1
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Zhou GP, Sun LY, Zhu ZJ. The concept of "domino" in liver and hepatocyte transplantation. Therap Adv Gastroenterol 2020; 13:1756284820968755. [PMID: 33149765 PMCID: PMC7586492 DOI: 10.1177/1756284820968755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Although orthotopic liver transplantation remains the only proven treatment for end-stage liver disease and inherited metabolic liver disease, its application has been limited by the scarcity of donor organs available for transplantation. Among feasible approaches developed to expand the donor organ pool, domino liver transplantation is a strategy in which explanted genetically defective livers of liver transplant recipients are used as grafts in other patients. Another promising therapeutic strategy is hepatocyte transplantation, an alternative to liver transplantation for certain groups of patients. However, the availability of primary hepatocytes is also hindered by the shortage of donor liver tissues. Against this background, domino hepatocyte transplantation, a strategy that utilizes the hepatocytes derived from the explanted livers of liver transplant recipients with noncirrhotic inherited metabolic liver diseases as the source of primary hepatocytes, may help increase the supply of liver cells available for transplantation. In this review, we focus on the status quo of domino liver transplantation and domino hepatocyte transplantation. We also describe recent innovative transplant strategies based on domino transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang-Peng Zhou
- Liver Transplantation Center, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China,Clinical Center for Pediatric Liver Transplantation, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Li-Ying Sun
- Liver Transplantation Center, National Clinical Research Center for Digestive Diseases, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China,Clinical Center for Pediatric Liver Transplantation, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China,Intensive Care Unit, Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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2
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Zabaleta N, Hommel M, Salas D, Gonzalez-Aseguinolaza G. Genetic-Based Approaches to Inherited Metabolic Liver Diseases. Hum Gene Ther 2019; 30:1190-1203. [DOI: 10.1089/hum.2019.140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Nerea Zabaleta
- Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression Program, Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada, IDISNA, Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Mirja Hommel
- Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression Program, Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada, IDISNA, Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - David Salas
- Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression Program, Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada, IDISNA, Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Gloria Gonzalez-Aseguinolaza
- Gene Therapy and Regulation of Gene Expression Program, Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada, IDISNA, Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- Vivet Therapeutics, Pamplona, Spain
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3
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Unzu C, Planet E, Brandenberg N, Fusil F, Cassano M, Perez‐Vargas J, Friedli M, Cosset F, Lutolf MP, Wildhaber BE, Trono D. Pharmacological Induction of a Progenitor State for the Efficient Expansion of Primary Human Hepatocytes. Hepatology 2019; 69:2214-2231. [PMID: 30549291 PMCID: PMC6519263 DOI: 10.1002/hep.30425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2018] [Accepted: 12/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The liver is an organ with strong regenerative capacity, yet primary hepatocytes have a low amplification potential in vitro, a major limitation for the cell-based therapy of liver disorders and for ex vivo biological screens. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) may help to circumvent this obstacle but often harbor genetic and epigenetic abnormalities, limiting their potential. Here, we describe the pharmacological induction of proliferative human hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs) through a cocktail of growth factors and small molecules mimicking the signaling events involved in liver regeneration. Human HPCs from healthy donors and pediatric patients proliferated vigorously while maintaining their genomic stability and could be redifferentiated in vitro into metabolically competent cells that supported the replication of hepatitis B and delta viruses. Redifferentiation efficiency was boosted by three-dimensional culture. Finally, transcriptome analysis showed that HPCs were more closely related to mature hepatocytes than iPSC-derived hepatocyte-like cells were. Conclusion: HPC induction holds promise for a variety of applications such as ex vivo disease modeling, personalized drug testing or metabolic studies, and development of a bioartificial liver.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Unzu
