1
|
Micklethwaite KP, Gowrishankar K, Gloss BS, Li Z, Street JA, Moezzi L, Mach MA, Sutrave G, Clancy LE, Bishop DC, Louie RHY, Cai C, Foox J, MacKay M, Sedlazeck FJ, Blombery P, Mason CE, Luciani F, Gottlieb DJ, Blyth E. Investigation of product-derived lymphoma following infusion of piggyBac-modified CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T cells. Blood 2021; 138:1391-1405. [PMID: 33974080 PMCID: PMC8532197 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2021010858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We performed a phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate outcomes in patients receiving donor-derived CD19-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells for B-cell malignancy that relapsed or persisted after matched related allogeneic hemopoietic stem cell transplant. To overcome the cost and transgene-capacity limitations of traditional viral vectors, CAR T cells were produced using the piggyBac transposon system of genetic modification. Following CAR T-cell infusion, 1 patient developed a gradually enlarging retroperitoneal tumor due to a CAR-expressing CD4+ T-cell lymphoma. Screening of other patients led to the detection, in an asymptomatic patient, of a second CAR T-cell tumor in thoracic para-aortic lymph nodes. Analysis of the first lymphoma showed a high transgene copy number, but no insertion into typical oncogenes. There were also structural changes such as altered genomic copy number and point mutations unrelated to the insertion sites. Transcriptome analysis showed transgene promoter-driven upregulation of transcription of surrounding regions despite insulator sequences surrounding the transgene. However, marked global changes in transcription predominantly correlated with gene copy number rather than insertion sites. In both patients, the CAR T-cell-derived lymphoma progressed and 1 patient died. We describe the first 2 cases of malignant lymphoma derived from CAR gene-modified T cells. Although CAR T cells have an enviable record of safety to date, our results emphasize the need for caution and regular follow-up of CAR T recipients, especially when novel methods of gene transfer are used to create genetically modified immune therapies. This trial was registered at www.anzctr.org.au as ACTRN12617001579381.
Collapse
MESH Headings
- Aged
- DNA Transposable Elements
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- Gene Transfer Techniques
- Humans
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive/adverse effects
- Immunotherapy, Adoptive/methods
- Leukemia, B-Cell/genetics
- Leukemia, B-Cell/therapy
- Lymphoma/etiology
- Lymphoma/genetics
- Lymphoma, B-Cell/genetics
- Lymphoma, B-Cell/therapy
- Male
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell/therapeutic use
- T-Lymphocytes/metabolism
- Transcriptome
- Transgenes
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth P Micklethwaite
- Blood Transplant and Cell Therapies Program, Department of Haematology, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Blood Transplant and Cell Therapies Laboratory, NSW Health Pathology-ICPMR Westmead, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Kavitha Gowrishankar
- Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Brian S Gloss
- Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ziduo Li
- Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Janine A Street
- Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Leili Moezzi
- Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Melanie A Mach
- Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Gaurav Sutrave
- Blood Transplant and Cell Therapies Program, Department of Haematology, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Leighton E Clancy
- Blood Transplant and Cell Therapies Laboratory, NSW Health Pathology-ICPMR Westmead, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - David C Bishop
- Blood Transplant and Cell Therapies Program, Department of Haematology, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Raymond H Y Louie
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney. NSW, Australia
| | - Curtis Cai
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney. NSW, Australia
| | - Jonathan Foox
- Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
- The Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine, New York, NY
| | - Matthew MacKay
- Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
- The Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine, New York, NY
| | - Fritz J Sedlazeck
- Human Genome Sequencing Center, College of Medicine, Baylor University, Houston, TX
| | - Piers Blombery
- Department of Pathology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Clinical Haematology, The Royal Melbourne Hospital and Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Christopher E Mason
- Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY
- The Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine, New York, NY
- The Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, New York, NY; and
- The WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, New York, NY
| | - Fabio Luciani
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney. NSW, Australia
| | - David J Gottlieb
- Blood Transplant and Cell Therapies Program, Department of Haematology, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Emily Blyth
