1
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Kok CY, MacLean LM, Rao R, Tsurusaki S, Kizana E. Promoter Optimization Circumvents Bcl-2 Transgene-Mediated Suppression of Lentiviral Vector Production. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1397. [PMID: 37759797 PMCID: PMC10526134 DOI: 10.3390/biom13091397] [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: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Lentiviral vectors are a robust gene delivery tool for inducing transgene expression in a variety of cells. They are well suited to facilitate the testing of therapeutic candidate genes in vitro, due to relative ease of packaging and ability to transduce dividing and non-dividing cells. Our goal was to identify a gene that could be delivered to the heart to protect against cancer-therapy-induced cardiotoxicity. We sought to generate a lentivirus construct with a ubiquitous CMV promoter driving expression of B-cell lymphocyte/leukemia 2 gene (Bcl-2), a potent anti-apoptotic gene. Contrary to our aim, overexpression of Bcl-2 induced cell death in the producer HEK293T cells, resulting in failure to produce usable vector titre. This was circumvented by exchanging the CMV promoter to the cardiac-specific NCX1 promoter, leading to the successful production of a lentiviral vector which could induce cardioprotective expression of Bcl-2. In conclusion, reduced expression of Bcl-2 driven by a weaker promoter improved vector yield, and led to the production of functional cardioprotective Bcl-2 in primary cardiomyocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy Y. Kok
- Centre for Heart Research, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; (C.Y.K.); (L.M.M.); (R.R.); (S.T.)
- Westmead Clinical School, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Lauren M. MacLean
- Centre for Heart Research, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; (C.Y.K.); (L.M.M.); (R.R.); (S.T.)
| | - Renuka Rao
- Centre for Heart Research, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; (C.Y.K.); (L.M.M.); (R.R.); (S.T.)
| | - Shinya Tsurusaki
- Centre for Heart Research, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; (C.Y.K.); (L.M.M.); (R.R.); (S.T.)
- Westmead Clinical School, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Eddy Kizana
- Centre for Heart Research, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia; (C.Y.K.); (L.M.M.); (R.R.); (S.T.)
- Westmead Clinical School, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
- Department of Cardiology, Westmead Hospital, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
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2
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Greig JA, Smith MK, Nordin JML, Goode T, Chroscinski EA, Buza EL, Schmidt N, Kattenhorn LM, Wadsworth S, Wilson JM. Determining the Minimally Effective Dose of a Clinical Candidate AAV Vector in a Mouse Model of Hemophilia A. Hum Gene Ther 2021; 33:421-431. [PMID: 34652966 PMCID: PMC9063151 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2021.108] [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] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Hemophilia A, a bleeding disorder, affects 1:5,000 males and is caused by a deficiency of human blood coagulation factor VIII (hFVIII). Studies in mice and macaques identified AAVhu37.E03.TTR.hFVIIIco-SQ.PA75 as a clinical candidate gene therapy vector to treat hemophilia A. In this study, we sought to determine the minimally effective dose (MED) of this vector in a hemophilia A mouse model. Mice received one of four vector doses (3 × 1011–1 × 1013 genome copies [GCs]/kg) via intravenous tail vein injection; one cohort received vehicle as a control. Animals were monitored daily after vector/vehicle administration. Blood samples were collected to evaluate hFVIII activity levels and anti-hFVIII antibodies. Animals were sacrificed and necropsied on days 28 and 56; tissues were harvested for histopathological examination and blood was collected for serum chemistry panel analysis. We found no significant differences in liver transaminase levels in mice administered any vector dose compared to those administered vehicle (except for one group administered 3 × 1011 GC/kg). Total bilirubin levels were significantly elevated compared to the vehicle group following two vector doses at day 56 (1 × 1012 and 1 × 1013 GC/kg). We observed no vector-related gross or histological findings. Most microscopic findings were in the vehicle group and considered secondary to blood loss, an expected phenotype of this mouse model. Since we observed no dose-limiting safety markers, we determined that the maximally tolerated dose was greater than or equal to the highest dose tested (1 × 1013 GC/kg). Since we detected hFVIII activity in all cohorts administered vector, we conclude that the MED is 3 × 1011 GC/kg—the lowest dose evaluated in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny A Greig
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 14640, Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States;
| | - Melanie K Smith
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 14640, Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States;
| | - Jayme M L Nordin
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 14640, Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States;
| | - Tamara Goode
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 14640, Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States;
| | - Edward A Chroscinski
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 14640, Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States;