- School of Life SciencesEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de LausanneLausanneSwitzerland,Pediatric Surgery Laboratory, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Faculty of MedicineUniversity of GenevaGenevaSwitzerland,Grousbeck Gene Therapy CenterSchepens Eye Research Institute and Massachusetts Eye and Ear InfirmaryBostonMAUSA,Ocular Genomics Institute, Department of OphthalmologyHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMAUSA
| | - Evarist Planet
- School of Life SciencesEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Nathalie Brandenberg
- School of Life SciencesEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Floriane Fusil
- CIRI–International Center for Infectiology Research, Team EVIR, Inserm, U1111Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, Ecole Normale Supérieure de LyonLyonFrance
| | - Marco Cassano
- School of Life SciencesEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Jimena Perez‐Vargas
- CIRI–International Center for Infectiology Research, Team EVIR, Inserm, U1111Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, Ecole Normale Supérieure de LyonLyonFrance
| | - Marc Friedli
- School of Life SciencesEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
| | - François‐Loïc Cosset
- CIRI–International Center for Infectiology Research, Team EVIR, Inserm, U1111Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR5308, Ecole Normale Supérieure de LyonLyonFrance
| | - Matthias P. Lutolf
- School of Life SciencesEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Barbara E. Wildhaber
- Pediatric Surgery Laboratory, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Faculty of MedicineUniversity of GenevaGenevaSwitzerland
| | - Didier Trono
- School of Life SciencesEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
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4
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Tranchart H, Gaillard M, Diop PS, Goulinet S, Lainas P, Dagher I. Transplantation of genetically modified hepatocytes after liver preconditioning in Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic rabbit. J Surg Res 2017; 224:23-32. [PMID: 29506845 DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2017.11.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2017] [Revised: 11/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocyte transplantation is a potentially less invasive alternative to liver transplantation for treating inherited metabolic liver diseases. We developed an autotransplantation protocol of ex vivo genetically modified hepatocytes combining lentiviral transduction and transplantation after liver preconditioning by partial portal vein embolization. We investigated the metabolic efficiency of this approach in Watanabe rabbits, animal model of familial hypercholesterolemia. METHODS Our autotransplantation experimental protocol was used in two groups of rabbits (n = 10), experimental and sham, receiving transduced and control hepatocytes, respectively. Isolated hepatocytes from left liver lobes were transduced using recombinant lentiviruses. Median lobe portal branches were embolized under fluoroscopic control. Functional measurement of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor expression was assessed by LDL internalization assays. Cholesterol level evolution was monitored. Rabbits were killed 20 wk after the procedure. RESULTS Three rabbits of each group died several hours after hepatocyte transplantation; autopsy revealed portal vein thrombosis in two rabbits from each group. The protocol was therefore modified with hepatocytes being transplanted through splenic injection. Lentiviral hepatocyte transduction efficacy was 64.5%. Fluorescence microscopy revealed Dil-LDL internalization of transduced hepatocytes. Seven rabbits in each group were considered for lipid analysis. Four weeks after autotransplantation, median total cholesterol level decreased in the experimental group, without reaching statistical significance (8.9 [8.0-9.8] g/L versus 6.3 [0.5-8.3]; P = 0.171). In the experimental group, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay detected significant antibody expression against human low-density lipoprotein receptor. CONCLUSIONS Autotransplantation protocol allowed a nonstatistically significant improvement of the lipid profile in Watanabe rabbits. Further experiments involving a larger number of animals are necessary to confirm or refute our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadrien Tranchart
- INSERM U1193, Paul Brousse Hospital, Villejuif, France; Department of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Antoine Béclère Hospital, AP-HP, Paris-Sud University, Clamart, France.