- Blood Transplant and Cell Therapies Program, Department of Haematology, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Blood Transplant and Cell Therapies Laboratory, NSW Health Pathology-ICPMR Westmead, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Abstract
Patient-derived organoids maintain functional and phenotypic characteristics of the original tissue such as cell-type diversity. Here, we provide protocols on how to label intestinal (cancer) stem cells by integrating the stem cell ASCL2 reporter (STAR) into human and mouse genomes via two different strategies: (1) lentiviral transduction or (2) transposon-based integration. Organoid technology, in combination with the user-friendly nature of STAR, will facilitate basic research in human and mouse adult stem cell biology. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Oost et al. (2018). Choose the optimal STAR plasmid suited for your research Tips and tricks on how to prepare organoids for STAR integration Diverse protocols for STAR integration: lentiviral and transposon-based approaches
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria C. Heinz
- Molecular Cancer Research, Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, University Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Correspondence
| | - Koen C. Oost
- Molecular Cancer Research, Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, University Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Hugo J.G. Snippert
- Molecular Cancer Research, Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, University Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Correspondence
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
|
4
|
Cha EB, Shin KK, Seo J, Oh DB. Antibody-secreting macrophages generated using CpG-free plasmid eliminate tumor cells through antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis. BMB Rep 2020. [PMID: 32438971 PMCID: PMC7473480 DOI: 10.5483/bmbrep.2020.53.8.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The non-viral delivery of genes into macrophages, known as hard-to-transfect cells, is a challenge. In this study, the microporation of a CpG-free and small plasmid (pCGfd-GFP) showed high transfection efficiency, sustainable transgene expression, and good cell viability in the transfections of Raw 264.7 and primary bone marrow-derived macrophages. The non-viral method using the pCGfd vector encoding anti-EGFR single-chain Fv fused with Fc (scFv-Fc) generated the macrophages secreting anti-EGFR scFv-Fc. These macrophages effectively phagocytized tumor cells expressing EGFR through the antibody-dependent mechanism, as was proved by experiments using EGFR-knockout tumor cells. Finally, peri-tumoral injections of anti-EGFR scFv-Fc-secreting macrophages were shown to inhibit tumor growth in the xeno-graft mouse model.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eun Bi Cha
- Environmental Disease Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon 34141, Korea
- Department of Biosystems and Bioengineering, KRIBB School of Biotechnology, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Korea
| | - Keun Koo Shin
- Environmental Disease Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Jinho Seo
- Environmental Disease Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon 34141, Korea
| | - Doo-Byoung Oh
- Environmental Disease Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), Daejeon 34141, Korea
- Department of Biosystems and Bioengineering, KRIBB School of Biotechnology, University of Science and Technology (UST), Daejeon 34113, Korea
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Skipper KA, Hollensen AK, Antoniou MN, Mikkelsen JG. Sustained transgene expression from sleeping beauty DNA transposons containing a core fragment of the HNRPA2B1-CBX3 ubiquitous chromatin opening element (UCOE). BMC Biotechnol 2019; 19:75. [PMID: 31706316 PMCID: PMC6842454 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-019-0570-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background DNA transposon-based vectors are effective nonviral tools for gene therapy and genetic engineering of cells. However, promoter DNA methylation and a near-random integration profile, which can result in transgene integration into heterochromatin, renders such vectors vulnerable to transcriptional repression. Therefore, to secure persistent transgene expression it may be necessary to protect transposon-embedded transgenes with anti-transcriptional silencing elements. Results We compare four different protective strategies in CHO-K1 cells. Our findings show robust protection from silencing of transgene cassettes mediated by the ubiquitous chromatin-opening element (UCOE) derived from the HNRPA2B1-CBX3 locus. Using a bioinformatic approach, we define a shorter HNRPA2B1-CBX3 UCOE core fragment and demonstrate that this can robustly maintain transgene expression after extended passaging of CHO-K1 cells carrying DNA transposon vectors equipped with this protective feature. Conclusions Our findings contribute to the understanding of the mechanism of HNRPA2B1-CBX3 UCOE-based transgene protection and support the use of a correctly oriented core fragment of this UCOE for DNA transposon vector-based production of recombinant proteins in CHO-K1 cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Anne Kruse Hollensen
- Department of Biomedicine, HEALTH, Aarhus University, DK- 8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.,Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Science and Technology, Aarhus University, DK-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Michael N Antoniou
