD19) as its target molecule. In this review, we discuss the past, present, and future of CAR-T-cell therapy. First, we summarize the various clinical trials that were conducted before the clinical application of CD19-targeted CAR-T-cell therapies began. Second, we discuss the accumulated real-world evidence and the barriers associated with applying clinical trials to clinical practices from the perspective of the quality and technical aspects. After providing an overview of all the moving parts involved in the production of CAR-T-cell products, we discuss the characteristics of immune cells (given that T cells are the raw materials for CAR-T-cell therapy) and elucidate the relationship between lifestyle, including diet and exercise, and immune cells. Finally, we briefly highlight future trends in the development of immune cell therapy. These advancements may help position CAR-T-cell therapy as a standard of care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Fujiwara
- Cell & Gene Therapy, Oncology, Novartis Pharma K.K., 1-23-1, Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-6333, Japan;
| | - Toshiki Kato
- Oncology Medical Affairs Dept, Novartis Pharma K.K., 1-23-1, Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-6333, Japan; (T.K.); (F.H.); (M.S.)
| | - Futoshi Hasegawa
- Oncology Medical Affairs Dept, Novartis Pharma K.K., 1-23-1, Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-6333, Japan; (T.K.); (F.H.); (M.S.)
| | - Muha Sunahara
- Oncology Medical Affairs Dept, Novartis Pharma K.K., 1-23-1, Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-6333, Japan; (T.K.); (F.H.); (M.S.)
| | - Yoshie Tsurumaki
- Cell & Gene Therapy, Oncology, Novartis Pharma K.K., 1-23-1, Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-6333, Japan;
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Guha P, Katz SC. Strategies for manufacturing cell therapy products aligned with patient needs. Methods Cell Biol 2022; 167:203-226. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.mcb.2021.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Makkouk A, Yang XC, Barca T, Lucas A, Turkoz M, Wong JTS, Nishimoto KP, Brodey MM, Tabrizizad M, Gundurao SRY, Bai L, Bhat A, An Z, Abbot S, Satpayev D, Aftab BT, Herrman M. Off-the-shelf Vδ1 gamma delta T cells engineered with glypican-3 (GPC-3)-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and soluble IL-15 display robust antitumor efficacy against hepatocellular carcinoma. J Immunother Cancer 2021; 9:jitc-2021-003441. [PMID: 34916256 PMCID: PMC8679077 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-003441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glypican-3 (GPC-3) is an oncofetal protein that is highly expressed in various solid tumors, but rarely expressed in healthy adult tissues and represents a rational target of particular relevance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Autologous chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) αβ T cell therapies have established significant clinical benefit in hematologic malignancies, although efficacy in solid tumors has been limited due to several challenges including T cell homing, target antigen heterogeneity, and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments. Gamma delta (γδ) T cells are highly cytolytic effectors that can recognize and kill tumor cells through major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-independent antigens upregulated under stress. The Vδ1 subset is preferentially localized in peripheral tissue and engineering with CARs to further enhance intrinsic antitumor activity represents an attractive approach to overcome challenges for conventional T cell therapies in solid tumors. Allogeneic Vδ1 CAR T cell therapy may also overcome other hurdles faced by allogeneic αβ T cell therapy, including graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). METHODS We developed the first example of allogeneic CAR Vδ1 T cells that have been expanded from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and genetically modified to express a 4-1BB/CD3z CAR against GPC-3. The CAR construct (GPC-3.CAR/secreted interleukin-15 (sIL)-15) additionally encodes a constitutively-secreted form of IL-15, which we hypothesized could sustain proliferation and antitumor activity of intratumoral Vδ1 T cells expressing GPC-3.CAR. RESULTS GPC-3.CAR/sIL-15 Vδ1 T cells expanded from PBMCs on average 20,000-fold and routinely reached >80% purity. Expanded Vδ1 T cells showed a primarily naïve-like memory phenotype with limited exhaustion marker expression and displayed robust in vitro proliferation, cytokine production, and cytotoxic activity against HCC cell lines expressing low (PLC/PRF/5) and high (HepG2) GPC-3 levels. In a subcutaneous HepG2 mouse model in immunodeficient NSG mice, GPC-3.CAR/sIL-15 Vδ1 T cells primarily accumulated and proliferated in the tumor, and a single dose efficiently controlled tumor growth without evidence of xenogeneic GvHD. Importantly, compared with GPC-3.CAR Vδ1 T cells lacking sIL-15, GPC-3.CAR/sIL-15 Vδ1 T cells displayed greater proliferation and resulted in enhanced therapeutic activity. CONCLUSIONS Expanded Vδ1 T cells engineered with a GPC-3 CAR and sIL-15 represent a promising platform warranting further clinical evaluation as an off-the-shelf treatment of HCC and potentially other GPC-3-expressing solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Taylor Barca