| | - Martin Gaillard
- INSERM U1193, Paul Brousse Hospital, Villejuif, France; Department of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Antoine Béclère Hospital, AP-HP, Paris-Sud University, Clamart, France
| | - Papa Saloum Diop
- INSERM U1193, Paul Brousse Hospital, Villejuif, France; Department of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Antoine Béclère Hospital, AP-HP, Paris-Sud University, Clamart, France
| | | | - Panagiotis Lainas
- INSERM U1193, Paul Brousse Hospital, Villejuif, France; Department of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Antoine Béclère Hospital, AP-HP, Paris-Sud University, Clamart, France
| | - Ibrahim Dagher
- INSERM U1193, Paul Brousse Hospital, Villejuif, France; Department of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Antoine Béclère Hospital, AP-HP, Paris-Sud University, Clamart, France
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5
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Human Hepatocyte-Derived Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells: MYC Expression, Similarities to Human Germ Cell Tumors, and Safety Issues. Stem Cells Int 2016; 2016:4370142. [PMID: 26880963 PMCID: PMC4736817 DOI: 10.1155/2016/4370142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2015] [Accepted: 11/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) are a most promising approach to the development of a hepatocyte transplantable mass sufficient to induce long-term correction of inherited liver metabolic diseases, thus avoiding liver transplantation. Their intrinsic self-renewal ability and potential to differentiate into any of the three germ layers identify iPSC as the most promising cell-based therapeutics, but also as drivers of tumor development. Teratoma development currently represents the gold standard to assess iPSC pluripotency. We analyzed the tumorigenic potential of iPSC generated from human hepatocytes (HEP-iPSC) and compared their immunohistochemical profiles to that of tumors developed from fibroblast and hematopoietic stem cell-derived iPSC. HEP-iPSC generated tumors significantly presented more malignant morphological features than reprogrammed fibroblasts or CD34+ iPSC. Moreover, the protooncogene myc showed the strongest expression in HEP-iPSC, compared to only faint expression in the other cell subsets. Random integration of transgenes and the use of potent protooncogenes such as myc might be a risk factor for malignant tumor development if hepatocytes are used for reprogramming. Nonviral vector delivery systems or reprogramming of cells obtained from less invasive harvesting methods would represent interesting options for future developments in stem cell-based approaches for liver metabolic diseases.
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6
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Marimani M, Hean J, Bloom K, Ely A, Arbuthnot P. Recent advances in developing nucleic acid-based HBV therapy. Future Microbiol 2014; 8:1489-504. [PMID: 24199806 DOI: 10.2217/fmb.13.87] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic HBV infection remains an important public health problem and currently licensed therapies rarely prevent complications of viral persistence. Silencing HBV gene expression using gene therapy, particularly with exogenous activators of RNAi, holds promise for developing an HBV gene therapy. However, immune stimulation, off-targeting effects and inefficient delivery of RNAi activators remain problematic. Several new approaches have recently been employed to address these issues. Chemical modifications to anti-HBV synthetic siRNAs have been investigated and a variety of vectors are being developed for delivery of RNAi effectors. In this article, we review the potential utility of gene therapy for treating HBV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Musa Marimani
- Antiviral Gene Therapy Research Unit, School of Pathology, Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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7
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Friedli M, Turelli P, Kapopoulou A, Rauwel B, Castro-Díaz N, Rowe HM, Ecco G, Unzu C, Planet E, Lombardo A, Mangeat B, Wildhaber BE, Naldini L, Trono D. Loss of transcriptional control over endogenous retroelements during reprogramming to pluripotency. Genome Res 2014; 24:1251-9. [PMID: 24879558 PMCID: PMC4120079 DOI: 10.1101/gr.172809.114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Endogenous retroelements (EREs) account for about half of the mouse or human genome, and their potential as insertional mutagens and transcriptional perturbators is suppressed by early embryonic epigenetic silencing. Here, we asked how ERE control is maintained during the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), as this procedure involves profound epigenetic remodeling. We found that all EREs tested were markedly up-regulated during the reprogramming of either mouse embryonic fibroblasts, human CD34+ cells, or human primary hepatocytes. At the iPSC stage, EREs of some classes were repressed, whereas others remained highly expressed, yielding a pattern somewhat reminiscent of that recorded in embryonic stem cells. However, variability persisted between individual iPSC clones in the control of specific ERE integrants. Both during reprogramming and in iPS cells, the up-regulation of specific EREs significantly impacted on the transcription of nearby cellular genes. While transcription triggered by specific ERE integrants at highly precise developmental stages may be an essential step toward obtaining pluripotent cells, the broad and unspecific unleashing of the repetitive genome observed here may contribute to the inefficiency of the reprogramming process and to the phenotypic heterogeneity of iPSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Friedli
