1
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Kent MR, Jay AN, Kendall GC. New dual inducible cellular model to investigate temporal control of oncogenic cooperating genes. Sci Rep 2024; 14:20773. [PMID: 39237585 PMCID: PMC11377716 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-71227-3] [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: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 08/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The study of cooperating genes in cancer can lead to mechanistic understanding and identifying potential therapeutic targets. To facilitate these types of studies, we developed a new dual-inducible system utilizing the tetracycline- and cumate-inducible systems driving HES3 and the PAX3::FOXO1 fusion-oncogene, respectively, as cooperating genes from fusion-positive rhabdomyosarcoma. With this model, we can independently induce expression of either HES3 or PAX3::FOXO1, as well as simultaneously induce expression of both genes. This new model will allow us to further investigate the cooperation between HES3 and PAX3::FOXO1 including the temporal requirements for genetic cooperation. Functionally, we show that dual-induction of PAX3::FOXO1 and HES3 modifies sphere formation in a HEK293T-based system. More broadly, this lentiviral dual-inducible system can be adapted for any cooperating genes (overexpression or knockdown), allowing for independent, simultaneous, or temporally controlled gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R Kent
- Center for Childhood Cancer Research, The Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, 575 Children's Crossroad, Columbus, OH, 43215, USA
| | - Amanda N Jay
- Center for Childhood Cancer Research, The Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, 575 Children's Crossroad, Columbus, OH, 43215, USA
- Department of Molecular Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA
| | - Genevieve C Kendall
- Center for Childhood Cancer Research, The Abigail Wexner Research Institute, Nationwide Children's Hospital, 575 Children's Crossroad, Columbus, OH, 43215, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, 43215, USA.
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2
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Kent MR, Jay AN, Kendall GC. New Dual Inducible Cellular Model to Investigate Temporal Control of Oncogenic Cooperating Genes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.23.581802. [PMID: 38464002 PMCID: PMC10925205 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.23.581802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
The study of cooperating genes in cancer can lead to mechanistic understanding and identifying potential therapeutic targets. To facilitate these types of studies, we developed a new dual-inducible system utilizing the tetracycline- and cumate-inducible systems driving HES3 and the PAX3::FOXO1 fusion-oncogene, respectively, as cooperating genes from fusion-positive rhabdomyosarcoma. With this new model, we can independently induce expression of either HES3 or PAX3::FOXO1, as well as simultaneously induce expression of both genes. This new model will allow us to further investigate the cooperation between HES3 and PAX3::FOXO1 including the temporal requirements for genetic cooperation. This dual-inducible model can be adapted for any cooperating genes, allowing for independent, simultaneous, or temporally controlled gene expression.
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3
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Brimble MA, Winston SM, Davidoff AM. Stowaways in the cargo: Contaminating nucleic acids in rAAV preparations for gene therapy. Mol Ther 2023; 31:2826-2838. [PMID: 37533254 PMCID: PMC10556190 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.07.025] [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: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Recombinant AAV (rAAV) is the most used delivery vector for clinical gene therapy. However, many issues must be addressed before safer and more widespread implementation can be achieved. At present, efficacies are highly variable across trials and patients, and immune responses after treatment are widely reported. Although rAAV is capable of directly delivering gene-encoded therapeutic sequences, increased scrutiny of viral preparations for translational use have revealed contaminating nucleic acid species packaged within rAAV preparations. The introduction of non-therapeutic nucleic acids into a recipient patient adds to the risk burden, immunogenic or otherwise, of rAAV therapies. DNA from incomplete expression cassettes, portions of plasmids or vectors used to facilitate viral replication, and production cell line genomes all have the potential to be packaged within rAAV. Here, we review what is currently known about the profile, abundance, and post-treatment consequences of nucleic acid impurities within rAAV and cover strategies that have been developed to improve rAAV purity. Furthering our understanding of these aberrantly packaged DNA species will help to ensure the continued safe implementation of rAAV therapies as the number of patients treated with this modality increases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Brimble
- Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA.
| | - Stephen M Winston
- Department of Surgery, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA; St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Andrew M Davidoff
- Department of Surgery, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
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4
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Han S, Lee P, Choi HJ. Non-Invasive Vaccines: Challenges in Formulation and Vaccine Adjuvants. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2114. [PMID: 37631328 PMCID: PMC10458847 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15082114] [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: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Given the limitations of conventional invasive vaccines, such as the requirement for a cold chain system and trained personnel, needle-based injuries, and limited immunogenicity, non-invasive vaccines have gained significant attention. Although numerous approaches for formulating and administrating non-invasive vaccines have emerged, each of them faces its own challenges associated with vaccine bioavailability, toxicity, and other issues. To overcome such limitations, researchers have created novel supplementary materials and delivery systems. The goal of this review article is to provide vaccine formulation researchers with the most up-to-date information on vaccine formulation and the immunological mechanisms available, to identify the technical challenges associated with the commercialization of non-invasive vaccines, and to guide future research and development efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Hyo-Jick Choi
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada; (S.H.); (P.L.)
