HTLV type 1 Tax transduction in microglial cells and astrocytes by lentiviral vectors

Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis: Clinical presentation and pathophysiology

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is a slowly progressive neurodegenerative disorder in which lesions of the central nervous system cause progressive weakness, stiffness, and a lower limb spastic paraparesis. In some cases, polymyositis, inclusion body myositis, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-like syndromes are associated with HTLV-1. TSP was first described in Jamaica in 1888 and known as Jamaican peripheral neuritis before TSP was related to HTLV-1 virus, the first retrovirus being identified, and the disease is since named HAM/TSP. There is no established treatment program for HAM/TSP. Prevention is difficult in low-income patients (i.e., HTLV-1 infected breast feeding mothers in rural areas, sex workers). Thus, there is a need for new therapeutic avenues. Therapeutic approaches must be based on a better understanding, not only of clinical and clinicopathological data, but also of the pathophysiology of the affection. Consequently, a better understanding of existing or newly developed animal models of HAM/TSP is a prerequisite step in the development of new treatments.

Development of non-viral vehicles for targeted gene transfer into microglia via the integrin receptor CD11b

Microglial activation is a central event in neurodegeneration. Novel technologies are sought for that specifically manipulate microglial function in order to delineate their role in onset and progression of neuropathologies. We investigated for the first time whether non-viral gene delivery based on polyethyleneglycol-polyethyleneimine conjugated to the monoclonal anti-CD11b antibody OX42 ("OX42-immunogene") could be used to specifically target microglia. We first conducted immunofluorescence studies with the OX42 antibody and identified its microglial integrin receptor CD11b as a potential target for receptor-mediated gene transfer based on its cellular specificity in mixed glia culture and in vivo and found that the OX42 antibody is rapidly internalized and trafficked to acidic organelles in absence of activation of the respiratory burst. We then performed transfection experiments with the OX42-immunogene in vitro and in rat brain showing that the OX42-immunogene although internalized was degraded intracellularly and did not cause substantial gene expression in microglia. Investigation of specific barriers to microglial gene transfer revealed that aggregated OX42-immunogene polyplexes stimulated the respiratory burst that likely involved Fcγ-receptors. Transfections in the presence of the endosomolytic agent chloroquine improved transfection efficiency indicating that endosomal escape may be limited. This study identifies CD11b as an entry point for antibody-mediated gene transfer into microglia and takes important steps toward the further development of OX42-immunogenes.

Hyperbaric oxygen improves engraftment of ex-vivo expanded and gene transduced human CD34⁺ cells in a murine model of umbilical cord blood transplantation

Delayed engraftment and graft failure represent major obstacles to successful umbilical cord blood (UCB) transplantation. Herein, we evaluated the use of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy as an intervention to improve human UCB stem/progenitor cell engraftment in an immune deficient mouse model. Six- to eight-week old NSG mice were sublethally irradiated 24 hours prior to CD34⁺ UCB cell transplant. Irradiated mice were separated into a non-HBO group (where mice remained under normoxic conditions) and the HBO group (where mice received 2 hours of HBO therapy; 100% oxygen at 2.5 atmospheres absolute). Four hours after completing HBO therapy, both groups intravenously received CD34⁺ UCB cells that were transduced with a lentivirus carrying luciferase gene and expanded for in vivo imaging. Mice were imaged and then sacrificed at one of 10 times up to 4.5 months post-transplant. HBO treated mice demonstrated significantly improved bone marrow, peripheral blood, and spleen retention and subsequent engraftment. In addition, HBO significantly improved peripheral, spleen and bone marrow engraftment of human myeloid and B-cell subsets. In vivo imaging demonstrated that HBO mice had significantly higher ventral and dorsal bioluminescence values. These studies suggest that HBO treatment of NSG mice prior to UCB CD34⁺ cell infusion significantly improves engraftment.