- School of Life Sciences and "Frontiers in Genetics" National Program, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Priscilla Turelli
- School of Life Sciences and "Frontiers in Genetics" National Program, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Adamandia Kapopoulou
- School of Life Sciences and "Frontiers in Genetics" National Program, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Benjamin Rauwel
- School of Life Sciences and "Frontiers in Genetics" National Program, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Nathaly Castro-Díaz
- School of Life Sciences and "Frontiers in Genetics" National Program, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Helen M Rowe
- School of Life Sciences and "Frontiers in Genetics" National Program, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Gabriela Ecco
- School of Life Sciences and "Frontiers in Genetics" National Program, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Carmen Unzu
- Pediatric Surgery Laboratory, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Evarist Planet
- School of Life Sciences and "Frontiers in Genetics" National Program, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Angelo Lombardo
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy and Vita Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Bastien Mangeat
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Barbara E Wildhaber
- Pediatric Surgery Laboratory, Department of Pathology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Luigi Naldini
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy and Vita Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Didier Trono
- School of Life Sciences and "Frontiers in Genetics" National Program, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland;
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8
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Dianat N, Steichen C, Vallier L, Weber A, Dubart-Kupperschmitt A. Human pluripotent stem cells for modelling human liver diseases and cell therapy. Curr Gene Ther 2013; 13:120-32. [PMID: 23444872 PMCID: PMC3882648 DOI: 10.2174/1566523211313020006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2013] [Revised: 01/30/2013] [Accepted: 02/05/2013] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The liver is affected by many types of diseases, including metabolic disorders and acute liver failure. Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is currently the only effective treatment for life-threatening liver diseases but transplantation of allogeneic hepatocytes has now become an alternative as it is less invasive than OLT and can be performed repeatedly. However, this approach is hampered by the shortage of organ donors, and the problems related to the isolation of high quality adult hepatocytes, their cryopreservation and their absence of proliferation in culture. Liver is also a key organ to assess the pharmacokinetics and toxicology of xenobiotics and for drug discovery, but appropriate cell culture systems are lacking. All these problems have highlighted the need to explore other sources of cells such as stem cells that could be isolated, expanded to yield sufficiently large populations and then induced to differentiate into functional hepatocytes. The presence of a niche of “facultative” progenitor and stem cells in the normal liver has recently been confirmed but they display no telomerase activity. The recent discovery that human induced pluripotent stem cells can be generated from somatic cells has renewed hopes for regenerative medicine and in vitro disease modelling, as these cells are easily accessible. We review here the present progresses, limits and challenges for the generation of functional hepatocytes from human pluripotent stem cells in view of their potential use in regenerative medicine and drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noushin Dianat
- INSERM UMR-S972, Paul Brousse Hospital, Villejuif, F-94807, France
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9
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Tatsumi K, Ohashi K, Mukobata S, Kubo A, Koyama F, Nakajima Y, Shima M, Okano T. Hepatocyte Is a Sole Cell Type Responsible for the Production of Coagulation Factor IX In Vivo. CELL MEDICINE 2012; 3:25-31. [PMID: 28058178 DOI: 10.3727/215517912x639496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Coagulation factor IX (FIX) is synthesized by hepatocytes, and the lack of this protein causes hemophilia B. Liver nonparenchymal cells, including liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) and extrahepatic cells in the body, are scarcely shown to have an ability to synthesize and secrete FIX. The present study investigated the existence of cells responsible for synthesizing FIX other than hepatocytes in mice using gene expression analyses and FIX-specific clotting assays. Among the several organs investigated, including liver, lung, spleen, kidney, brain, intestine, and tongue, FIX mRNA expressions were observed only in the liver. From the liver, hepatocytes and LSECs were isolated. FIX mRNA expression and FIX protein secretion were observed exclusively in the hepatocytes. Furthermore, the clotting activity of FIX secreted from the cultured hepatocytes was found to be dependent on the concentration of vitamin K2. These findings indicated that the hepatocyte is the only cell type that biochemically produces functional FIX in vivo. This highlights the importance of hepatocytes or cells that are fully differentiated toward the hepatic lineage for possible application for regenerative medicine and for targeting gene delivery to establish new cell-based treatments for hemophilia B.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kohei Tatsumi