| | - Elizabeth L Buza
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 14640, Gene Therapy Programa, 1225 S. 31st Street, Translational Research Labs (TRL), Suite 2000, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104;
| | - Nicole Schmidt
- Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc, 1668, Whippany, New Jersey, United States;
| | | | - Samuel Wadsworth
- Ultragenyx Gene Therapy, Cambridge , Massachusetts, United States;
| | - James M Wilson
- University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 14640, Gene Therapy Program, Suite 1200 TRL, 125 S. 31st Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104;
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3
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Poorebrahim M, Sadeghi S, Fakhr E, Abazari MF, Poortahmasebi V, Kheirollahi A, Askari H, Rajabzadeh A, Rastegarpanah M, Linē A, Cid-Arregui A. Production of CAR T-cells by GMP-grade lentiviral vectors: latest advances and future prospects. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci 2019; 56:393-419. [PMID: 31314617 DOI: 10.1080/10408363.2019.1633512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells represent a paradigm shift in cancer immunotherapy and a new milestone in the history of oncology. In 2017, the Food and Drug Administration approved two CD19-targeted CAR T-cell therapies (Kymriah™, Novartis, and Yescarta™, Kite Pharma/Gilead Sciences) that have remarkable efficacy in some B-cell malignancies. The CAR approach is currently being evaluated in multiple pivotal trials designed for the immunotherapy of hematological malignancies as well as solid tumors. To generate CAR T-cells ex vivo, lentiviral vectors (LVs) are particularly appealing due to their ability to stably integrate relatively large DNA inserts, and to efficiently transduce both dividing and nondividing cells. This review discusses the latest advances and challenges in the design and production of CAR T-cells, and the good manufacturing practices (GMP)-grade production process of LVs used as a gene transfer vehicle. New developments in the application of CAR T-cell therapy are also outlined with particular emphasis on next-generation allogeneic CAR T-cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mansour Poorebrahim
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran
| | - Solmaz Sadeghi
- Recombinant Proteins Department, Breast Cancer Research Center, Motamed Cancer Institute, ACECR , Tehran , Iran
| | - Elham Fakhr
- Department of Translational Immunology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) , Heidelberg , Germany
| | - Mohammad Foad Abazari
- Research Center for Clinical Virology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran
| | - Vahdat Poortahmasebi
- Liver and Gastrointestinal Disease Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz , Iran.,Infectious and Tropical Disease Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz , Iran.,Faculty of Medicine, Department of Bacteriology and Virology, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz , Iran
| | - Asma Kheirollahi
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran , Tehran , Iran
| | - Hassan Askari
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran
| | - Alireza Rajabzadeh
- Applied Cell Sciences and Tissue Engineering Department, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran
| | - Malihe Rastegarpanah
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran
| | - Aija Linē
- Latvian Biomedical Research and Study Centre , Riga , Latvia
| | - Angel Cid-Arregui
- Recombinant Proteins Department, Breast Cancer Research Center, Motamed Cancer Institute, ACECR , Tehran , Iran.,Targeted Tumor Vaccines Group, Clinical Cooperation Unit Applied Tumor Immunity, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) , Heidelberg , Germany
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4
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Deverman BE, Ravina BM, Bankiewicz KS, Paul SM, Sah DWY. Gene therapy for neurological disorders: progress and prospects. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2018; 17:641-659. [DOI: 10.1038/nrd.2018.110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 175] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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5
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Greig JA, Nordin JML, White JW, Wang Q, Bote E, Goode T, Calcedo R, Wadsworth S, Wang L, Wilson JM. Optimized Adeno-Associated Viral-Mediated Human Factor VIII Gene Therapy in Cynomolgus Macaques. Hum Gene Ther 2018; 29:1364-1375. [PMID: 29890905 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2018.080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Hemophilia A is a common hereditary bleeding disorder that is characterized by a deficiency of human blood coagulation factor VIII (hFVIII). Previous studies with adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors identified two liver-specific promoter and enhancer combinations (E03.TTR and E12.A1AT) that drove high level expression of a codon-optimized, B-domain-deleted hFVIII transgene in a mouse model of the disease. This study further evaluated these enhancer/promoter combinations in cynomolgus macaques using two different AAV capsids (AAVrh10 and AAVhu37). Each of the four vector combinations was administered intravenously at a dose of 1.2 × 1013 genome copy/kg into five macaques per group. Delivery of the hFVIII transgene via the AAVhu37 capsid resulted in a substantial increase in hFVIII expression compared to animals administered with AAVrh10 vectors. Two weeks after administration of E03.TTR packaged within the AAVhu37 capsid, average hFVIII expression was 20.2 ± 5.0% of normal, with one animal exhibiting peak expression of 37.1% of normal hFVIII levels. The majority of animals generated an anti-hFVIII antibody response by week 8-10 post vector delivery. However, two of the five macaques administered with AAVhu37.E03.TTR were free of a detectable antibody response for 30 weeks post vector administration. Overall, the study supports the continued development of AAV-based gene therapeutics for hemophilia A using the AAVhu37 capsid.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny A Greig
