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Sauerer T, Albrecht L, Sievers NM, Gerer KF, Hoyer S, Dörrie J, Schaft N. Electroporation of mRNA as a Universal Technology Platform to Transfect a Variety of Primary Cells with Antigens and Functional Proteins. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2786:219-235. [PMID: 38814397 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3770-8_10] [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: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Electroporation (EP) of mRNA into human cells is a broadly applicable method to transiently express proteins of choice in a variety of different cell types. We have spent more than two decades to optimize and adapt this method, first for antigen-loading of dendritic cells (DCs) and subsequently for T cells, B cells, bulk PBMCs, and several cell lines. In this regard, antigens were introduced, processed, and presented in context of MHC class I and II. Next to that, functional proteins like adhesion receptors, T-cell receptors (TCRs), chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), constitutively active signal transducers (i.e. caIKK), and others were successfully expressed. We have also established this protocol under full GMP compliance as part of a manufacturing license to produce mRNA-electroporated DCs and mRNA-electroporated T cells for therapeutic applications in clinical trials. Therefore, we here want to share our universal mRNA electroporation protocol and the experience we have gathered with this method. The advantages of the transfection method presented here are: (1) easy adaptation to different cell types; (2) scalability from 106 to approximately 108 cells per shot; (3) high transfection efficiency (80-99%); (4) homogenous protein expression; (5) GMP compliance if the EP is performed in a class A clean room; and (6) no transgene integration into the genome. The provided protocol involves: OptiMEM® as EP medium, a square-wave pulse with 500 V, and 4 mm cuvettes. To adapt the protocol to differently sized cells, simply the pulse time has to be altered. Thus, we share an overview of proven electroporation settings (including recovery media), which we have established for various cell types. Next to the basic protocol, we also provide an extensive list of hints and tricks, which, in our opinion, are of great value for everyone who intends to use this transfection technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatjana Sauerer
- RNA-based Immunotherapy, Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen (UKER), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen European Metropolitan Area of Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Leoni Albrecht
- RNA-based Immunotherapy, Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen (UKER), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen European Metropolitan Area of Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Nico M Sievers
- RNA-based Immunotherapy, Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen (UKER), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen European Metropolitan Area of Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Kerstin F Gerer
- RNA-based Immunotherapy, Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen (UKER), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen European Metropolitan Area of Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Erlangen, Germany
- Novartis Pharma GmbH, Nuremberg, Germany
| | - Stefanie Hoyer
- RNA-based Immunotherapy, Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen (UKER), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen European Metropolitan Area of Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Erlangen, Germany
- Department of Palliative Medicine, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Comprehensive Cancer Center CCC Erlangen-EMN, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jan Dörrie
- RNA-based Immunotherapy, Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen (UKER), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen European Metropolitan Area of Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Niels Schaft
- RNA-based Immunotherapy, Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen (UKER), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen European Metropolitan Area of Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany.
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Erlangen, Germany.
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Koch EAT, Schaft N, Kummer M, Berking C, Schuler G, Hasumi K, Dörrie J, Schuler-Thurner B. A One-Armed Phase I Dose Escalation Trial Design: Personalized Vaccination with IKKβ-Matured, RNA-Loaded Dendritic Cells for Metastatic Uveal Melanoma. Front Immunol 2022; 13:785231. [PMID: 35185883 PMCID: PMC8854646 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.785231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Uveal melanoma (UM) is an orphan disease with a mortality of 80% within one year upon the development of metastatic disease. UM does hardly respond to chemotherapy and kinase inhibitors and is largely resistant to checkpoint inhibition. Hence, further therapy approaches are urgently needed. To improve clinical outcome, we designed a trial employing the 3rd generation personalized IKKβ-matured RNA-transfected dendritic cell (DC) vaccine which primes T cells and in addition activates NK cells. This ongoing phase I trial [NCT04335890 (www.clinicaltrials.gov), Eudract: 2018-004390-28 (www.clinicaltrialsregister.eu)] investigates patients with treatment-naive metastatic UM. Monocytes are isolated by leukapheresis, differentiated to immature DCs, matured with a cytokine cocktail, and activated via the NF-κB pathway by electroporation with RNA encoding a constitutively active mutant of IKKβ. Three types of antigen-RNA are co-electroporated: i) amplified mRNA of the tumor representing the whole transcriptome, ii) RNA encoding driver mutations identified by exome sequencing, and iii) overexpressed non-mutated tumor antigens detected by transcriptome sequencing. This highly personalized DC vaccine is applied by 9 intravenous infusions in a staggered schedule over one year. Parallel to the vaccination, standard therapy, usually an immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) as mono (anti-PD-1) or combined (anti-CTLA4 and anti-PD-1) regimen is initiated. The coordinated vaccine-induced immune response encompassing tumor-specific T cells and innate NK cells should synergize with ICB, perhaps resulting in measurable clinical responses in this resistant tumor entity. Primary outcome measures of this trial are safety, tolerability and toxicity; secondary outcome measures comprise overall survival and induction of antigen-specific T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elias A. T. Koch
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-European Metropolitan Region of Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Niels Schaft
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-European Metropolitan Region of Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Erlangen, Germany
