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Zhang Z, Zhang S, Wong HT, Li D, Feng B. Targeted Gene Insertion: The Cutting Edge of CRISPR Drug Development with Hemophilia as a Highlight. BioDrugs 2024; 38:369-385. [PMID: 38489061 PMCID: PMC11055778 DOI: 10.1007/s40259-024-00654-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
The remarkable advance in gene editing technology presents unparalleled opportunities for transforming medicine and finding cures for hereditary diseases. Human trials of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein-9 nuclease (Cas9)-based therapeutics have demonstrated promising results in disrupting or deleting target sequences to treat specific diseases. However, the potential of targeted gene insertion approaches, which offer distinct advantages over disruption/deletion methods, remains largely unexplored in human trials due to intricate technical obstacles and safety concerns. This paper reviews the recent advances in preclinical studies demonstrating in vivo targeted gene insertion for therapeutic benefits, targeting somatic solid tissues through systemic delivery. With a specific emphasis on hemophilia as a prominent disease model, we highlight advancements in insertion strategies, including considerations of DNA repair pathways, targeting site selection, and donor design. Furthermore, we discuss the complex challenges and recent breakthroughs that offer valuable insights for progressing towards clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenjie Zhang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK-GIBH CAS Joint Research Laboratory on Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Room 105A, Lo Kwee-Seong Integrated Biomedical Sciences Building, Area 39, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Health, Hong Kong Institute of Science and Innovation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Siqi Zhang
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK-GIBH CAS Joint Research Laboratory on Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Room 105A, Lo Kwee-Seong Integrated Biomedical Sciences Building, Area 39, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hoi Ting Wong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK-GIBH CAS Joint Research Laboratory on Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Room 105A, Lo Kwee-Seong Integrated Biomedical Sciences Building, Area 39, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Dali Li
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bo Feng
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK-GIBH CAS Joint Research Laboratory on Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Room 105A, Lo Kwee-Seong Integrated Biomedical Sciences Building, Area 39, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- Centre for Regenerative Medicine and Health, Hong Kong Institute of Science and Innovation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510530, China.
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2
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Gomes CM, Sebastião MJ, Silva G, Moura F, Simão D, Gomes-Alves P, Alves PM, Brito C. Miniaturization of hiPSC-derived 3D neural cultures in stirred-tank bioreactors for parallelized preclinical assessment of rAAV. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2024; 12:1379597. [PMID: 38737536 PMCID: PMC11082387 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2024.1379597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Engineered 3D models employing human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) derivatives have the potential to recapitulate the cell diversity and structure found in the human central nervous system (CNS). Therefore, these complex cellular systems offer promising human models to address the safety and potency of advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs), such as gene therapies. Specifically, recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAVs) are currently considered highly attractive for CNS gene therapy due to their broad tropism, low toxicity, and moderate immunogenicity. To accelerate the clinical translation of rAAVs, in-depth preclinical evaluation of efficacy and safety in a human setting is primordial. The integration of hiPSC-derived CNS models in rAAV development will require, amongst other factors, robust, small-scale, high-throughput culture platforms that can feed the preclinical trials. Methods: Herein, we pioneer the miniaturization and parallelization of a 200 mL stirred-tank bioreactor-based 3D brain cell culture derived from hiPSCs. We demonstrate the applicability of the automated miniaturized Ambr® 15 Cell Culture system for the maintenance of hiPSC-derived neurospheroids (iNSpheroids), composed of neuronal and glial cells. Critical process parameters were optimized, namely, cell density and agitation mode. Results: Under optimized conditions, stable iNSpheroid cultures were attained in the microbioreactors for at least 15 days, with high cell viability and astrocytic and neuronal phenotype maintenance. This culture setup allowed the parallelization of different rAAVs, in different multiplicity of infections (MOIs), to address rAAV-host interactions at a preclinical scale. The iNSpheroids were exposed to rAAV2- and rAAV9-eGFP in the microbioreactors. Transgene expression was detected 14 days post-transduction, revealing different astrocyte/neuron tropism of the two serotypes. Discussion: We advocate that the iNSpheroid cultures in miniaturized bioreactors are reliable and reproducible screening tools for addressing rAAV transduction and tropism, compatible with preclinical demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catarina M. Gomes
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Biológica, Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | | | - Gabriela Silva
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Biológica, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Filipa Moura
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Biológica, Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Daniel Simão