- 1 Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Jayme M L Nordin
- 1 Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - John W White
- 1 Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Qiang Wang
- 1 Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Erin Bote
- 1 Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Tamara Goode
- 1 Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Roberto Calcedo
- 1 Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | | | - Lili Wang
- 1 Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - James M Wilson
- 1 Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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6
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Nathwani AC, Davidoff AM, Tuddenham EGD. Advances in Gene Therapy for Hemophilia. Hum Gene Ther 2017; 28:1004-1012. [DOI: 10.1089/hum.2017.167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Amit C. Nathwani
- Department of Haematology, University College London Cancer Institute, London, United Kingdom
- Katharine Dormandy Haemophilia and Thrombosis Centre, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
- NHS Blood and Transplant, Watford, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew M. Davidoff
- Department of Surgery, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis Tennessee
| | - Edward G. D. Tuddenham
- Department of Haematology, University College London Cancer Institute, London, United Kingdom
- Katharine Dormandy Haemophilia and Thrombosis Centre, Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom
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7
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Abstract
The best currently available treatments for hemophilia A and B (factor VIII or factor IX deficiency, respectively) require frequent intravenous infusion of highly expensive proteins that have short half-lives. Factor levels follow a saw-tooth pattern that is seldom in the normal range and falls so low that breakthrough bleeding occurs. Most hemophiliacs worldwide do not have access to even this level of care. In stark contrast, gene therapy holds out the hope of a cure by inducing continuous endogenous expression of factor VIII or factor IX following transfer of a functional gene to replace the hemophilic patient's own defective gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit C Nathwani
- Department of Academic Haematology, UCL Cancer Institute, Katharine Dormandy Haemophilia and Thrombosis Centre, Rowland Hill Street, London NW3 2PF, United Kingdom; National Health Service Blood and Transplant, Oak House, Reeds Crescent, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD24 4QN, United Kingdom.
| | - Andrew M Davidoff
- Department of Surgery, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place Memphis, TN 38105-3678, USA
| | - Edward G D Tuddenham
- Department of Academic Haematology, UCL Cancer Institute, Katharine Dormandy Haemophilia and Thrombosis Centre, Rowland Hill Street, London NW3 2PF, United Kingdom
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8
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Maunder HE, Wright J, Kolli BR, Vieira CR, Mkandawire TT, Tatoris S, Kennedy V, Iqball S, Devarajan G, Ellis S, Lad Y, Clarkson NG, Mitrophanous KA, Farley DC. Enhancing titres of therapeutic viral vectors using the transgene repression in vector production (TRiP) system. Nat Commun 2017; 8:14834. [PMID: 28345582 PMCID: PMC5378976 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 02/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
A key challenge in the field of therapeutic viral vector/vaccine manufacturing is maximizing production. For most vector platforms, the ‘benchmark' vector titres are achieved with inert reporter genes. However, expression of therapeutic transgenes can often adversely affect vector titres due to biological effects on cell metabolism and/or on the vector virion itself. Here, we exemplify the novel ‘Transgene Repression In vector Production' (TRiP) system for the production of both RNA- and DNA-based viral vectors. The TRiP system utilizes a translational block of one or more transgenes by employing the bacterial tryptophan RNA-binding attenuation protein (TRAP), which binds its target RNA sequence close to the transgene initiation codon. We report enhancement of titres of lentiviral vectors expressing Cyclo-oxygenase-2 by 600-fold, and adenoviral vectors expressing the pro-apoptotic gene Bax by >150,000-fold. The TRiP system is transgene-independent and will be a particularly useful platform in the clinical development of viral vectors expressing problematic transgenes. The maximum titre of therapeutic viral vectors can be adversely affected by the encoded transgene. Here the authors repress transgene expression in producing cells by employing the tryptophan RNA-binding attenuation protein and show that it improves titre of RNA- and DNA-based viral vectors expressing toxic transgenes.