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5
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Morfopoulou S, Buddle S, Torres Montaguth OE, Atkinson L, Guerra-Assunção JA, Moradi Marjaneh M, Zennezini Chiozzi R, Storey N, Campos L, Hutchinson JC, Counsell JR, Pollara G, Roy S, Venturini C, Antinao Diaz JF, Siam A, Tappouni LJ, Asgarian Z, Ng J, Hanlon KS, Lennon A, McArdle A, Czap A, Rosenheim J, Andrade C, Anderson G, Lee JCD, Williams R, Williams CA, Tutill H, Bayzid N, Martin Bernal LM, Macpherson H, Montgomery KA, Moore C, Templeton K, Neill C, Holden M, Gunson R, Shepherd SJ, Shah P, Cooray S, Voice M, Steele M, Fink C, Whittaker TE, Santilli G, Gissen P, Kaufer BB, Reich J, Andreani J, Simmonds P, Alrabiah DK, Castellano S, Chikowore P, Odam M, Rampling T, Houlihan C, Hoschler K, Talts T, Celma C, Gonzalez S, Gallagher E, Simmons R, Watson C, Mandal S, Zambon M, Chand M, Hatcher J, De S, Baillie K, Semple MG, Martin J, Ushiro-Lumb I, Noursadeghi M, Deheragoda M, Hadzic N, Grammatikopoulos T, Brown R, Kelgeri C, Thalassinos K, Waddington SN, Jacques TS, Thomson E, Levin M, Brown JR, Breuer J. Genomic investigations of unexplained acute hepatitis in children. Nature 2023; 617:564-573. [PMID: 36996872 PMCID: PMC10170458 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06003-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 58.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023]
Abstract
Since its first identification in Scotland, over 1,000 cases of unexplained paediatric hepatitis in children have been reported worldwide, including 278 cases in the UK1. Here we report an investigation of 38 cases, 66 age-matched immunocompetent controls and 21 immunocompromised comparator participants, using a combination of genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and immunohistochemical methods. We detected high levels of adeno-associated virus 2 (AAV2) DNA in the liver, blood, plasma or stool from 27 of 28 cases. We found low levels of adenovirus (HAdV) and human herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B) in 23 of 31 and 16 of 23, respectively, of the cases tested. By contrast, AAV2 was infrequently detected and at low titre in the blood or the liver from control children with HAdV, even when profoundly immunosuppressed. AAV2, HAdV and HHV-6 phylogeny excluded the emergence of novel strains in cases. Histological analyses of explanted livers showed enrichment for T cells and B lineage cells. Proteomic comparison of liver tissue from cases and healthy controls identified increased expression of HLA class 2, immunoglobulin variable regions and complement proteins. HAdV and AAV2 proteins were not detected in the livers. Instead, we identified AAV2 DNA complexes reflecting both HAdV-mediated and HHV-6B-mediated replication. We hypothesize that high levels of abnormal AAV2 replication products aided by HAdV and, in severe cases, HHV-6B may have triggered immune-mediated hepatic disease in genetically and immunologically predisposed children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia Morfopoulou
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
- Section for Paediatrics, Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Sarah Buddle
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Oscar Enrique Torres Montaguth
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Laura Atkinson
- Department of Microbiology, Virology and Infection Control, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - José Afonso Guerra-Assunção
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Mahdi Moradi Marjaneh
- Section for Paediatrics, Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Section of Virology, Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Riccardo Zennezini Chiozzi
- University College London Mass Spectrometry Science Technology Platform, Division of Biosciences, University College London, London, UK
| | - Nathaniel Storey
- Department of Microbiology, Virology and Infection Control, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Luis Campos
- Histopathology Department, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - J Ciaran Hutchinson
- Histopathology Department, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - John R Counsell
- Research Department of Targeted Intervention, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, London, UK
| | - Gabriele Pollara
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, UK
| | - Sunando Roy
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Cristina Venturini
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Juan F Antinao Diaz
- Research Department of Targeted Intervention, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, London, UK
| | - Ala'a Siam
- Research Department of Targeted Intervention, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, London, UK
- Gene Transfer Technology Group, EGA-Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Luke J Tappouni
- Research Department of Targeted Intervention, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, London, UK
| | - Zeinab Asgarian
- Research Department of Targeted Intervention, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, London, UK
| | - Joanne Ng
- Gene Transfer Technology Group, EGA-Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Killian S Hanlon
- Research Department of Targeted Intervention, Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, London, UK
| | - Alexander Lennon
- Department of Microbiology, Virology and Infection Control, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Andrew McArdle