Lentiviral vector-mediated gene transfer and RNA silencing technology in neuronal dysfunctions

Lentiviral-mediated gene transfer in vivo or in cultured mammalian neurons can be used to address a wide variety of biological questions, to design animal models for specific neurodegenerative pathologies, or to test potential therapeutic approaches in a variety of brain disorders. Lentiviruses can infect nondividing cells, thereby allowing stable gene transfer in postmitotic cells such as mature neurons. An important contribution has been the use of inducible vectors: the same animal can thus be used repeatedly in the doxycycline-on or -off state, providing a powerful mean for assessing the function of a gene candidate in a disorder within a specific neuronal circuit. Furthermore, lentivirus vectors provide a unique tool to integrate siRNA expression constructs with the aim to locally knockdown expression of a specific gene, enabling to assess the function of a gene in a very specific neuronal pathway. Lentiviral vector-mediated delivery of short hairpin RNA results in persistent knockdown of gene expression in the brain. Therefore, the use of lentiviruses for stable expression of siRNA in brain is a powerful aid to probe gene functions in vivo and for gene therapy of diseases of the central nervous system. In this chapter, I review the applications of lentivirus-mediated gene transfer in the investigation of specific gene candidates involved in major brain disorders and neurodegenerative processes. Major applications have been in polyglutamine disorders, such as synucleinopathies and Parkinson's disease, or in investigating gene function in Huntington's disease, dystonia, or muscular dystrophy. Recently, lentivirus gene transfer has been an invaluable tool for evaluation of gene function in behavioral disorders such as drug addiction and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder or in learning and cognition.

SHP-1 deficiency and increased inflammatory gene expression in PBMCs of multiple sclerosis patients

Recent studies in mice have demonstrated that the protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 is a crucial negative regulator of cytokine signaling, inflammatory gene expression, and demyelination in central nervous system. The present study investigates a possible similar role for SHP-1 in the human disease multiple sclerosis (MS). The levels of SHP-1 protein and mRNA in PBMCs of MS patients were significantly lower compared to normal subjects. Moreover, promoter II transcripts, expressed from one of two known promoters, were selectively deficient in MS patients. To examine functional consequences of the lower SHP-1 in PBMCs of MS patients, we measured the intracellular levels of phosphorylated STAT6 (pSTAT6). As expected, MS patients had significantly higher levels of pSTAT6. Accordingly, siRNA to SHP-1 effectively increased the levels of pSTAT6 in PBMCs of controls to levels equal to MS patients. Additionally, transduction of PBMCs with a lentiviral vector expressing SHP-1 lowered pSTAT6 levels. Finally, multiple STAT6-responsive inflammatory genes were increased in PBMCs of MS patients relative to PBMCs of normal subjects. Thus, PBMCs of MS patients display a stable deficiency of SHP-1 expression, heightened STAT6 phosphorylation, and an enhanced state of activation relevant to the mechanisms of inflammatory demyelination.

Muscle wasting induced by HTLV-1 tax-1 protein: an in vitro and in vivo study

Besides tropical spastic paraparesis/human T-cell leukemia virus type-1 (HTLV-1)-associated myelopathy, the human retrovirus HTLV-1 causes inflammatory disorders such as myositis. Although the pathogenesis of HTLV-1-associated myositis is primarily unknown, a direct effect of cytokines or viral proteins in myocytotoxicity is suspected. We have developed an in vitro cell culture model to study the interactions between primary human muscle cells and HTLV-1 chronically infected cells. When HTLV-1-infected cell lines were added to differentiated muscle cultures, cytopathic changes such as fiber shrinking were observed as early as 1 day after contact. This was accompanied by alterations in desmin and vimentin organization, occurring in the absence of muscle cell infection but with Tax-1 present in myotubes. Cytopathic changes were also observed when infected culture supernatants were added to the muscle cells. Fiber atrophy and cytoskeletal disorganization were confirmed in muscle biopsies from two HTLV-1-infected patients with myositis. Transduction of cultured muscle cells with a lentiviral vector containing the HTLV-1 Tax gene reproduced such effects in vitro. The present data indicate that the myocytotoxicity that is observed in HTLV-1-associated myopathies can be due to a direct effect of the Tax-1 protein expressed in infected inflammatory cells, in the absence of muscle cell infection.

Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 mitochondrion-localizing protein p13II sensitizes Jurkat T cells to Ras-mediated apoptosis

Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the etiological agent of adult T-cell leukemia. In addition to typical retroviral structural and enzymatic gene products, HTLV-1 encodes unique regulatory and accessory proteins, including a singly spliced pX open reading frame II (ORF II) product, p13(II). We have demonstrated that proviral clones of HTLV-1 which are mutated in pX ORF II fail to obtain typical proviral loads and antibody responses in a rabbit animal model. p13(II) localizes to mitochondria and reduces cell growth and tumorigenicity in mice, but its function in human lymphocytes remains undetermined. For this study, we analyzed the functional properties of Jurkat T cells expressing p13(II), using both transient and stable expression vectors. Our data indicate that p13(II)-expressing Jurkat T cells are sensitive to caspase-dependent, ceramide- and FasL-induced apoptosis. p13(II)-expressing Jurkat T cells also exhibited reduced proliferation when cultured at a high density. Furthermore, preincubation of the p13(II)-expressing cells with a farnesyl transferase inhibitor, which blocks the posttranslational modification of Ras, markedly reduced FasL-induced apoptosis, indicating the participation of the Ras pathway in p13(II)'s influence on lymphocyte survival. Our data are the first to demonstrate that p13(II) alters Ras-mediated apoptosis in T lymphocytes, and they reveal a potential mechanism by which HTLV-1 alters lymphocyte proliferation.

Lentiviral transduction of microglial cells

Microglial cells are the resident immune cells of the central nervous system. Their function resembles that of tissue macrophages and, as such, they share many properties with both peripheral macrophages and monocytes. One striking similarity is the difficulty with which these cells can be genetically manipulated via transfection or transduction. We have sought to overcome this challenge and generate stably transduced microglial cell lines. Based on encouraging results from macrophages, we hypothesized that lentiviral vectors might provide a valuable tool in the transduction of microglial cells. Using a lentiviral-based vector system expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) under the control of the murine stem cell virus promoter (MSCV), we found that multiplicities of infection (MOIs) of 1, 10, and 100 transduce >70%, >88%, and >95% of the cells, respectively. From the pool of transduced cells, we established lines of N9 and BV-2 microglial cells with distinct fluorescence intensities. Using real time-polymerase chain reaction (PCR), we correlated the integrated eGFP copy numbers to eGFP fluorescence measured by flow cytometry. When mixed, up to three lines with different eGFP intensities could be separated by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy. Neither infection nor transgene expression influenced microglial activation as assessed by nitric oxide (NO) production, cytokine release, and surface antigen expression. Our findings that microglial cells are easily transduced by lentiviral based vectors will facilitate research depending on genetic manipulation and help generate transgenic cell lines. In addition, the availability of microglial cell lines with defined fluorescence properties could replace elaborate staining procedures for microglial identification in co-culture experiments.

Human T lymphotropic virus type-1 p30II alters cellular gene expression to selectively enhance signaling pathways that activate T lymphocytes

Background

Human T-lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1) is a deltaretrovirus that causes adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma and is implicated in a variety of lymphocyte-mediated disorders. HTLV-1 contains both regulatory and accessory genes in four pX open reading frames. pX ORF-II encodes two proteins, p13^II and p30^II, which are incompletely defined in the virus life cycle or HTLV-1 pathogenesis. Proviral clones of the virus with pX ORF-II mutations diminish the ability of the virus to maintain viral loads in vivo. Exogenous expression of p30^II differentially modulates CREB and Tax-responsive element-mediated transcription through its interaction with CREB-binding protein/p300 and represses tax/rex RNA nuclear export.

Results

Herein, we further characterized the role of p30^II in regulation of cellular gene expression, using stable p30^II expression system employing lentiviral vectors to test cellular gene expression with Affymetrix U133A arrays, representing ~33,000 human genes. Reporter assays in Jurkat T cells and RT-PCR in Jurkat and primary CD4+ T-lymphocytes were used to confirm selected gene expression patterns. Our data reveals alterations of interrelated pathways of cell proliferation, T-cell signaling, apoptosis and cell cycle in p30^II expressing Jurkat T cells. In all categories, p30^II appeared to be an overall repressor of cellular gene expression, while selectively increasing the expression of certain key regulatory genes.