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Affiliation(s)
- H E Maunder
- Research Department, Oxford BioMedica Ltd., Windrush Court, Transport Way, Oxford OX4 6LT, UK
| | - J Wright
- Research Department, Oxford BioMedica Ltd., Windrush Court, Transport Way, Oxford OX4 6LT, UK
| | - B R Kolli
- Research Department, Oxford BioMedica Ltd., Windrush Court, Transport Way, Oxford OX4 6LT, UK
| | - C R Vieira
- Research Department, Oxford BioMedica Ltd., Windrush Court, Transport Way, Oxford OX4 6LT, UK
| | - T T Mkandawire
- Research Department, Oxford BioMedica Ltd., Windrush Court, Transport Way, Oxford OX4 6LT, UK
| | - S Tatoris
- Research Department, Oxford BioMedica Ltd., Windrush Court, Transport Way, Oxford OX4 6LT, UK
| | - V Kennedy
- Research Department, Oxford BioMedica Ltd., Windrush Court, Transport Way, Oxford OX4 6LT, UK
| | - S Iqball
- Research Department, Oxford BioMedica Ltd., Windrush Court, Transport Way, Oxford OX4 6LT, UK
| | - G Devarajan
- Research Department, Oxford BioMedica Ltd., Windrush Court, Transport Way, Oxford OX4 6LT, UK
| | - S Ellis
- Research Department, Oxford BioMedica Ltd., Windrush Court, Transport Way, Oxford OX4 6LT, UK
| | - Y Lad
- Research Department, Oxford BioMedica Ltd., Windrush Court, Transport Way, Oxford OX4 6LT, UK
| | - N G Clarkson
- Research Department, Oxford BioMedica Ltd., Windrush Court, Transport Way, Oxford OX4 6LT, UK
| | - K A Mitrophanous
- Research Department, Oxford BioMedica Ltd., Windrush Court, Transport Way, Oxford OX4 6LT, UK
| | - D C Farley
- Research Department, Oxford BioMedica Ltd., Windrush Court, Transport Way, Oxford OX4 6LT, UK
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9
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Greig JA, Wang Q, Reicherter AL, Chen SJ, Hanlon AL, Tipper CH, Clark KR, Wadsworth S, Wang L, Wilson JM. Characterization of Adeno-Associated Viral Vector-Mediated Human Factor VIII Gene Therapy in Hemophilia A Mice. Hum Gene Ther 2017; 28:392-402. [PMID: 28056565 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2016.128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors are promising vehicles for hemophilia gene therapy, with favorable clinical trial data seen in the treatment of hemophilia B. In an effort to optimize the expression of human coagulation factor VIII (hFVIII) for the treatment of hemophilia A, an extensive study was performed with numerous combinations of liver-specific promoter and enhancer elements with a codon-optimized hFVIII transgene. After generating 42 variants of three reduced-size promoters and three small enhancers, transgene cassettes were packaged within a single AAV capsid, AAVrh10, to eliminate performance differences due to the capsid type. Each hFVIII vector was administered to FVIII knockout (KO) mice at a dose of 1010 genome copies (GC) per mouse. Criteria for distinguishing the performance of the different enhancer/promoter combinations were established prior to the initiation of the studies. These criteria included prominently the level of hFVIII activity (0.12-2.12 IU/mL) and the pattern of development of anti-hFVIII antibodies. In order to evaluate the impact of capsid on hFVIII expression and antibody formation, one of the enhancer and promoter combinations that exhibited high hFVIII immunogenicity was evaluated using AAV8, AAV9, AAVrh10, AAVhu37, and AAVrh64R1 capsids. The capsids subdivided into two groups: those that generated anti-hFVIII antibodies in ≤20% of mice (AAV8 and AAV9), and those that generated anti-hFVIII antibodies in >20% of mice (AAVrh10, AAVhu37, and AAVrh64R1). The results of this study, which entailed extensive vector optimization and in vivo testing, demonstrate the significant impact that transcriptional control elements and capsid can have on vector performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny A Greig
- 1 Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Qiang Wang
- 1 Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Amanda L Reicherter
- 1 Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Shu-Jen Chen
- 1 Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Alexandra L Hanlon
- 2 School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | | | - K Reed Clark
- 3 Dimension Therapeutics , Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | | | - Lili Wang
- 4 Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - James M Wilson
- 1 Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania , Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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10
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Lheriteau E, Davidoff AM, Nathwani AC. Haemophilia gene therapy: Progress and challenges. Blood Rev 2015; 29:321-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.blre.2015.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2015] [Accepted: 03/04/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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11