- Institute of Advanced Biomedical Engineering and Science, Tokyo Women's Medical University , Shinjuku, Tokyo , Japan
| | - Kazuo Ohashi
- Institute of Advanced Biomedical Engineering and Science, Tokyo Women's Medical University , Shinjuku, Tokyo , Japan
| | - Shigeki Mukobata
- Institute of Advanced Biomedical Engineering and Science, Tokyo Women's Medical University , Shinjuku, Tokyo , Japan
| | - Atsushi Kubo
- † First Department Medicine, Nara Medical University , Kashihara, Nara , Japan
| | - Fumikazu Koyama
- ‡ Department of Surgery, Nara Medical University , Kashihara, Nara , Japan
| | - Yoshiyuki Nakajima
- ‡ Department of Surgery, Nara Medical University , Kashihara, Nara , Japan
| | - Midori Shima
- § Department of Pediatrics, Nara Medical University , Kashihara, Nara , Japan
| | - Teruo Okano
- Institute of Advanced Biomedical Engineering and Science, Tokyo Women's Medical University , Shinjuku, Tokyo , Japan
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10
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Goulinet-Mainot S, Tranchart H, Groyer-Picard MT, Lainas P, Saloum Diop P, Holopherne D, Gonin P, Benihoud K, Ba N, Gauthier O, Franco D, Guettier C, Pariente D, Weber A, Dagher I, Huy Nguyen T. Improved Hepatocyte Engraftment After Portal Vein Occlusion in LDL Receptor-Deficient WHHL Rabbits and Lentiviral-Mediated Phenotypic Correction In Vitro. CELL MEDICINE 2012; 4:85-98. [PMID: 26858856 DOI: 10.3727/215517912x647136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Innovative cell-based therapies are considered as alternatives to liver transplantation. Recent progress in lentivirus-mediated hepatocyte transduction has renewed interest in cell therapy for the treatment of inherited liver diseases. However, hepatocyte transplantation is still hampered by inefficient hepatocyte engraftment. We previously showed that partial portal vein embolization (PVE) improved hepatocyte engraftment in a nonhuman primate model. We developed here an ex vivo approach based on PVE and lentiviral-mediated transduction of hepatocytes from normal (New Zealand White, NZW) and Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic (WHHL) rabbits: the large animal model of familial hypercholesterolemia type IIa (FH). FH is a life-threatening human inherited autosomal disease caused by a mutation in the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) gene, which leads to severe hypercholesterolemia and premature coronary heart disease. Rabbit hepatocytes were isolated from the resected left liver lobe, and the portal branches of the median lobes were embolized with Histoacryl® glue under radiologic guidance. NZW and WHHL hepatocytes were each labeled with Hoechst dye or transduced with lentivirus expressing GFP under the control of a liver-specific promoter (mTTR, a modified murine transthyretin promoter) and were then immediately transplanted back into donor animals. In our conditions, 65-70% of the NZW and WHHL hepatocytes were transduced. Liver repopulation after transplantation with the Hoechst-labeled hepatocytes was 3.5 ± 2%. It was 1.4 ± 0.6% after transplantation with either the transduced NZW hepatocytes or the transduced WHHL hepatocytes, which was close to that obtained with Hoechst-labeled cells, given the mean transduction efficacy. Transgene expression persisted for at least 8 weeks posttransplantation. Transduction of WHHL hepatocytes with an LDLR-encoding vector resulted in phenotypic correction in vitro as assessed by internalization of fluorescent LDL ligands. In conclusion, our results have applications for the treatment of inherited metabolic liver diseases, such as FH, by transplantation of lentivirally transduced hepatocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hadrien Tranchart
- INSERM U 972, Univ. Paris-Sud, IFR 93, Bicêtre Hospital , Le Kremlin-Bicêtre , France
| | | | - Panagiotis Lainas
- INSERM U 972, Univ. Paris-Sud, IFR 93, Bicêtre Hospital, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France; †Department of General Surgery, Univ. Paris-Sud, Antoine Béclère Hospital, Clamart, France
| | - Papa Saloum Diop
- INSERM U 972, Univ. Paris-Sud, IFR 93, Bicêtre Hospital, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France; †Department of General Surgery, Univ. Paris-Sud, Antoine Béclère Hospital, Clamart, France
| | - Delphine Holopherne
- ‡ Department of Animal Surgery, Veterinary School of Nantes , Nantes , France
| | - Patrick Gonin
- ‡ Department of Animal Surgery, Veterinary School of Nantes , Nantes , France
| | - Karim Benihoud
- ¶ CNRS UMR 8203, Institut Gustave Roussy , Villejuif , France
| | - Nathalie Ba
- # IFR 93, Bicêtre Hospital , Le Kremlin-Bicêtre , France
| | - Olivier Gauthier