Conclusions

We are the first to demonstrate that p30^II, while repressing the expression of many genes, selectively activates key gene pathways involved in T-cell signaling/activation. Collectively, our data suggests that this complex retrovirus, associated with lymphoproliferative diseases, relies upon accessory gene products to modify cellular environment to promote clonal expansion of the virus genome and thus maintain proviral loads in vivo.

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) and HTLV-2 tax oncoproteins modulate cell cycle progression and apoptosis

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is the etiologic agent of adult T-cell leukemia and lymphoma, an aggressive clonal malignancy of human CD4-bearing T lymphocytes. HTLV-2, although highly related to HTLV-1 at the molecular level, has not been conclusively linked to development of lymphoproliferative disorders. Differences between the biological activities of the respective tax gene products (Tax1 and Tax2) may be one factor which accounts for the differential pathogenicities associated with infection. To develop an in vitro model to investigate and compare the effects of constitutive expression of Tax1 and Tax2, Jurkat T-cell lines were infected with lentivirus vectors encoding Tax1 and Tax2 in conjunction with green fluorescent protein, and stably transduced clonal cell lines were generated by serial dilution in the absence of drug selection. Jurkat cells that constitutively express Tax1 and Tax2 (Tax1/Jurkat and Tax2/Jurkat, respectively) showed notably reduced kinetics of cellular replication, and Tax1 inhibited cellular replication to a higher degree in comparison to Tax2. Tax1 markedly activated transcription from the cdk inhibitor p21(cip1/waf1) promoter in comparison to Tax2, suggesting that upregulation of p21(cip1/waf1) may account for the differential inhibition of cellular replication kinetics displayed by Tax1/Jurkat and Tax2/Jurkat cells. The presence of binucleated and multinucleated cells, reminiscent of large lymphocytes with cleaved or cerebriform nuclei often seen in HTLV-1- and -2-seropositive patients, was noted in cultures expressing Tax1 and Tax2. Although Tax1 and Tax2 expression mediated elevated resistance to apoptosis in Jurkat cells after serum deprivation, Tax1 was unique in protection from apoptosis after exposure to camptothecin and etoposide, inhibitors of topoisomerase I and II, respectively. Characterization of the unique phenotypes displayed by Tax1 and Tax2 in vitro will provide information as to the relative roles of these oncoproteins and their contribution to HTLV-1 and -2 pathogenesis in vivo.

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 tax oncoprotein suppression of multilineage hematopoiesis of CD34+ cells in vitro

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) and HTLV-2 are highly related viruses that differ in disease manifestation. HTLV-1 is the etiologic agent of adult T-cell leukemia and lymphoma, an aggressive clonal malignancy of human CD4-bearing T lymphocytes. Infection with HTLV-2 has not been conclusively linked to lymphoproliferative disorders. We previously showed that human hematopoietic progenitor (CD34(+)) cells can be infected by HTLV-1 and that proviral sequences were maintained after differentiation of infected CD34(+) cells in vitro and in vivo. To investigate the role of the Tax oncoprotein of HTLV on hematopoiesis, bicistronic lentiviral vectors were constructed encoding the HTLV-1 or HTLV-2 tax genes (Tax1 and Tax2, respectively) and the green fluorescent protein marker gene. Human hematopoietic progenitor (CD34(+)) cells were infected with lentivirus vectors, and transduced cells were cultured in a semisolid medium permissive for the development of erythroid, myeloid, and primitive progenitor colonies. Tax1-transduced CD34(+) cells displayed a two- to fivefold reduction in the total number of hematopoietic clonogenic colonies that arose in vitro, in contrast to Tax2-transduced cells, which showed no perturbation of hematopoiesis. The ratio of colony types that developed from Tax1-transduced CD34(+) cells remained unaffected, suggesting that Tax1 inhibited the maturation of relatively early, uncommitted hematopoietic stem cells. Since previous reports have linked Tax1 expression with initiation of apoptosis, lentiviral vector-mediated transduction of Tax1 or Tax2 was investigated in CEM and Jurkat T-cell lines. Ectopic expression of either Tax1 or Tax2 failed to induce apoptosis in T-cell lines. These data demonstrate that Tax1 expression perturbs development and maturation of pluripotent hematopoietic progenitor cells, an activity that is not displayed by Tax2, and that the suppression of hematopoiesis is not attributable to induction of apoptosis. Since hematopoietic progenitor cells may serve as a latently infected reservoir for HTLV infection in vivo, the different abilities of HTLV-1 and -2 Tax to suppress hematopoiesis may play a role in the respective clinical outcomes after infection with HTLV-1 or -2.