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Nathwani AC, Nienhuis AW, Davidoff AM. Our journey to successful gene therapy for hemophilia B. Hum Gene Ther 2015; 25:923-6. [PMID: 25397929 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2014.2540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Amit C Nathwani
- 1 Katharine Dormandy Haemophilia Centre and Thrombosis Unit , Royal Free NHS Foundation Trust, London NW3 2QG, United Kingdom
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12
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High KH, Nathwani A, Spencer T, Lillicrap D. Current status of haemophilia gene therapy. Haemophilia 2014; 20 Suppl 4:43-9. [PMID: 24762274 DOI: 10.1111/hae.12411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
After many reports of successful gene therapy studies in small and large animal models of haemophilia, we have, at last, seen the first signs of success in human patients. These very encouraging results have been achieved with the use of adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors in patients with severe haemophilia B. Following on from these initial promising studies, there are now three ongoing trials of AAV-mediated gene transfer in haemophilia B all aiming to express the factor IX gene from the liver. Nevertheless, as discussed in the first section of this article, there are still a number of significant hurdles to overcome if haemophilia B gene therapy is to become more widely available. The second section of this article deals with the challenges relating to factor VIII gene transfer. While the recent results in haemophilia B are extremely encouraging, there is, as yet, no similar data for factor VIII gene therapy. It is widely accepted that this therapeutic target will be significantly more problematic for a variety of reasons including accommodating the larger factor VIII cDNA, achieving adequate levels of transgene expression and preventing the far more frequent complication of antifactor VIII immunity. In the final section of the article, the alternative approach of lentiviral vector-mediated gene transfer is discussed. While AAV-mediated approaches to transgene delivery have led the way in clinical haemophilia gene therapy, there are still a number of potential advantages of using an alternative delivery vehicle including the fact that ex vivo host cell transduction will avoid the likelihood of immune responses to the vector. Overall, these are exciting times for haemophilia gene therapy with the likelihood of further clinical successes in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- K H High
- Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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13
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Johnston JM, Denning G, Moot R, Whitehead D, Shields J, Le Doux JM, Doering CB, Spencer HT. High-throughput screening identifies compounds that enhance lentiviral transduction. Gene Ther 2014; 21:1008-20. [PMID: 25231175 DOI: 10.1038/gt.2014.80] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2014] [Revised: 06/30/2014] [Accepted: 08/01/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
A difficulty in the field of gene therapy is the need to increase the susceptibility of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) to ex vivo genetic manipulation. To overcome this obstacle a high-throughput screen was performed to identify compounds that could enhance the transduction of target cells by lentiviral vectors. Of the 1280 compounds initially screened using the myeloid-erythroid-leukemic K562 cell line, 30 were identified as possible enhancers of viral transduction. Among the positive hits were known enhancers of transduction (camptothecin, etoposide and taxol), as well as the previously unidentified phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). The percentage of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-positive-expressing K562 cells was increased more than fourfold in the presence of PMA. In addition, the transduction of K562 cells with a lentiviral vector encoding fVIII was four times greater in the presence of PMA as determined by an increase in the levels of provirus in genetically modified cells. PMA did not enhance viral transduction of all cell types (for example, sca-1(+) mouse hematopoietic cells) but did enhance viral transduction of human bone marrow-derived CD34(+) cells. Notably, the percentage of GFP-positive CD34(+) cells was increased from 7% in the absence of PMA to greater than 22% in the presence of 1 nM PMA. PMA did not affect colony formation of CD34(+) cells or the expression of the hematopoietic markers CD34 and CD45. These data demonstrate that high-throughput screening can be used to identify compounds that increase the transduction efficiency of lentiviral vectors, identifying PMA as a potential enhancer of lentiviral HSC transduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Johnston