- ‡ Department of Animal Surgery, Veterinary School of Nantes , Nantes , France
| | - Dominique Franco
- INSERM U 972, Univ. Paris-Sud, IFR 93, Bicêtre Hospital, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France; †Department of General Surgery, Univ. Paris-Sud, Antoine Béclère Hospital, Clamart, France
| | - Catherine Guettier
- * Department of Pathology, Bicêtre Hospital , Le Kremlin-Bicêtre , France
| | - Danièle Pariente
- INSERM U 972, Univ. Paris-Sud, IFR 93, Bicêtre Hospital, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France; ††Department of Pediatric Radiology, Bicêtre Hospital, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France
| | - Anne Weber
- INSERM U 972, Univ. Paris-Sud, IFR 93, Bicêtre Hospital , Le Kremlin-Bicêtre , France
| | - Ibrahim Dagher
- INSERM U 972, Univ. Paris-Sud, IFR 93, Bicêtre Hospital, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France; †Department of General Surgery, Univ. Paris-Sud, Antoine Béclère Hospital, Clamart, France
| | - Tuan Huy Nguyen
- ‡‡ INSERM U1064, CHU Hôtel Dieu, Université de Nantes , Nantes , France
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11
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Ivacik D, Ely A, Arbuthnot P. Countering hepatitis B virus infection using RNAi: how far are we from the clinic? Rev Med Virol 2011; 21:383-96. [PMID: 21913277 DOI: 10.1002/rmv.705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2011] [Revised: 07/04/2011] [Accepted: 07/06/2011] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Globally, persistent HBV infection is a significant cause of public health problems. Currently available HBV therapies have variable efficacy and there is a need to develop improved treatment to prevent cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Although RNA interference (RNAi)-based approaches have shown promise, accomplishing safe and sustained silencing by RNAi activators, as well as their efficient delivery to hepatocytes have hampered clinical translation of this very promising technology. Expressed silencers may be produced in a sustained manner from stable DNA templates, which makes them suited to treatment of chronic HBV infection. DNA expression cassettes can be incorporated into both viral and non-viral vectors, but in vivo delivery of these cassettes with non-viral vectors is currently inefficient. Synthetic short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), which may be chemically modified to improve stability, specificity and efficacy, are more conveniently delivered to their cytoplasmic sites of action with synthetic non-viral vectors. However, the short duration of action of this class of RNAi activator is a drawback for treatment of chronic HBV infection. Despite the impressive progress that has been made in developing highly effective HBV gene silencers, challenges continue to face implementation of RNAi-based HBV therapy. This review will discuss the current status of the topic and consider the developments that are required to advance RNAi-based HBV therapy to clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dejana Ivacik
- Antiviral Gene Therapy Research Unit, School of Pathology, Health Sciences Faculty, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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12
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Arbuthnot P. MicroRNA-like antivirals. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2011; 1809:746-55. [PMID: 21616187 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2011.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2011] [Revised: 04/28/2011] [Accepted: 05/09/2011] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Employing engineered DNA templates to express antiviral microRNA (miRNA) sequences has considerable therapeutic potential. The durable silencing that may be achieved with these RNAi activators is valuable to counter chronic viral infections, such as those caused by HIV-1, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and dengue viruses. Early use of expressed antiviral miRNAs entailed generation of cassettes containing Pol III promoters (e.g. U6 and H1) that transcribe virus-targeting short hairpin RNA mimics of precursor miRNAs. Virus escape from single gene silencing elements prompted later development of combinatorial antiviral miRNA expression cassettes that form multitargeting siRNAs from transcribed long hairpin RNA and polycistronic primary miRNA sequences. Weaker Pol III and Pol II promoters have also been employed to control production of antiviral miRNA mimics, improve dose regulation and address concerns about toxicity caused by saturation of the endogenous miRNA pathway. Efficient delivery of expressed antiviral sequences remains challenging and utilizing viral vectors, which include recombinant adenoviruses, adeno-associated viruses and lentiviruses, has been favored. Investigations using recombinant lentiviruses to transduce CD34+ hematological precursor cells with expressed HIV-1 gene silencers are at advanced stages and show promise in preclinical and clinical trials. Although the use of expressed antiviral miRNA sequences to treat viral infections is encouraging, eventual therapeutic application will be dependent on rigorously proving their safety, efficient delivery to target tissues and uncomplicated large scale preparation of vector formulations. This article is part of a special issue entitled: MicroRNAs in viral gene regulation.