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 p12I enhances interleukin-2 production during T-cell activation

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) causes adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) and a variety of lymphoproliferative disorders. The early virus-cell interactions that determine a productive infection remain unclear. However, it is well recognized that T-cell activation is required for effective retroviral integration into the host cell genome and subsequent viral replication. The HTLV-1 pX open reading frame I encoding protein, p12(I), is critical for the virus to establish persistent infection in vivo and for infection in quiescent primary lymphocytes in vitro. p12(I) localizes in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and cis-Golgi apparatus, increases intracellular calcium and activates nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT)-mediated transcription. To clarify the function of p12(I), we tested the production of IL-2 from Jurkat T cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) expressing p12(I). Lentiviral vector expressed p12(I) in Jurkat T cells enhanced interleukin-2 (IL-2) production in a calcium pathway-dependent manner during T-cell receptor (TCR) stimulation. Expression of p12(I) also induced higher NFAT-mediated reporter gene activities during TCR stimulation in Jurkat T cells. In contrast, p12 expression in PBMC elicited increased IL-2 production in the presence of phorbal ester stimulation, but not during TCR stimulation. Finally, the requirement of ER localization for p12(I)-mediated NFAT activation was demonstrated and two positive regions and two negative regions in p12(I) were identified for the activation of this transcription factor by using p12(I) truncation mutants. These results are the first to indicate that HTLV-1, an etiologic agent associated with lymphoproliferative diseases, uses a conserved accessory protein to induce T-cell activation, an antecedent to efficient viral infection.

Activation of the ATR-mediated DNA damage response by the HIV-1 viral protein R

DNA damage is a universal inducer of cell cycle arrest at the G2 phase. Infection by the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) also blocks cellular proliferation at the G2 phase. The HIV-1 accessory gene vpr encodes a conserved 96-amino acid protein (Vpr) that is necessary and sufficient for the HIV-1-induced block of cellular proliferation. In the present study, we examined a recently identified DNA damage-signaling protein, the ATM- and Rad3-related protein, ATR, for its potential role in the induction of G2 arrest by Vpr. We show that inhibition of ATR by pharmacological inhibitors, by expression of the dominant-negative form of ATR, or by RNA interference inhibits Vpr-induced cell cycle arrest. As with DNA damage, activation of ATR by Vpr results in phosphorylation of Chk1. This study provides conclusive evidence of activation of the ATR-initiated DNA damage-signaling pathway by a viral gene product. These observations are important toward understanding how HIV infection promotes cell cycle disruption, cell death, and ultimately, CD4+ lymphocyte depletion.