- 1] Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA [2] Graduate Program in Molecular and Systems Pharmacology, Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - G Denning
- Expression Therapeutics, LLC, Tucker, GA, USA
| | - R Moot
- 1] Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA [2] Graduate Program in Molecular and Systems Pharmacology, Graduate Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - D Whitehead
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - J Shields
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - J M Le Doux
- Wallace H Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - C B Doering
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - H T Spencer
- Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
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14
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Therapeutic levels of FVIII following a single peripheral vein administration of rAAV vector encoding a novel human factor VIII variant. Blood 2013; 121:3335-44. [PMID: 23426947 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2012-10-462200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 209] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors encoding human factor VIII (hFVIII) were systematically evaluated for hemophilia A (HA) gene therapy. A 5.7-kb rAAV-expression cassette (rAAV-HLP-codop-hFVIII-N6) containing a codon-optimized hFVIII cDNA in which a 226 amino acid (aa) B-domain spacer replaced the entire B domain and a hybrid liver-specific promoter (HLP) mediated 10-fold higher hFVIII levels in mice compared with non-codon-optimized variants. A further twofold improvement in potency was achieved by replacing the 226-aa N6 spacer with a novel 17-aa peptide (V3) in which 6 glycosylation triplets from the B domain were juxtaposed. The resulting 5.2-kb rAAV-HLP-codop-hFVIII-V3 cassette was more efficiently packaged within AAV virions and mediated supraphysiologic hFVIII expression (732 ± 162% of normal) in HA knock-out mice following administration of 2 × 10(12) vector genomes/kg, a vector dose shown to be safe in subjects with hemophilia B. Stable hFVIII expression at 15 ± 4% of normal was observed at this dose in a nonhuman primate. hFVIII expression above 100% was observed in 3 macaques that received a higher dose of either this vector or the N6 variant. These animals developed neutralizing anti-FVIII antibodies that were abrogated with transient immunosuppression. Therefore, rAAV-HLP-codop-hFVIII-V3 substantially improves the prospects of effective HA gene therapy.
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Ding B, Kilpatrick DL. Lentiviral vector production, titration, and transduction of primary neurons. Methods Mol Biol 2013; 1018:119-131. [PMID: 23681623 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-62703-444-9_12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Lentiviral vectors have become very useful tools for transgene delivery. Based on their ability to transduce both dividing and nondividing cells and to produce long-term transgene expression, lentiviruses have found numerous applications in the biomedical sciences, including developmental neuroscience. This protocol describes how to prepare lentiviral vectors by calcium phosphate transfection and to concentrate viral particles by ultracentrifugation. Functional vector titers can then be determined by methods such as fluorescence-activated cell sorting or immunostaining. Effective titers in the range of 10(8)-10(9) infectious units/ml can be routinely obtained using these protocols. Finally, we describe the infection of primary neuronal cultures with lentiviral vectors resulting in 85-90 % cell transduction using appropriate multiplicities of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baojin Ding
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
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16
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Bire S, Rouleux-Bonnin F. Transgene Site-Specific Integration: Problems and Solutions. SITE-DIRECTED INSERTION OF TRANSGENES 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-4531-5_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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17