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Alenzi FQ, Lotfy M, Tamimi WG, Wyse RKH. Review: Stem cells and gene therapy. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 16:53-73. [PMID: 20858588 DOI: 10.1532/lh96.10010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Both stem cell and gene therapy research are currently the focus of intense research in institutions and companies around the world. Both approaches hold great promise by offering radical new and successful ways of treating debilitating and incurable diseases effectively. Gene therapy is an approach to treat, cure, or ultimately prevent disease by changing the pattern of gene expression. It is mostly experimental, but a number of clinical human trials have already been conducted. Gene therapy can be targeted to somatic or germ cells; the most common vectors are viruses. Scientists manipulate the viral genome and thus introduce therapeutic genes to the target organ. Viruses, in this context, can cause adverse events such as toxicity, immune and inflammatory responses, as well as gene control and targeting issues. Alternative modalities being considered are complexes of DNA with lipids and proteins. Stem cells are primitive cells that have the capacity to self renew as well as to differentiate into 1 or more mature cell types. Pluripotent embryonic stem cells derived from the inner cell mass can develop into more than 200 different cells and differentiate into cells of the 3 germ cell layers. Because of their capacity of unlimited expansion and pluripotency, they are useful in regenerative medicine. Tissue or adult stem cells produce cells specific to the tissue in which they are found. They are relatively unspecialized and predetermined to give rise to specific cell types when they differentiate. The current review provides a summary of our current knowledge of stem cells and gene therapy as well as their clinical implications and related therapeutic options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faris Q Alenzi
- College of Applied Medical Sciences, Al-Kharj University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia.
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Asgari S, Pournasr B, Salekdeh GH, Ghodsizadeh A, Ott M, Baharvand H. Induced pluripotent stem cells: a new era for hepatology. J Hepatol 2010; 53:738-51. [PMID: 20621379 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2010.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2010] [Revised: 05/09/2010] [Accepted: 05/13/2010] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Stem cell transplantation has been proposed as an attractive alternative approach to restore liver mass and function. Recent progress has been reported on the generation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells from somatic cells. Human-iPS cells can be differentiated towards the hepatic lineage which presents possibilities for improving research on diseases, drug development, tissue engineering, the development of bio-artificial livers, and a foundation for producing autologous cell therapies that would avoid immune rejection and enable correction of gene defects prior to cell transplantation. This focused review will discuss how human iPS cell advances are likely to have an impact on hepatology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samira Asgari
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran
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Schmitt F, Flageul M, Dariel A, Pichard V, Pontes CA, Boni S, Podevin G, Myara A, Ferry N, Nguyen TH. Transient increase in intrahepatic pressure mediates successful treatment of the Gunn rat with reduced doses of lentiviral vector. Hum Gene Ther 2010; 21:1349-56. [PMID: 20486774 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2009.220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Lentiviral vectors can stably transduce hepatocytes and are promising tools for gene therapy of hepatic diseases. Although hepatocytes are accessible to blood-borne viral vectors through fenestrations of the hepatic endothelium, improved liver transduction after delivery of vectors to the blood stream is needed. As the normal endothelial fenestration and lentiviral vectors are similar in size (150 nm), we hypothesized that a transient increase in hepatic blood pressure may enhance in vivo gene transfer to hepatocytes. We designed a simple surgical procedure, by which the liver is temporarily excluded from blood flow. Lentiviral vectors were injected in a large volume to increase intrahepatic pressure. We demonstrated that in the Gunn rat, a model of Crigler-Najjar disease, the administration of low vector doses (corresponding to a multiplicity of infection of 0.2) by this procedure resulted in therapeutic correction of hyperbilirubinemia, without toxicity. The correction was sustained for 10 months (end of study). The same vector amounts yielded only partial correction after intraportal delivery. We believe that this new and clinically applicable strategy may broaden the range of genetic liver diseases accessible to gene therapy.
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Ex vivo hepatocyte gene therapy: increased biosafety protocol for transduction in suspension with lentiviral vectors and immediate transplantation (SLIT). Transplantation 2010; 89:127-9. [PMID: 20061931 DOI: 10.1097/tp.0b013e3181c28118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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