- Section for Paediatrics, Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Agata Czap
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, UK
| | - Joshua Rosenheim
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, UK
| | - Catarina Andrade
- Histopathology Department, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Glenn Anderson
- Histopathology Department, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Jack C D Lee
- Department of Microbiology, Virology and Infection Control, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Rachel Williams
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Charlotte A Williams
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Helena Tutill
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Nadua Bayzid
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Luz Marina Martin Bernal
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Hannah Macpherson
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Kylie-Ann Montgomery
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Catherine Moore
- Wales Specialist Virology Centre, Public Health Wales Microbiology Cardiff, University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, UK
| | - Kate Templeton
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Claire Neill
- Public Health Agency Northern Ireland, Belfast, UK
| | - Matt Holden
- School of Medicine, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, UK
- Public Health Scotland, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Rory Gunson
- West of Scotland Specialist Virology Centre, Glasgow, UK
| | | | - Priyen Shah
- Section for Paediatrics, Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Samantha Cooray
- Section for Paediatrics, Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Marie Voice
- Micropathology Ltd, University of Warwick Science Park, Coventry, UK
| | - Michael Steele
- Micropathology Ltd, University of Warwick Science Park, Coventry, UK
| | - Colin Fink
- Micropathology Ltd, University of Warwick Science Park, Coventry, UK
| | - Thomas E Whittaker
- Molecular and Cellular Immunology, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Giorgia Santilli
- Molecular and Cellular Immunology, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Paul Gissen
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Jana Reich
- Institute of Virology, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Julien Andreani
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Centre Hospitalier Universitaire (CHU) Grenoble-Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Peter Simmonds
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Dimah K Alrabiah
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
- National Centre for Biotechnology, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sergi Castellano
- Genetics and Genomic Medicine Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
- University College London Genomics, University College London, London, UK
| | | | - Miranda Odam
- Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Tommy Rampling
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, UK
- UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
- Hospital for Tropical Diseases, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Catherine Houlihan
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, UK
- UK Health Security Agency, London, UK
- Department of Clinical Virology, University College London Hospitals, London, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - James Hatcher
- Department of Microbiology, Virology and Infection Control, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Surjo De
- Department of Microbiology, Virology and Infection Control, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | | | - Malcolm Gracie Semple
- Pandemic Institute, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Respiratory Medicine, Alder Hey Children's Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
| | - Joanne Martin
- Centre for Genomics and Child Health, The Blizard Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | | | - Mahdad Noursadeghi
- Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, UK
| | | | | | | | - Rachel Brown
- Department of Cellular Pathology, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
| | - Chayarani Kelgeri
- Liver Unit, Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
| | - Konstantinos Thalassinos
- University College London Mass Spectrometry Science Technology Platform, Division of Biosciences, University College London, London, UK
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Division of Biosciences, University College London, London, UK
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, UK
| | - Simon N Waddington
- Gene Transfer Technology Group, EGA-Institute for Women's Health, University College London, London, UK
- Medical Research Council Antiviral Gene Therapy Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witswatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Thomas S Jacques
- Histopathology Department, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
- Developmental Biology and Cancer Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Emma Thomson
- Medical Research Council-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Glasgow, UK
| | - Michael Levin
- Section for Paediatrics, Department of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Julianne R Brown
- Department of Microbiology, Virology and Infection Control, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Judith Breuer
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK.