Selective gene expression in brain microglia mediated via adeno-associated virus type 2 and type 5 vectors

Microglia represent a crucial cell population in the central nervous system, participating in the regulation and surveillance of physiological processes as well as playing key roles in the etiologies of several major brain disorders. The ability to target gene transfer vehicles selectively to microglia would provide a powerful new approach to investigations of mechanisms regulating brain pathologies, as well as enable the development of novel therapeutic strategies. In this study, we evaluate the feasibility of specifically and efficiently targeting microglia relative to other brain cells, using vectors based on two different serotypes of adeno-associated virus (AAV) carrying cell-type-specific transcriptional elements to regulate gene expression. Among a set of promoter choices examined, an element derived from the gene for the murine macrophage marker F4/80 was the most discriminating for microglia. Gene expression from vectors controlled by this element was highly selective for microglia, both in vitro and in vivo. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of selective expression of transferred genes in microglia using AAV-derived vectors, as well as the first utilization of recombinant AAV-5 vectors in any macrophage lineage. These results provide strong encouragement for the application of these vectors and this approach for delivering therapeutic and other genes selectively to microglia.

Lentiviral vectors for gene delivery into cells

Human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV) is the etiologic agent of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or AIDS. Vectors based upon HIV have been in use for over a decade. Beginning in 1996, with the demonstration of improved pseudotyping using vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) G protein along with transduction of resting mammalian cells, a series of improvements have been made in these vectors, making them both safer and more efficacious. Taking a cue from vector development of murine leukemia virus (MLV), split coding and self-inactivating HIV vectors now appear quite suitable for phase I clinical trials. In parallel, a number of pre-clinical efficacy studies in animals have demonstrated the utility of these vectors for various diseases processes, especially neurodegenerative and hematopoietic illnesses. These vectors are also appropriate for the study of other viruses (specifically of viral entry) and investigation of the HIV replicative cycle, along with straightforward transgene delivery to target cells of interest. Vectors based upon other lentiviruses have shown similar abilities and promise. Although concerns remain, particularly with regards to detection and propagation of replication-competent lentivirus, it is almost certain that these vectors will be introduced into the clinic within the next 3-5 years.

Efficient transfer of HTLV-1 tax gene in various primary and immortalized cells using a flap lentiviral vector

Human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) causes two major diseases: adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma and tropical spastic paraparesis/HTLV-1 associated myelopathy (TSP/HAM). In order to understand the involvement of Tax protein in HTLV-1 pathogenesis, we constructed a HIV-1 based lentiviral vector containing the central DNA flap sequence and either the green fluorescent protein (GFP) or the HTLV-1 tax genes. Using these vectors, GFP and tax genes were introduced in several primary and immortalized cells of endothelial, lymphoid, astrocytic or macrophagic origin. As assessed by GFP expression, up to 100% efficiency of transduction was obtained for all cell types tested. Tax expression was detected by Western blot and immuno-fluorescence in the transduced cells. After transduction, the Tax transcriptional activity was confirmed by the transactivation of HTLV-1 LTR-lacZ or HTLV-1 LTR-GFP reporter genes. Increased CD25 and HLA DR expression was observed in human peripheral blood lymphocytes transduced with the Tax vector. These results indicate that both pathways of Tax transactivation, CREB (viral LTR) and NF-kappa B (CD25 and HLA DR), are functional after transduction by TRIP Tax vector. Therefore, this vector provides a useful tool for investigating the role of the Tax viral protein in the pathogenesis of diseases linked to HTLV-1 infection.

Multigene lentiviral vectors based on differential splicing and translational control

Lentiviral vectors, so far, have been optimized for the expression of a single open reading frame. Certain practical applications of gene therapy will, however, require expression of multiple genes. The goal of this study was to explore the feasibility of directing expression of two marker genes from a lentiviral vector. We designed two types of multigene lentiviral vectors. First, we used a strategy based on the natural splicing signals of HIV-1, by which multiple mRNAs are generated from a single transcriptional unit. A second strategy was construction of a polycistronic mRNA using a translational cis-acting element, the encephalomyocarditis virus internal ribosome entry site (IRES). Our studies show that the inclusion of multiple genes in lentiviral vectors does not result in reduction in virus titers or in the loss of ability to infect nondividing cells. We introduced mutations in tat and/or rev to test whether splicing modulates the relative levels of expression of reporter genes. We also developed a truncated version of tat, which is devoid of the apoptosis-associated domain. Inclusion of this tat mutant in a lentiviral vector resulted in the generation of virus with titers similar to those of lentivirus vectors expressing wild-type tat.