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Biológica, Oeiras, Portugal
| | | | - Paula M. Alves
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Biológica, Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Catarina Brito
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Biológica, Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal
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Cabanes-Creus M, Liao SHY, Gale Navarro R, Knight M, Nazareth D, Lau NS, Ly M, Zhu E, Roca-Pinilla R, Bugallo Delgado R, Vicente AF, Baltazar G, Westhaus A, Merjane J, Crawford M, McCaughan GW, Unzu C, González-Aseguinolaza G, Alexander IE, Pulitano C, Lisowski L. Harnessing whole human liver ex situ normothermic perfusion for preclinical AAV vector evaluation. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1876. [PMID: 38485924 PMCID: PMC10940703 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46194-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Developing clinically predictive model systems for evaluating gene transfer and gene editing technologies has become increasingly important in the era of personalized medicine. Liver-directed gene therapies present a unique challenge due to the complexity of the human liver. In this work, we describe the application of whole human liver explants in an ex situ normothermic perfusion system to evaluate a set of fourteen natural and bioengineered adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors directly in human liver, in the presence and absence of neutralizing human sera. Under non-neutralizing conditions, the recently developed AAV variants, AAV-SYD12 and AAV-LK03, emerged as the most functional variants in terms of cellular uptake and transgene expression. However, when assessed in the presence of human plasma containing anti-AAV neutralizing antibodies (NAbs), vectors of human origin, specifically those derived from AAV2/AAV3b, were extensively neutralized, whereas AAV8- derived variants performed efficiently. This study demonstrates the potential of using normothermic liver perfusion as a model for early-stage testing of liver-focused gene therapies. The results offer preliminary insights that could help inform the development of more effective translational strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marti Cabanes-Creus
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Westmead, Australia
| | - Sophia H Y Liao
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Westmead, Australia
| | - Renina Gale Navarro
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Westmead, Australia
| | - Maddison Knight
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Westmead, Australia
| | - Deborah Nazareth
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Westmead, Australia
| | - Ngee-Soon Lau
- Australian National Liver Transplantation Unit, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Centre for Organ Assessment Repair and Optimisation, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Mark Ly
- Australian National Liver Transplantation Unit, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Centre for Organ Assessment Repair and Optimisation, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Erhua Zhu
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute and The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, and Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Sydney, Westmead, Australia
| | - Ramon Roca-Pinilla
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Westmead, Australia
| | - Ricardo Bugallo Delgado
- Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression Department, IdiSNA, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra, Universidad de Navarra, CIMA, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Ana F Vicente
- Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression Department, IdiSNA, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra, Universidad de Navarra, CIMA, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Grober Baltazar
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Westmead, Australia
| | - Adrian Westhaus
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Westmead, Australia
| | - Jessica Merjane
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Westmead, Australia
| | - Michael Crawford
- Australian National Liver Transplantation Unit, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Centre for Organ Assessment Repair and Optimisation, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Geoffrey W McCaughan
- Australian National Liver Transplantation Unit, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Liver Injury and Cancer Program, Centenary Research Institute, A.W Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Centre, Sydney, Australia
| | - Carmen Unzu
- Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression Department, IdiSNA, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra, Universidad de Navarra, CIMA, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Gloria González-Aseguinolaza
- Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression Department, IdiSNA, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Navarra, Universidad de Navarra, CIMA, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Ian E Alexander
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute and The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, and Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Sydney, Westmead, Australia
- Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Sydney, Westmead, Australia
- Australian Genome Therapeutics Centre, Children's Medical Research Institute and Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Sydney, Westmead, Australia
| | - Carlo Pulitano
- Australian National Liver Transplantation Unit, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Centre for Organ Assessment Repair and Optimisation, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Leszek Lisowski
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Westmead, Australia.