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Chen J, Lin M, Li N, Lin L, She F. Therapeutic vaccination with Salmonella-delivered codon-optimized outer inflammatory protein DNA vaccine enhances protection in Helicobacter pylori infected mice. Vaccine 2012; 30:5310-5. [PMID: 22749593 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2012.06.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2012] [Revised: 05/31/2012] [Accepted: 06/16/2012] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Vaccination had demonstrated as an alternative way to combat Helicobacter pylori challenge. In the present study, codon-optimized outer inflammatory protein gene (oipA) for Mus species codon usage, the inclusion of optimal Kozak sequence, and modified of GC content was applied to construct a novel DNA construct. The Salmonella-delivered wild type oipA construct (SL7207/poipA) and the Salmonella-delivered codon-optimized oipA construct (SL7207/poipA-opt) were prepared and their therapeutic efficacy was evaluated in H. pylori-infected mice. The codon-optimized oipA construct (poipA-opt) expressed almost six-fold higher protein than that of wild type construct (poipA) as normalized to the β-actin expression in AGS cells. Oral therapeutic immunization with SL7207/poipA-opt significantly eliminated H. pylori colonization in the stomach; and protection was related to a robust Th1/Th2 immune response. Therefore, our results suggested that fine therapeutic efficacy was related to sufficient expression of the antigen. It is supposed that codon-optimized oipA gene improves protein expression and consequently enhances the immunogenicity of DNA vaccine, which resulted in a significant reduction of bacterial loads in H. pylori infected mice. The Salmonella-delivered codon-optimized DNA construct could be a candidate vaccine against H. pylori for the clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiansen Chen
- Department of Hospital Infection Control, Union Hospital, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou 350001, Fujian, China
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18
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Roberts SA, Dong B, Firrman JA, Moore AR, Sang N, Xiao W. Engineering Factor Viii for Hemophilia Gene Therapy. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 1. [PMID: 23565342 DOI: 10.4172/2157-7412.s1-006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Current treatment of hemophilia A by intravenous infusion of factor VIII (fVIII) concentrates is very costly and has a potential adverse effect of developing inhibitors. Gene therapy, on the other hand, can potentially overcome these limitations associated with fVIII replacement therapy. Although hemophilia B gene therapy has achieved promising outcomes in human clinical trials, hemophilia A gene therapy lags far behind. Compared to factor IX, fVIII is a large protein which is difficult to express at sustaining therapeutic levels when delivered by either viral or non-viral vectors. To improve fVIII gene delivery, numerous strategies have been exploited to engineer the fVIII molecule and overcome the hurdles preventing long term and high level expression. Here we reviewed these strategies, and discussed their pros and cons in human gene therapy of hemophilia A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean A Roberts
- Sol Sherry Thrombosis Research Center, Philadelphia PA 19140, USA
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19
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Stewart HJ, Fong-Wong L, Strickland I, Chipchase D, Kelleher M, Stevenson L, Thoree V, McCarthy J, Ralph GS, Mitrophanous KA, Radcliffe PA. A stable producer cell line for the manufacture of a lentiviral vector for gene therapy of Parkinson's disease. Hum Gene Ther 2011; 22:357-69. [PMID: 21070114 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2010.142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
ProSavin is an equine infectious anemia virus vector-based gene therapy for Parkinson's disease for which inducible HEK293T-based producer cell lines (PCLs) have been developed. These cell lines demonstrate stringent tetracycline-regulated expression of the packaging components and yield titers comparable to the established transient production system. A prerequisite for the use of PCL-derived lentiviral vectors (LVs) in clinical applications is the thorough characterization of both the LV and respective PCL with regard to identity and genetic stability. We describe the detailed characterization of two ProSavin PCLs (PS5.8 and PS46.2) and resultant ProSavin vector. The two cell lines demonstrate stable production of vector over a time period sufficient to allow generation of master and working cell banks, and subsequent large-scale vector production. ProSavin generated from the PCLs performs comparably in vivo to that produced by the standard transient transfection process with respect to transduction efficiency and immunogenicity. The development of ProSavin PCLs, and the detailed characterization described here, will aid the advancement of ProSavin for clinical application.