- Department of Microbiology, Virology and Infection Control, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
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6
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Barreira M, Kerridge C, Jorda S, Olofsson D, Neumann A, Horton H, Smith-Moore S. Enzymatically amplified linear dbDNA TM as a rapid and scalable solution to industrial lentiviral vector manufacturing. Gene Ther 2023; 30:122-131. [PMID: 35606492 PMCID: PMC9935383 DOI: 10.1038/s41434-022-00343-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Traditional bacterial fermentation techniques used to manufacture plasmid are time-consuming, expensive, and inherently unstable. The production of sufficient GMP grade material thus imposes a major bottleneck on industrial-scale manufacturing of lentiviral vectors (LVV). Touchlight's linear doggybone DNA (dbDNATM) is an enzymatically amplified DNA vector produced with exceptional speed through an in vitro dual enzyme process, enabling industrial-scale manufacturing of GMP material in a fraction of the time required for plasmid. We have previously shown that dbDNATM can be used to produce functional LVV; however, obtaining high LVV titres remained a challenge. Here, we aimed to demonstrate that dbDNATM could be optimised for the manufacture of high titre LVV. We found that dbDNATM displayed a unique transfection and expression profile in the context of LVV production, which necessitated the optimisation of DNA input and construct ratios. Furthermore, we demonstrate that efficient 3' end processing of viral genomic RNA (vgRNA) derived from linear dbDNATM transfer vectors required the addition of a strong 3' termination signal and downstream spacer sequence to enable efficient vgRNA packaging. Using these improved vector architectures along with optimised transfection conditions, we were able to produce a CAR19h28z LVV with equivalent infectious titres as achieved using plasmid, demonstrating that dbDNATM technology can provide a highly effective solution to the plasmid bottleneck.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Barreira
- Touchlight Genetics Ltd, Hampton, TW12 2ER, United Kingdom.,Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult, Guy's Hospital, London, SE1 9RT, United Kingdom
| | | | - Sara Jorda
- Touchlight Genetics Ltd, Hampton, TW12 2ER, United Kingdom.,Medical Research Institute La Fe, 46026, Valencia, Spain
| | - Didrik Olofsson
- Omiqa Bioinformatics GmbH, Altensteinstraße 40, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexander Neumann
- Omiqa Bioinformatics GmbH, Altensteinstraße 40, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Helen Horton
- Touchlight Genetics Ltd, Hampton, TW12 2ER, United Kingdom
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7
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Mucker EM, Brocato RL, Principe LM, Kim RK, Zeng X, Smith JM, Kwilas SA, Kim S, Horton H, Caproni L, Hooper JW. SARS-CoV-2 Doggybone DNA Vaccine Produces Cross-Variant Neutralizing Antibodies and Is Protective in a COVID-19 Animal Model. Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10071104. [PMID: 35891268 PMCID: PMC9317096 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10071104] [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: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
To combat the COVID-19 pandemic, an assortment of vaccines has been developed. Nucleic acid vaccines have the advantage of rapid production, as they only require a viral antigen sequence and can readily be modified to detected viral mutations. Doggybone™ DNA vaccines targeting the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 have been generated and compared with a traditionally manufactured, bacterially derived plasmid DNA vaccine that utilizes the same spike sequence. Administered to Syrian hamsters by jet injection at two dose levels, the immunogenicity of both DNA vaccines was compared following two vaccinations. Immunized hamsters were then immunosuppressed and exposed to SARS-CoV-2. Significant differences in body weight were observed during acute infection, and lungs collected at the time of euthanasia had significantly reduced viral RNA, infectious virus, and pathology compared with irrelevant DNA-vaccinated controls. Moreover, immune serum from vaccinated animals was capable of neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 variants of interest and importance in vitro. These data demonstrate the efficacy of a synthetic DNA vaccine approach to protect hamsters from SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric M. Mucker
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (E.M.M.); (R.L.B.); (L.M.P.); (J.M.S.); (S.A.K.)
| | - Rebecca L. Brocato
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (E.M.M.); (R.L.B.); (L.M.P.); (J.M.S.); (S.A.K.)
| | - Lucia M. Principe
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (E.M.M.); (R.L.B.); (L.M.P.); (J.M.S.); (S.A.K.)
| | - Robert K. Kim
- Pathology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (R.K.K.); (X.Z.)
| | - Xiankun Zeng
- Pathology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (R.K.K.); (X.Z.)
| | - Jeffrey M. Smith
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (E.M.M.); (R.L.B.); (L.M.P.); (J.M.S.); (S.A.K.)
| | - Steven A. Kwilas
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (E.M.M.); (R.L.B.); (L.M.P.); (J.M.S.); (S.A.K.)
| | - Sungwon Kim
- Touchlight Genetics, Ltd., London TW12 2ER, UK; (S.K.); (H.H.); (L.C.)