- Australian Genome Therapeutics Centre, Children's Medical Research Institute and Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Sydney, Westmead, Australia.
- Military Institute of Medicine - National Research Institute, Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Innovative Therapies, Warsaw, Poland.
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4
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Drouyer M, Merjane J, Nazareth D, Knight M, Scott S, Liao SHY, Ginn SL, Zhu E, Alexander IE, Lisowski L. Development of CNS tropic AAV1-like variants with reduced liver-targeting following systemic administration in mice. Mol Ther 2024; 32:818-836. [PMID: 38297833 PMCID: PMC10928139 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.01.024] [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: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Directed evolution of natural AAV9 using peptide display libraries have been widely used in the search for an optimal recombinant AAV (rAAV) for transgene delivery across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to the CNS following intravenous ( IV) injection. In this study, we used a different approach by creating a shuffled rAAV capsid library based on parental AAV serotypes 1 through 12. Following selection in mice, 3 novel variants closely related to AAV1, AAV-BBB6, AAV-BBB28, and AAV-BBB31, emerged as top candidates. In direct comparisons with AAV9, our novel variants demonstrated an over 270-fold improvement in CNS transduction and exhibited a clear bias toward neuronal cells. Intriguingly, our AAV-BBB variants relied on the LY6A cellular receptor for CNS entry, similar to AAV9 peptide variants AAV-PHP.eB and AAV.CAP-B10, despite the different bioengineering methods used and parental backgrounds. The variants also showed reduced transduction of both mouse liver and human primary hepatocytes in vivo. To increase clinical translatability, we enhanced the immune escape properties of our new variants by introducing additional modifications based on rational design. Overall, our study highlights the potential of AAV1-like vectors for efficient CNS transduction with reduced liver tropism, offering promising prospects for CNS gene therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthieu Drouyer
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Jessica Merjane
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Deborah Nazareth
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Maddison Knight
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Suzanne Scott
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Sophia H Y Liao
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute and Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Samantha L Ginn
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute and Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Erhua Zhu
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute and Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia
| | - Ian E Alexander
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute and Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia; Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Leszek Lisowski
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia; Australian Genome Therapeutics Centre, Children's Medical Research Institute and Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Westmead, NSW, Australia; Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Innovative Therapies, Military Institute of Medicine - National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
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5
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Barzi M, Chen T, Gonzalez TJ, Pankowicz FP, Oh SH, Streff HL, Rosales A, Ma Y, Collias S, Woodfield SE, Diehl AM, Vasudevan SA, Galvan TN, Goss J, Gersbach CA, Bissig-Choisat B, Asokan A, Bissig KD. A humanized mouse model for adeno-associated viral gene therapy. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1955. [PMID: 38438373 PMCID: PMC10912671 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46017-0] [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: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Clinical translation of AAV-mediated gene therapy requires preclinical development across different experimental models, often confounded by variable transduction efficiency. Here, we describe a human liver chimeric transgene-free Il2rg-/-/Rag2-/-/Fah-/-/Aavr-/- (TIRFA) mouse model overcoming this translational roadblock, by combining liver humanization with AAV receptor (AAVR) ablation, rendering murine cells impermissive to AAV transduction. Using human liver chimeric TIRFA mice, we demonstrate increased transduction of clinically used AAV serotypes in primary human hepatocytes compared to humanized mice with wild-type AAVR. Further, we demonstrate AAV transduction in human teratoma-derived primary cells and liver cancer tissue, displaying the versatility of the humanized TIRFA mouse. From a mechanistic perspective, our results support the notion that AAVR functions as both an entry receptor and an intracellular receptor essential for transduction. The TIRFA mouse should allow prediction of AAV gene transfer efficiency and the study of AAV vector biology in a preclinical human setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercedes Barzi
- Alice and Y. T. Chen Center for Genetics and Genomics, Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Tong Chen
- Alice and Y. T. Chen Center for Genetics and Genomics, Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Trevor J Gonzalez
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Francis P Pankowicz
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Seh Hoon Oh
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Helen L Streff
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Alan Rosales
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Yunhan Ma
- Alice and Y. T. Chen Center for Genetics and Genomics, Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Sabrina Collias