- Adicet Therapeutics, Menlo Park, California, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Lu Bai
- Adicet Therapeutics, Menlo Park, California, USA
| | - Arun Bhat
- Adicet Therapeutics, Menlo Park, California, USA
| | - Zili An
- Adicet Therapeutics, Menlo Park, California, USA
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44
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Zhang T, Larson R, Dave K, Polson N, Zhang H. Developing patient-centric specifications for autologous chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapies. CURRENT OPINION IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cobme.2021.100328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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45
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De Santis GC, Langhi Junior DM, Feitoza A, Mendrone Junior A, Kutner JM, Covas DT, Couto SCF, Guerino-Cunha RL, Orellana MD, Rizzo SRCP. Associação Brasileira de Hematologia, Hemoterapia e Terapia Celular Consensus on genetically modified cells. V: Manufacture and quality control. Hematol Transfus Cell Ther 2021; 43 Suppl 2:S35-S41. [PMID: 34794795 PMCID: PMC8606711 DOI: 10.1016/j.htct.2021.09.005] [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: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T), especially against CD19 marker, present in lymphomas and acute B leukemia, enabled a revolution in the treatment of hematologic neoplastic diseases. The manufacture of CAR-T cells requires the adoption of GMP-compatible methods and it demands the collection of mononuclear cells from the patient (or from the donor), generally through the apheresis procedure, T cell selection, activation, transduction and expansion ex vivo, and finally storage, usually cryopreserved, until the moment of their use. An important aspect is the quality control testing of the final product, for example, the characterization of its identity and purity, tests to detect any contamination by microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, and mycoplasma) and its potency. The product thawing and intravenous infusion do not differ much from what is established for the hematopoietic progenitor cell product. After infusion, it is important to check for the presence and concentration of CAR-T cells in the patient's peripheral blood, as well as to monitor their clinical impact, for instance, the occurrence of short-term, such as cytokine release syndrome and neurological complications, and long-term complications, which require patient follow-up for many years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gil Cunha De Santis
- Hemocentro de Ribeirão Preto, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
| | | | | | | | | | - Dimas Tadeu Covas
- Hemocentro de Ribeirão Preto, Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo (HCFMRP-USP), Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil; Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Renato L Guerino-Cunha
- Departamento de Imagens Médicas, Hematologia e Oncologia Clínica, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
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46
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Gilfanova R, Callegari A, Childs A, Yang G, Luarca M, Gutierrez AG, Medina KI, Mai J, Hui A, Kline M, Wei X, Norris PJ, Muench MO. A bioinspired and chemically defined alternative to dimethyl sulfoxide for the cryopreservation of human hematopoietic stem cells. Bone Marrow Transplant 2021; 56:2644-2650. [PMID: 34155359 PMCID: PMC8563414 DOI: 10.1038/s41409-021-01368-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The cryopreservation of hematopoietic cells using dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and serum is a common procedure used in transplantation. However, DMSO has clinical and biological side effects due to its toxicity, and serum introduces variation and safety risks. Inspired by natural antifreeze proteins, a novel class of ice-interactive cryoprotectants was developed. The corresponding DMSO-, protein-, and serum-free cryopreservation media candidates were screened through a series of biological assays using human cell lines, peripheral blood cells, and bone marrow cells. XT-Thrive-A and XT-Thrive-B were identified as lead candidates to rival cryopreservation with 10% DMSO in serum based on post-thaw cell survival and short-term proliferation assays. The effectiveness of the novel cryopreservation media in freezing hematopoietic stem cells from human whole bone marrow was assessed by extreme limiting dilution analysis in immunodeficient mice. Stem cell frequencies were measured 12 weeks after transplant based on bone marrow engraftment of erythroid, myeloid, B-lymphoid, and CD34+ progenitors measured by flow cytometry. The recovered numbers of cryopreserved stem cells were similar among XT-Thrive A, XT-Thrive B, and DMSO with serum groups. These findings show that cryoprotectants developed through biomimicry of natural antifreeze proteins offers a substitute for DMSO-based media for the cryopreservation of hematopoietic stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Justin Mai