| | - Helen Horton
- Touchlight Genetics, Ltd., London TW12 2ER, UK; (S.K.); (H.H.); (L.C.)
| | - Lisa Caproni
- Touchlight Genetics, Ltd., London TW12 2ER, UK; (S.K.); (H.H.); (L.C.)
| | - Jay W. Hooper
- Virology Division, United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Frederick, MD 21702, USA; (E.M.M.); (R.L.B.); (L.M.P.); (J.M.S.); (S.A.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-301-619-4101
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8
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Zhang Y, Almazi JG, Ong HX, Johansen MD, Ledger S, Traini D, Hansbro PM, Kelleher AD, Ahlenstiel CL. Nanoparticle Delivery Platforms for RNAi Therapeutics Targeting COVID-19 Disease in the Respiratory Tract. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:2408. [PMID: 35269550 PMCID: PMC8909959 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23052408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Since December 2019, a pandemic of COVID-19 disease, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has rapidly spread across the globe. At present, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued emergency approval for the use of some antiviral drugs. However, these drugs still have limitations in the specific treatment of COVID-19, and as such, new treatment strategies urgently need to be developed. RNA-interference-based gene therapy provides a tractable target for antiviral treatment. Ensuring cell-specific targeted delivery is important to the success of gene therapy. The use of nanoparticles (NPs) as carriers for the delivery of small interfering RNA (siRNAs) to specific tissues or organs of the human body could play a crucial role in the specific therapy of severe respiratory infections, such as COVID-19. In this review, we describe a variety of novel nanocarriers, such as lipid NPs, star polymer NPs, and glycogen NPs, and summarize the pre-clinical/clinical progress of these nanoparticle platforms in siRNA delivery. We also discuss the application of various NP-capsulated siRNA as therapeutics for SARS-CoV-2 infection, the challenges with targeting these therapeutics to local delivery in the lung, and various inhalation devices used for therapeutic administration. We also discuss currently available animal models that are used for preclinical assessment of RNA-interference-based gene therapy. Advances in this field have the potential for antiviral treatments of COVID-19 disease and could be adapted to treat a range of respiratory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Zhang
- Kirby Institute, UNSW, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; (Y.Z.); (S.L.); (A.D.K.)
| | - Juhura G. Almazi
- Respiratory Technology, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2037, Australia; (J.G.A.); (H.X.O.); (D.T.)
- Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Hui Xin Ong
- Respiratory Technology, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2037, Australia; (J.G.A.); (H.X.O.); (D.T.)
- Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Matt D. Johansen
- Centre for Inflammation, Faculty of Science, Centenary Institute and University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia; (M.D.J.); (P.M.H.)
| | - Scott Ledger
- Kirby Institute, UNSW, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; (Y.Z.); (S.L.); (A.D.K.)
| | - Daniela Traini
- Respiratory Technology, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2037, Australia; (J.G.A.); (H.X.O.); (D.T.)
- Macquarie Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Macquarie University, Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Philip M. Hansbro
- Centre for Inflammation, Faculty of Science, Centenary Institute and University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2050, Australia; (M.D.J.); (P.M.H.)
| | - Anthony D. Kelleher
- Kirby Institute, UNSW, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia; (Y.Z.); (S.L.); (A.D.K.)
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9
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The TelN/tos-assisted Precise Targeting of Chromosome Segments (TAPE). J Adv Res 2022; 41:169-177. [PMID: 36328746 PMCID: PMC9637730 DOI: 10.1016/j.jare.2022.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
We first apply the TelN/tos system to target genomic segments in E. coli host. We successfully cloned the targeted bacterial DNA fragment up to 156 kb. The TAPE method takes no more than five days to directly obtain the large DNA sequence. The TAPE method has no preferences on genome sequence. The results showed a considerable improvement of cloning efficiency. The TAPE method provides a powerful tool to support the study on synthetic biology.
Introduction Performing genomic large segmentation experiments will promote the annotation of complex genomic functions and contribute to the synthesis of designed genomes. It is challenging to obtain and manipulate large or complex DNA sequences with high efficiency. Objectives This study aims to develop an effective method for direct cloning of target genome sequences from different species. Methods The TelN/tos system and a linear plasmid vector were first used to directly clone the large genomic segments in E. coli. For the in vitro cloning reaction, two telomeric sites were developed using TelN protelomerase at the end of the linear plasmid vector. The target DNA sequence can be easily hooked with the homology arms and maintained as a linear artificial chromosome with arbitrary restriction sites in a specific E. coli strain. Results Using the linear cloning strategy, we successfully cloned the bacterial DNA fragment of 156 kb, a yeast genomic fragment of 124 kb and mammalian mitochondrial fragment of 16 kb. The results showed a considerable improvement in cloning efficiency and demonstrated the important role of vector ratio in the cloning process. Conclusion Due to the high efficiency and stability, TAPE is an effective technique for DNA cloning and fundamental molecular biotechnology method in synthetic biology.