- Alice and Y. T. Chen Center for Genetics and Genomics, Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Sarah E Woodfield
- Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Divisions of Pediatric Surgery and Surgical Research, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Department of Surgery, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Anna Mae Diehl
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Sanjeev A Vasudevan
- Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Divisions of Pediatric Surgery and Surgical Research, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Department of Surgery, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Thao N Galvan
- Department of Surgery, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Division of Abdominal Transplantation and Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - John Goss
- Department of Surgery, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery, Division of Abdominal Transplantation and Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Charles A Gersbach
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Duke Cancer Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- Duke Regeneration Center, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Beatrice Bissig-Choisat
- Alice and Y. T. Chen Center for Genetics and Genomics, Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
| | - Aravind Asokan
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA
- Duke Regeneration Center, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Karl-Dimiter Bissig
- Alice and Y. T. Chen Center for Genetics and Genomics, Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University Pratt School of Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
- Duke Cancer Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
- Duke Regeneration Center, School of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
- Center for Advanced Genomic Technologies, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27710, USA.
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6
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Mansouri M, Lam J, Sung KE. Progress in developing microphysiological systems for biological product assessment. LAB ON A CHIP 2024; 24:1293-1306. [PMID: 38230512 DOI: 10.1039/d3lc00876b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Microphysiological systems (MPS), also known as miniaturized physiological environments, have been engineered to create and study functional tissue units capable of replicating organ-level responses in specific contexts. The MPS has the potential to provide insights about the safety, characterization, and effectiveness of medical products that are different and complementary to insights gained from traditional testing systems, which can help facilitate the transition of potential medical products from preclinical phases to clinical trials, and eventually to market. While many MPS are versatile and can be used in various applications, most of the current applications have primarily focused on drug discovery and testing. Yet, there is a limited amount of research available that demonstrates the use of MPS in assessing biological products such as cellular and gene therapies. This review paper aims to address this gap by discussing recent technical advancements in MPS and their potential for assessing biological products. We further discuss the challenges and considerations involved in successful translation of MPS into mainstream product testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mona Mansouri
- Cellular and Tissue Therapies Branch, Office of Cellular Therapy and Human Tissue, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
| | - Johnny Lam
- Cellular and Tissue Therapies Branch, Office of Cellular Therapy and Human Tissue, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
| | - Kyung E Sung
- Cellular and Tissue Therapies Branch, Office of Cellular Therapy and Human Tissue, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA.
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7
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Hadi M, Qutaiba B Allela O, Jabari M, Jasoor AM, Naderloo O, Yasamineh S, Gholizadeh O, Kalantari L. Recent advances in various adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) as gene therapy agents in hepatocellular carcinoma. Virol J 2024; 21:17. [PMID: 38216938 PMCID: PMC10785434 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-024-02286-1] [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: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Primary liver cancer, which is scientifically referred to as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is a significant concern in the field of global health. It has been demonstrated that conventional chemotherapy, chemo-hormonal therapy, and conformal radiotherapy are ineffective against HCC. New therapeutic approaches are thus urgently required. Identifying single or multiple mutations in genes associated with invasion, metastasis, apoptosis, and growth regulation has resulted in a more comprehensive comprehension of the molecular genetic underpinnings of malignant transformation, tumor advancement, and host interaction. This enhanced comprehension has notably propelled the development of novel therapeutic agents. Therefore, gene therapy (GT) holds great promise for addressing the urgent need for innovative treatments in HCC. However, the complexity of HCC demands precise and effective therapeutic approaches. The adeno-associated virus (AAV) distinctive life cycle and ability to persistently infect dividing and nondividing cells have rendered it an alluring vector. Another appealing characteristic of the wild-type virus is its evident absence of pathogenicity. As a result, AAV, a vector that lacks an envelope and can be modified to transport DNA to specific cells, has garnered considerable interest in the scientific community, particularly in experimental therapeutic strategies that are still in the clinical stage. AAV vectors emerge as promising tools for HCC therapy