- Gene Expression and Therapy Group, King's College London, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, 8th Floor Tower Wing, Guy's Hospital, London, SE1 9RT, UK
| | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Mohammadian O, Rajabibazl M, Pourmaleki E, Bayat H, Ahani R, Rahimpour A. Development of an improved lentiviral based vector system for the stable expression of monoclonal antibody in CHO cells. Prep Biochem Biotechnol 2019; 49:822-829. [PMID: 31156045 DOI: 10.1080/10826068.2019.1621893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have become the dominant products in biopharmaceutical industry. Mammalian cell expression systems including Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are the most commonly used hosts for the production of complex recombinant proteins. However, development of stable, high producing CHO cell lines suffers from the low expression level and instability of the transgene. The increasing efforts in the development of novel therapeutic antibodies and the advent of biosimilars have revealed the necessity for the development of improved platforms for rapid production of products for initial characterization and testing. In line with this premise, vector design and engineering has been applied to improve the expression level and stability of the transgene. This study reports the application of an improved lentiviral vector system containing the human interferon-β scaffold attachment region (IFN-SAR) for the development of antibody producing stable CHO cells. mAb expressing clones producing 1100 µg/L of IgG1 monoclonal antibody were isolated without extensive screening of a large number of clones. Our results here indicate the positive effects of IFN-SAR on stable mAb expression using lentiviral based expression vectors. We also observed that although IFN-SAR can improve light chain (LC) and heavy chain (HC) gene copy numbers in stable cell pools, mAb expression in single cell clones was not affected by the transgene copy number.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Omid Mohammadian
- a Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran
| | - Masoumeh Rajabibazl
- a Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.,b Nano-Technology and Tissue Engineering Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran
| | - Es'hagh Pourmaleki
- b Nano-Technology and Tissue Engineering Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.,c Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran
| | - Hadi Bayat
- b Nano-Technology and Tissue Engineering Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.,d Department of Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University , Tehran , Iran
| | - Roshanak Ahani
- b Nano-Technology and Tissue Engineering Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran
| | - Azam Rahimpour
- b Nano-Technology and Tissue Engineering Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran.,c Department of Tissue Engineering and Applied Cell Sciences, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences , Tehran , Iran
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Sánchez-Hernández S, Gutierrez-Guerrero A, Martín-Guerra R, Cortijo-Gutierrez M, Tristán-Manzano M, Rodriguez-Perales S, Sanchez L, Garcia-Perez JL, Chato-Astrain J, Fernandez-Valades R, Carrillo-Galvez AB, Anderson P, Montes R, Real PJ, Martin F, Benabdellah K. The IS2 Element Improves Transcription Efficiency of Integration-Deficient Lentiviral Vector Episomes. MOLECULAR THERAPY-NUCLEIC ACIDS 2018; 13:16-28. [PMID: 30227274 PMCID: PMC6141704 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2018.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Revised: 07/02/2018] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Integration-defective lentiviral vectors (IDLVs) have become an important alternative tool for gene therapy applications and basic research. Unfortunately, IDLVs show lower transgene expression as compared to their integrating counterparts. In this study, we aimed to improve the expression levels of IDLVs by inserting the IS2 element, which harbors SARs and HS4 sequences, into their LTRs (SE-IS2-IDLVs). Contrary to our expectations, the presence of the IS2 element did not abrogate epigenetic silencing by histone deacetylases. In addition, the IS2 element reduced episome levels in IDLV-transduced cells. Interestingly, despite these negative effects, SE-IS2-IDLVs outperformed SE-IDLVs in terms of percentage and expression levels of the transgene in several cell lines, including neurons, neuronal progenitor cells, and induced pluripotent stem cells. We estimated that the IS2 element enhances the transcriptional activity of IDLV LTR circles 6- to 7-fold. The final effect the IS2 element in IDLVs will greatly depend on the target cell and the balance between the negative versus the positive effects of the IS2 element in each cell type. The better performance of SE-IS2-IDLVs was not due to improved stability or differences in the proportions of 1-LTR versus 2-LTR circles but probably to a re-positioning of IS2-episomes into transcriptionally active regions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sabina Sánchez-Hernández
- Genomic Medicine Department, GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, PTS Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Alejandra Gutierrez-Guerrero
- Genomic Medicine Department, GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, PTS Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Rocío Martín-Guerra