- Vitalant Research Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Alvin Hui
- Vitalant Research Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Philip J Norris
- Vitalant Research Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Marcus O Muench
- Vitalant Research Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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47
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Nada MH, Wang H, Hussein AJ, Tanaka Y, Morita CT. PD-1 checkpoint blockade enhances adoptive immunotherapy by human Vγ2Vδ2 T cells against human prostate cancer. Oncoimmunology 2021; 10:1989789. [PMID: 34712512 PMCID: PMC8547840 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2021.1989789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Human Vγ2Vδ2 (also termed Vγ9Vδ2) T cells play important roles in microbial and tumor immunity by monitoring foreign- and self-prenyl pyrophosphate metabolites in isoprenoid biosynthesis. Accumulation of isoprenoid metabolites after bisphosphonate treatment allows Vγ2Vδ2 T cells to recognize and kill tumors independently of their MHC expression or burden of non-synonymous mutations. Clinical trials with more than 400 patients show that adoptive immunotherapy with Vγ2Vδ2 T cells has few side effects but has resulted in only a few partial and complete remissions. Here, we have tested Vγ2Vδ2 T cells for expression of inhibitory receptors and determined whether adding PD-1 checkpoint blockade to adoptively transferred Vγ2Vδ2 T cells enhances immunity to human PC-3 prostate tumors in an NSG mouse model. We find that Vγ2Vδ2 T cells express PD-1, CTLA-4, LAG-3, and TIM-3 inhibitory receptors during the 14-day ex vivo expansion period, and PD-1, LAG-3, and TIM-3 upon subsequent stimulation by pamidronate-treated tumor cells. Expression of PD-L1 on PC-3 prostate cancer cells was increased by co-culture with activated Vγ2Vδ2 T cells. Importantly, anti-PD-1 mAb treatment enhanced Vγ2Vδ2 T cell immunity to PC-3 tumors in immunodeficient NSG mice, reducing tumor volume nearly to zero after 5 weeks. These results demonstrate that PD-1 checkpoint blockade can enhance the effectiveness of adoptive immunotherapy with human γδ T cells in treating prostate tumors in a preclinical model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohanad H Nada
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Iowa City Veterans Health Care System, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Division of Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, Tikrit University, Tikrit, Iraq.,Department of Medical and Health Sciences, The American University of Iraq, Sulaimani, Sulaymaniah, Iraq
| | - Hong Wang
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Iowa City Veterans Health Care System, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Division of Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Auter J Hussein
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Iowa City Veterans Health Care System, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Salah Al-Din Directorate of Health, Ministry of Health, Iraq
| | - Yoshimasa Tanaka
- Center for Medical Innovation, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki Japan
| | - Craig T Morita
- Department of Veterans Affairs, Iowa City Veterans Health Care System, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Division of Immunology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Immunology,University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
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48
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Saini KS, Svane IM, Juan M, Barlesi F, André F. Manufacture of adoptive cell therapies at academic cancer centers: scientific, safety and regulatory challenges. Ann Oncol 2021; 33:6-12. [PMID: 34655734 DOI: 10.1016/j.annonc.2021.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- K S Saini
- Labcorp Drug Development Inc., Princeton, USA
| | - I M Svane
- National Center for Cancer Immune Therapy, Department of Oncology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Herlev, Denmark
| | - M Juan
- Department of Immunology, Hospital Clinic, IDIBAPS, Immunotherapy Platform Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - F Barlesi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif, France; Aix Marseille University, CNRS, INSERM, CRCM, Marseille, France
| | - F André
- Institut Gustave Roussy, INSERM UMR981, Université Paris Saclay, Paris, France.