due to their non-immunogenic nature, efficient cell entry, and prolonged gene expression. While AAV-mediated GT demonstrates promise across diverse diseases, the current absence of ongoing clinical trials targeting HCC underscores untapped potential in this context. Furthermore, gene transfer through hepatic AAV vectors is frequently facilitated by GT research, which has been propelled by several congenital anomalies affecting the liver. Notwithstanding the enthusiasm associated with this notion, recent discoveries that expose the integration of the AAV vector genome at double-strand breaks give rise to apprehensions regarding their enduring safety and effectiveness. This review explores the potential of AAV vectors as versatile tools for targeted GT in HCC. In summation, we encapsulate the multifaceted exploration of AAV vectors in HCC GT, underlining their transformative potential within the landscape of oncology and human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meead Hadi
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Basic Science, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Mansoureh Jabari
- Medical Campus, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Asna Mahyazadeh Jasoor
- Department of Microbiology, School of Biology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Omid Naderloo
- Department of Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Islamic Azad University of Gorgan Breanch, Gorgan, Iran
| | | | | | - Leila Kalantari
- School of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
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8
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Westhaus A, Eamegdool SS, Fernando M, Fuller-Carter P, Brunet AA, Miller AL, Rashwan R, Knight M, Daniszewski M, Lidgerwood GE, Pébay A, Hewitt A, Santilli G, Thrasher AJ, Carvalho LS, Gonzalez-Cordero A, Jamieson RV, Lisowski L. AAV capsid bioengineering in primary human retina models. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21946. [PMID: 38081924 PMCID: PMC10713676 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49112-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector-mediated retinal gene therapy is an active field of both pre-clinical as well as clinical research. As with other gene therapy clinical targets, novel bioengineered AAV variants developed by directed evolution or rational design to possess unique desirable properties, are entering retinal gene therapy translational programs. However, it is becoming increasingly evident that predictive preclinical models are required to develop and functionally validate these novel AAVs prior to clinical studies. To investigate if, and to what extent, primary retinal explant culture could be used for AAV capsid development, this study performed a large high-throughput screen of 51 existing AAV capsids in primary human retina explants and other models of the human retina. Furthermore, we applied transgene expression-based directed evolution to develop novel capsids for more efficient transduction of primary human retina cells and compared the top variants to the strongest existing benchmarks identified in the screening described above. A direct side-by-side comparison of the newly developed capsids in four different in vitro and ex vivo model systems of the human retina allowed us to identify novel AAV variants capable of high transgene expression in primary human retina cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Westhaus
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, Australia
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Teaching and Research Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
- Genethon, Evry, France
| | - Steven S Eamegdool
- Eye Genetics Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Children's Medical Research Institute and Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, The University of Sydney, Westmead, Australia
| | - Milan Fernando
- Stem Cell and Organoid Facility, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, Australia
| | | | - Alicia A Brunet
- Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Australia
| | - Annie L Miller
- Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Australia
| | | | - Maddison Knight
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, Australia
| | - Maciej Daniszewski
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Grace E Lidgerwood
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Alice Pébay
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Surgery, Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Alex Hewitt
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
- Centre for Eye Research Australia, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Giorgia Santilli
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Teaching and Research Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Adrian J Thrasher
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Teaching and Research Department, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Livia S Carvalho
- Lions Eye Institute, Nedlands, Australia
- Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Australia
| | - Anai Gonzalez-Cordero
- Stem Cell and Organoid Facility, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, Australia
- Stem Cell Medicine Group, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, Australia
| | - Robyn V Jamieson
- Eye Genetics Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Children's Medical Research Institute and Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, The University of Sydney, Westmead, Australia
| | - Leszek Lisowski
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, Australia.
- Australian Genome Therapeutics Centre, Children's Medical Research Institute and Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Westmead, NSW, 2145, Australia.
- Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Innovative Therapies, Military Institute of Medicine - National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland.
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