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20
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Zielonka J, Bravo IG, Marino D, Conrad E, Perković M, Battenberg M, Cichutek K, Münk C. Restriction of equine infectious anemia virus by equine APOBEC3 cytidine deaminases. J Virol 2009; 83:7547-59. [PMID: 19458006 PMCID: PMC2708611 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00015-09] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2009] [Accepted: 05/11/2009] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammalian APOBEC3 (A3) proteins comprise a multigene family of cytidine deaminases that act as potent inhibitors of retroviruses and retrotransposons. The A3 locus on the chromosome 28 of the horse genome contains multiple A3 genes: two copies of A3Z1, five copies of A3Z2, and a single copy of A3Z3, indicating a complex evolution of multiple gene duplications. We have cloned and analyzed for expression the different equine A3 genes and examined as well the subcellular distribution of the corresponding proteins. Additionally, we have tested the functional antiretroviral activity of the equine and of several of the human and nonprimate A3 proteins against the Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV), the Simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), and the Adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV-2). Hematopoietic cells of horses express at least five different A3s: A3Z1b, A3Z2a-Z2b, A3Z2c-Z2d, A3Z2e, and A3Z3, whereas circulating macrophages, the natural target of EIAV, express only part of the A3 repertoire. The five A3Z2 tandem copies arose after three consecutive, recent duplication events in the horse lineage, after the split between Equidae and Carnivora. The duplicated genes show different antiviral activities against different viruses: equine A3Z3 and A3Z2c-Z2d are potent inhibitors of EIAV while equine A3Z1b, A3Z2a-Z2b, A3Z2e showed only weak anti-EIAV activity. Equine A3Z1b and A3Z3 restricted AAV and all equine A3s, except A3Z1b, inhibited SIV. We hypothesize that the horse A3 genes are undergoing a process of subfunctionalization in their respective viral specificities, which might provide the evolutionary advantage for keeping five copies of the original gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jörg Zielonka
- Division of Medical Biotechnology, Paul Ehrlich Institut, Langen, Germany
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21
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Kutner RH, Zhang XY, Reiser J. Production, concentration and titration of pseudotyped HIV-1-based lentiviral vectors. Nat Protoc 2009; 4:495-505. [DOI: 10.1038/nprot.2009.22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 463] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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22
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Stewart HJ, Leroux-Carlucci MA, Sion CJM, Mitrophanous KA, Radcliffe PA. Development of inducible EIAV-based lentiviral vector packaging and producer cell lines. Gene Ther 2009; 16:805-14. [DOI: 10.1038/gt.2009.20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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23
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Foster H, Sharp PS, Athanasopoulos T, Trollet C, Graham IR, Foster K, Wells DJ, Dickson G. Codon and mRNA Sequence Optimization of Microdystrophin Transgenes Improves Expression and Physiological Outcome in Dystrophic mdx Mice Following AAV2/8 Gene Transfer. Mol Ther 2008; 16:1825-32. [DOI: 10.1038/mt.2008.186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
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24
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ESGCT 2008 Poster Presentations. Hum Gene Ther 2008. [DOI: 10.1089/hum.2008.1034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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25
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Moreno-Carranza B, Gentsch M, Stein S, Schambach A, Santilli G, Rudolf E, Ryser MF, Haria S, Thrasher AJ, Baum C, Brenner S, Grez M. Transgene optimization significantly improves SIN vector titers, gp91phox expression and reconstitution of superoxide production in X-CGD cells. Gene Ther 2008; 16:111-8. [PMID: 18784749 DOI: 10.1038/gt.2008.143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Gene therapy has proven to be of potential value for the correction of inherited hematopoietic disorders. However, the occurrence of severe side effects in some of the clinical trials has questioned the safety of this approach and has hampered the use of long terminal repeat-driven vectors for the treatment of a large number of patients. The development of self-inactivating (SIN) vectors with reduced genotoxicity provides an alternative to the currently used vectors. Our initial attempts to use SIN vectors for the correction of a myeloid disorder, chronic granulomatous disease, failed due to low vector titers and poor transgene expression. The optimization of the transgene cDNA (gp91(phox)) resulted in substantially increased titers and transgene expression. Most notably, transgene optimization significantly improved expression of a second cistron located downstream of gp91(phox). Thus, optimization of the transgene sequence results in higher expression levels and increased therapeutic index allowing the use of low vector copy numbers per transduced cell and weaker internal promoters.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Moreno-Carranza
- Division of Applied Virology and Gene Therapy, Institute for Biomedical Research, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt, Germany
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