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10
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Thornton CD, Fielding S, Karbowniczek K, Roig-Merino A, Burrows AE, FitzPatrick LM, Sharaireh A, Tite JP, Mole SE, Harbottle RP, Caproni LJ, McKay TR. Safe and stable generation of induced pluripotent stem cells using doggybone DNA vectors. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2021; 23:348-358. [PMID: 34729381 PMCID: PMC8546411 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2021.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The application of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) in advanced therapies is increasing at pace, but concerns remain over their clinical safety profile. We report the first-ever application of doggybone DNA (dbDNA) vectors to generate human iPSCs. dbDNA vectors are closed-capped linear double-stranded DNA gene expression cassettes that contain no bacterial DNA and are amplified by a chemically defined, current good manufacturing practice (cGMP)-compliant methodology. We achieved comparable iPSC reprogramming efficiencies using transiently expressing dbDNA vectors with the same iPSC reprogramming coding sequences as the state-of-the-art OriP/EBNA1 episomal vectors but, crucially, in the absence of p53 shRNA repression. Moreover, persistent expression of EBNA1 from bacterially derived episomes resulted in stimulation of the interferon response, elevated DNA damage, and increased spontaneous differentiation. These cellular activities were diminished or absent in dbDNA-iPSCs, resulting in lines with a greater stability and safety potential for cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher D. Thornton
- Centre for Bioscience, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M1 5GD, UK
- Medicines Discovery Catapult, Alderley Park, Cheshire, UK
| | - Stuart Fielding
- Centre for Bioscience, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M1 5GD, UK
| | | | | | - Alysha E. Burrows
- Centre for Bioscience, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M1 5GD, UK
| | - Lorna M. FitzPatrick
- Centre for Bioscience, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M1 5GD, UK
- Medicines Discovery Catapult, Alderley Park, Cheshire, UK
| | - Aseel Sharaireh
- Centre for Bioscience, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M1 5GD, UK
| | | | - Sara E. Mole
- MRC Laboratory for Molecular Biology and GOS Institute for Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | | | | | - Tristan R. McKay
- Centre for Bioscience, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M1 5GD, UK
- Correspondence: Tristan R. McKay, Centre for Bioscience, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M1 5GD, UK.
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11
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Shafaati M, Saidijam M, Soleimani M, Hazrati F, Mirzaei R, Amirheidari B, Tanzadehpanah H, Karampoor S, Kazemi S, Yavari B, Mahaki H, Safaei M, Rahbarizadeh F, Samadi P, Ahmadyousefi Y. A brief review on DNA vaccines in the era of COVID-19. Future Virol 2021; 17:10.2217/fvl-2021-0170. [PMID: 34858516 PMCID: PMC8629371 DOI: 10.2217/fvl-2021-0170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
This article provides a brief overview of DNA vaccines. First, the basic DNA vaccine design strategies are described, then specific issues related to the industrial production of DNA vaccines are discussed, including the production and purification of DNA products such as plasmid DNA, minicircle DNA, minimalistic, immunologically defined gene expression (MIDGE) and Doggybone™. The use of adjuvants to enhance the immunogenicity of DNA vaccines is then discussed. In addition, different delivery routes and several physical and chemical methods to increase the efficacy of DNA delivery into cells are explained. Recent preclinical and clinical trials of DNA vaccines for COVID-19 are then summarized. Lastly, the advantages and obstacles of DNA vaccines are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maryam Shafaati
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, Jahrom Branch, Islamic Azad University, Jahrom, Iran
| | - Massoud Saidijam
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences & Technologies, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
- Research Center for Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Meysam Soleimani
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Fereshte Hazrati
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Pharmacy, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Rasoul Mirzaei
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Bagher Amirheidari
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
- Extremophile and Productive Microorganisms Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Hamid Tanzadehpanah
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences & Technologies, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
- Research Center for Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Sajad Karampoor
- Department of Virology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sima Kazemi
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Bahram Yavari
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences & Technologies, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
- Research Center for Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Hanie Mahaki
- Vascular & Endovascular Surgery Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mohsen Safaei
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies, Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Rahbarizadeh
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Pouria Samadi
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences & Technologies, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
- Research Center for Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
| | - Yaghoub Ahmadyousefi
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Medical Sciences & Technologies, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
- Research Center for Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran
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Lentiviral Vectors for T Cell Engineering: Clinical Applications, Bioprocessing and Future Perspectives. Viruses 2021; 13:v13081528. [PMID: 34452392 PMCID: PMC8402758 DOI: 10.3390/v13081528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Lentiviral vectors have played a critical role in the emergence of gene-modified cell therapies, specifically T cell therapies. Tisagenlecleucel (Kymriah), axicabtagene ciloleucel (Yescarta) and most recently brexucabtagene autoleucel (Tecartus) are examples of T cell therapies which are now commercially available for distribution after successfully obtaining EMA and FDA approval for the treatment of blood cancers. All three therapies rely on retroviral vectors to transduce the therapeutic chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) into T lymphocytes. Although these innovations represent promising new therapeutic avenues, major obstacles remain in making them readily available tools for medical care. This article reviews the biological principles as well as the bioprocessing of lentiviral (LV) vectors and adoptive T cell therapy. Clinical and engineering successes, shortcomings and future opportunities are also discussed. The development of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-compliant instruments, technologies and protocols will play an essential role in the development of LV-engineered T cell therapies.
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13
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Ramirez GA, Gasmi M. Manufacturing of Viral Gene Therapies. Int Ophthalmol Clin 2021; 61:91-112. [PMID: 34196319 DOI: 10.1097/iio.0000000000000362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Larijani MS, Pouriayevali MH, Sadat SM, Ramezani A. Production of Recombinant HIV-1 p24-Nef Protein in Two Forms as Potential Candidate Vaccines in Three Vehicles. Curr Drug Deliv 2021; 17:387-395. [PMID: 32183667 DOI: 10.2174/1567201817666200317121728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2019] [Revised: 01/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Different approaches have been investigated to develop a preventive or therapeutic vaccine, although none of them has been fully practical. Therapeutic vaccines against HIV-1 have been studied with the aim of eliminating the virus from reservoir cells with or without HAART (Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy). Fusion proteins with the most immunogenic features among conserved regions can facilitate this achievement in such a variable virus. To achieve the most immunogenic and also conserved regions, bioinformatics tools are widely used to predict antigens' features before applying them. OBJECTIVE This study aimed at the in vitro evaluation of p24 -Nef fusion protein based on the previous in silico design to achieve a potential therapeutic subunit vaccine against HIV-1. METHODS The truncated form of p24-Nef using AAY flexible linker and the full protein were expressed and evaluated in the prokaryotic system and confirmed by western blotting. We also used pcDNA3.1 to transfect Lenti-X 293T cells. Moreover, lentiviral vectors were applied to produce recombinant virions harboring the genes of interest and cell transduction. RESULTS Both fusion proteins in a truncated and a full form were expressed and confirmed by Anti Nef polyclonal antibody in western blotting. Recombinant virions were generated and transduced Lenti-X 293T cells confirming by immunofluorescence microscope and p24 ELISA assay kit. Transduced cells were analyzed by SDS-PAGE and western blotting, which resulted in approved protein expression. CONCLUSION Fusion protein of p24 and Nef is well expressed in eukaryotic cell lines according to its pre-evaluated features by bioinformatics tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Sadat Larijani
- Department of Hepatitis, AIDS and Blood Borne Diseases, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hassan Pouriayevali
- Department of Arboviruses and Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers (National Ref Lab), Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed Mehdi Sadat
- Department of Hepatitis, AIDS and Blood Borne Diseases, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amitis Ramezani
- Department of Clinical Research, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran
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15
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Chong ZX, Yeap SK, Ho WY. Transfection types, methods and strategies: a technical review. PeerJ 2021; 9:e11165. [PMID: 33976969 PMCID: PMC8067914 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.11165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Transfection is a modern and powerful method used to insert foreign nucleic acids into eukaryotic cells. The ability to modify host cells' genetic content enables the broad application of this process in studying normal cellular processes, disease molecular mechanism and gene therapeutic effect. In this review, we summarized and compared the findings from various reported literature on the characteristics, strengths, and limitations of various transfection methods, type of transfected nucleic acids, transfection controls and approaches to assess transfection efficiency. With the vast choices of approaches available, we hope that this review will help researchers, especially those new to the field, in their decision making over the transfection protocol or strategy appropriate for their experimental aims.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi Xiong Chong
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Swee Keong Yeap
- China-ASEAN College of Marine Sciences, Xiamen University Malaysia, Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Wan Yong Ho
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia
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16
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Build a Sustainable Vaccines Industry with Synthetic Biology. Trends Biotechnol 2021; 39:866-874. [PMID: 33431228 PMCID: PMC7834237 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2020.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 11/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The vaccines industry has not changed appreciably in decades regarding technology, and has struggled to remain viable, with large companies withdrawing from production. Meanwhile, there has been no let-up in outbreaks of viral disease, at a time when the biopharmaceuticals industry is discussing downsizing. The distributed manufacturing model aligns well with this, and the advent of synthetic biology promises much in terms of vaccine design. Biofoundries separate design from manufacturing, a hallmark of modern engineering. Once designed in a biofoundry, digital code can be transferred to a small-scale manufacturing facility close to the point of care, rather than physically transferring cold-chain-dependent vaccine. Thus, biofoundries and distributed manufacturing have the potential to open up a new era of biomanufacturing, one based on digital biology and information systems. This seems a better model for tackling future outbreaks and pandemics.