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49
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Abou-El-Enein M, Elsallab M, Feldman SA, Fesnak AD, Heslop HE, Marks P, Till BG, Bauer G, Savoldo B. Scalable Manufacturing of CAR T cells for Cancer Immunotherapy. Blood Cancer Discov 2021; 2:408-422. [PMID: 34568831 PMCID: PMC8462122 DOI: 10.1158/2643-3230.bcd-21-0084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
As of April 2021, there are five commercially available chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies for hematological malignancies. With the current transition of CAR T cell manufacturing from academia to industry, there is a shift toward Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-compliant closed and automated systems to ensure reproducibility and to meet the increased demand for cancer patients. In this review we describe current CAR T cells clinical manufacturing models and discuss emerging technological advances that embrace scaling and production optimization. We summarize measures being used to shorten CAR T-cell manufacturing times and highlight regulatory challenges to scaling production for clinical use. Statement of Significance ∣ As the demand for CAR T cell cancer therapy increases, several closed and automated production platforms are being deployed, and others are in development.This review provides a critical appraisal of these technologies that can be leveraged to scale and optimize the production of next generation CAR T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Abou-El-Enein
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, and Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.,Joint USC/CHLA Cell Therapy Program, University of Southern California, and Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Magdi Elsallab
- Joint USC/CHLA Cell Therapy Program, University of Southern California, and Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Steven A Feldman
- Stanford Center for Cancer Cell Therapy, Stanford Cancer Institute, Palo Alto, CA
| | - Andrew D Fesnak
- Center for Cellular Immunotherapies, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Helen E Heslop
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital and Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Peter Marks
- Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, US Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Brian G Till
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Gerhard Bauer
- Institute for Regenerative Cures (IRC), University of California Davis, Sacramento, California, USA
| | - Barbara Savoldo
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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50
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Cryopreservation of NK and T Cells Without DMSO for Adoptive Cell-Based Immunotherapy. BioDrugs 2021; 35:529-545. [PMID: 34427899 DOI: 10.1007/s40259-021-00494-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Dimethylsufoxide (DMSO) being universally used as a cryoprotectant in clinical adoptive cell-therapy settings to treat hematological malignancies and solid tumors is a growing concern, largely due to its broad toxicities. Its use has been associated with significant clinical side effects-cardiovascular, neurological, gastrointestinal, and allergic-in patients receiving infusions of cell-therapy products. DMSO has also been associated with altered expression of natural killer (NK) and T-cell markers and their in vivo function, not to mention difficulties in scaling up DMSO-based cryoprotectants, which introduce manufacturing challenges for autologous and allogeneic cellular therapies, including chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T and CAR-NK cell therapies. Interest in developing alternatives to DMSO has resulted in the evaluation of a variety of sugars, proteins, polymers, amino acids, and other small molecules and osmolytes as well as modalities to efficiently enable cellular uptake of these cryoprotectants. However, the DMSO-free cryopreservation of NK and T cells remains difficult. They represent heterogeneous cell populations that are sensitive to freezing and thawing. As a result, clinical use of cryopreserved cell-therapy products has not moved past the use of DMSO. Here, we present the state of the art in the development and use of cryopreservation options that do not contain DMSO toward clinical solutions to enable the global deployment of safer adoptively transferred cell-based therapies.
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