- *Correspondence: Niels Schaft,
| | - Mirko Kummer
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-European Metropolitan Region of Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Carola Berking
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-European Metropolitan Region of Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Gerold Schuler
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-European Metropolitan Region of Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Erlangen, Germany
| | | | - Jan Dörrie
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-European Metropolitan Region of Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Beatrice Schuler-Thurner
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Erlangen-European Metropolitan Region of Nuremberg (CCC ER-EMN), Erlangen, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum Immuntherapie (DZI), Erlangen, Germany
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Gerer KF, Erdmann M, Hadrup SR, Lyngaa R, Martin LM, Voll RE, Schuler-Thurner B, Schuler G, Schaft N, Hoyer S, Dörrie J. Preclinical evaluation of NF-κB-triggered dendritic cells expressing the viral oncogenic driver of Merkel cell carcinoma for therapeutic vaccination. Ther Adv Med Oncol 2017; 9:451-464. [PMID: 28717398 PMCID: PMC5502952 DOI: 10.1177/1758834017712630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare but very aggressive skin tumor that develops after integration of a truncated form of the large T-antigen (truncLT) of the Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV) into the host's genome. Therapeutic vaccination with dendritic cells (DCs) loaded with tumor antigens is an active form of immunotherapy, which intends to direct the immune system towards tumors which express the respective vaccination antigens. METHODS Cytokine-matured monocyte-derived DCs of healthy donors and MCC patients were electroporated with mRNA encoding the truncLT. To permit major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II next to class I presentation, we used an RNA construct in which the antigen was fused to a DCLamp sequence in addition to the unmodified antigen. To further improve their immunogenicity, the DCs were additionally activated by co-transfection with the constitutively active nuclear factor (NF)-κB activator caIKK. These DCs were used to stimulate autologous CD8+ T-cells or a mixture of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells. Then the percentage of T-cells, specific for the truncLT, was quantified by interferon (IFN)γ ELISpot assays. RESULTS Both the truncLT and its DCLamp-fusion were detected within the DCs by flow cytometry, albeit the latter required blocking of the proteasome. The transfection with caIKK upregulated maturation markers and induced cytokine production. After 2-3 rounds of stimulation, the T-cells from 11 out of 13 healthy donors recognized the antigen. DCs without caIKK appeared in comparison less potent in inducing such responses. When using cells derived from MCC patients, we could induce responses for 3 out of 5 patients; however, here the caIKK-transfected DCs did not display their superiority. CONCLUSION These results show that optimized DCs are able to induce MCV-antigen-specific T-cell responses. Therapeutic vaccination with such transfected DCs could direct the immune system against MCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin F Gerer
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Michael Erdmann
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Sine R Hadrup
- Division of Vaccinology and Immunology, Technical University of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rikke Lyngaa
- Division of Vaccinology and Immunology, Technical University of Denmark, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lena-Marie Martin
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Reinhard E Voll
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Gerold Schuler
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Niels Schaft
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Stefanie Hoyer
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jan Dörrie
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Research Campus, Hartmannstraße 14, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
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Gerer KF, Hoyer S, Dörrie J, Schaft N. Electroporation of mRNA as Universal Technology Platform to Transfect a Variety of Primary Cells with Antigens and Functional Proteins. Methods Mol Biol 2017; 1499:165-178. [PMID: 27987149 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-6481-9_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Electroporation (EP) of mRNA into human cells is a broadly applicable method to transiently express proteins of choice in a variety of different cell types. We have spent more than a decade to optimize and adapt this method, first for antigen-loading of dendritic cells (DCs), and subsequently for T cells, B cells, bulk PBMCs, and several cell lines. In this regard, antigens were introduced, processed, and presented in context of MHC class I and II. Next to that, functional proteins like adhesion receptors, T-cell receptors (TCRs), chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), constitutively active signal transducers, and others were successfully expressed. We have also established this protocol under full GMP compliance as part of a manufacturing license to produce mRNA-electroporated DCs for therapeutic vaccination in clinical trials. Therefore, we here want to share our universal mRNA electroporation protocol and the experience we have gathered with this method. The advantages of the transfection method presented here are: (1) easy adaptation to different cell types, (2) scalability from 106 to approximately 108 cells per shot, (3) high transfection efficiency (80-99 %), (4) homogenous protein expression, (5) GMP compliance if the EP is performed in a class A clean room, and (6) no transgene integration into the genome. The provided protocol involves: Opti-MEM® as EP medium, a square-wave pulse with 500 V, and 4 mm cuvettes. To adapt the protocol to differently sized cells, simply the pulse time is altered. Next to the basic protocol, we also provide an extensive list of hints and tricks, which in our opinion are of great value for everyone who intends to use this transfection technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin F Gerer
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Research campus, Hartmannstraße 14, 91052, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Stefanie Hoyer
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Research campus, Hartmannstraße 14, 91052, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jan Dörrie
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Research campus, Hartmannstraße 14, 91052, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Niels Schaft
- Department of Dermatology, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Research campus, Hartmannstraße 14, 91052, Erlangen, Germany.
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