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Kis Z, Kontoravdi C, Shattock R, Shah N. Resources, Production Scales and Time Required for Producing RNA Vaccines for the Global Pandemic Demand. Vaccines (Basel) 2020; 9:3. [PMID: 33374802 PMCID: PMC7824664 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
To overcome pandemics, such as COVID-19, vaccines are urgently needed at very high volumes. Here we assess the techno-economic feasibility of producing RNA vaccines for the demand associated with a global vaccination campaign. Production process performance is assessed for three messenger RNA (mRNA) and one self-amplifying RNA (saRNA) vaccines, all currently under clinical development, as well as for a hypothetical next-generation saRNA vaccine. The impact of key process design and operation uncertainties on the performance of the production process was assessed. The RNA vaccine drug substance (DS) production rates, volumes and costs are mostly impacted by the RNA amount per vaccine dose and to a lesser extent by the scale and titre in the production process. The resources, production scale and speed required to meet global demand vary substantially in function of the RNA amount per dose. For lower dose saRNA vaccines, global demand can be met using a production process at a scale of below 10 L bioreactor working volume. Consequently, these small-scale processes require a low amount of resources to set up and operate. RNA DS production can be faster than fill-to-finish into multidose vials; hence the latter may constitute a bottleneck.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoltán Kis
- Centre for Process Systems Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK; (C.K.); (N.S.)
| | - Cleo Kontoravdi
- Centre for Process Systems Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK; (C.K.); (N.S.)
| | - Robin Shattock
- Department of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London W2 1PG, UK;
| | - Nilay Shah
- Centre for Process Systems Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK; (C.K.); (N.S.)
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18
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Abstract
TelN and tos are a unique DNA linearization unit isolated from bacteriophage N15. While being transferable, the TelN cleaving-rejoining activities remained stable to function on tos in both bacterial and mammalian environments. However, TelN contribution in linear plasmid replication in mammalian cells remains unknown. Herein, we investigated the association of TelN in linear tos-containing DNA (tos-DNA) replication in mammalian cells. Additionally, the mammalian origin of replication (ori) that is well-known to initiate the replication event of plasmid vectors was also studied. In doing so, we identified that both TelN and mammalian initiation sites were essential for the replication of linear tos-DNA, determined by using methylation sensitive DpnI/MboI digestion and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification approaches. Furthermore, we engineered the linear tos-DNA to be able to retain in mammalian cells using S/MAR technology. The resulting S/MAR containing tos-DNA was robust for at least 15 days, with (1) continuous tos-DNA replication, (2) correct splicing of gene transcripts, and (3) stable exogenous gene expression that was statistically comparable to the endogenous gene expression level. Understanding the activities of TelN and tos in mammalian cells can potentially provide insights for adapting this simple DNA linearization unit in developing novel genetic engineering tools, especially to the eukaryotic telomere/telomerase study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Sheng Liew
- School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, 47500 Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Tze Hao Tan
- Faculty of Science, Kyushu University, Ito campus, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Yin Cheng Wong
- School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, 47500 Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Edmund Ui Hang Sim
- Faculty of Resource Sciences and Technology, University Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Malaysia
| | - Choon Weng Lee
- Institute of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Kumaran Narayanan
- School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, 47500 Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
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