- Genomic Medicine Department, GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, PTS Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Marina Cortijo-Gutierrez
- Genomic Medicine Department, GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, PTS Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - María Tristán-Manzano
- Genomic Medicine Department, GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, PTS Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Sandra Rodriguez-Perales
- Molecular Cytogenetics and Genome Editing Unit, Human Cancer Genetics Department, CNIO, Melchor Fernandez Almagro 3, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Sanchez
- Genomic Medicine Department, GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, PTS Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Jose Luis Garcia-Perez
- Genomic Medicine Department, GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, PTS Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Jesus Chato-Astrain
- Department of Histology, Tissue Engineering Group, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Ricardo Fernandez-Valades
- Pediatric Surgery Department, University Hospital "Virgen de las Nieves," Avda. Fuerzas Armadas 2, 18014 Granada, Spain
| | - Ana Belén Carrillo-Galvez
- Oncology Department, GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncology, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, PTS Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Per Anderson
- LentiStem Biotech, GENYO, Avda. de la Ilustración 114, 18016 PTS Granada, Spain; Oncology Department, GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncology, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, PTS Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Rosa Montes
- Oncology Department, GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncology, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, PTS Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Pedro J Real
- Oncology Department, GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncology, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, PTS Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain; Departament of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Francisco Martin
- Genomic Medicine Department, GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, PTS Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain; LentiStem Biotech, GENYO, Avda. de la Ilustración 114, 18016 PTS Granada, Spain.
| | - Karim Benabdellah
- Genomic Medicine Department, GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, PTS Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain; LentiStem Biotech, GENYO, Avda. de la Ilustración 114, 18016 PTS Granada, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Mooney R, Abdul Majid A, Batalla J, Annala AJ, Aboody KS. Cell-mediated enzyme prodrug cancer therapies. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2017; 118:35-51. [PMID: 28916493 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2017.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2017] [Revised: 08/15/2017] [Accepted: 09/06/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Cell-directed gene therapy is a promising new frontier for the field of targeted cancer therapies. Here we discuss the current pre-clinical and clinical use of cell-mediated enzyme prodrug therapy (EPT) directed against solid tumors and avenues for further development. We also discuss some of the challenges encountered upon translating these therapies to clinical trials. Upon sufficient development, cell-mediated enzyme prodrug therapy has the potential to maximize the distribution of therapeutic enzymes within the tumor environment, localizing conversion of prodrug to active drug at the tumor sites thereby decreasing off-target toxicities. New combinatorial possibilities are also promising. For example, when combined with viral gene-delivery vehicles, this may result in new hybrid vehicles that attain heretofore unmatched levels of therapeutic gene expression within the tumor.
Collapse
|
9
|
Browning DL, Everson EM, Leap DJ, Hocum JD, Wang H, Stamatoyannopoulos G, Trobridge GD. Evidence for the in vivo safety of insulated foamy viral vectors. Gene Ther 2016; 24:187-198. [PMID: 28024082 PMCID: PMC5374020 DOI: 10.1038/gt.2016.88] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2016] [Revised: 11/28/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Retroviral vector mediated stem cell gene therapy is a promising approach for the treatment of hematopoietic disorders. However, genotoxic side effects from integrated vector proviruses are a significant concern for the use of retroviral vectors in the clinic. Insulated foamy viral (FV) vectors are potentially safer retroviral vectors for hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy. We evaluated two newly identified human insulators, A1 and A2 for use in FV vectors. These insulators had moderate insulating capacity and higher titers than previously developed insulated FV vectors. The A1 insulated FV vector was chosen for comparison with the previously described 650cHS4 insulated FV vector in human cord blood CD34+ repopulating cells in an immunodeficient mouse model. To maximize the effects of the insulators on the safety of FV vectors, FV vectors containing a highly genotoxic spleen focus forming virus (SFFV) promoter was used to elicit differences in genotoxicity. In vivo, the A1 insulated FV vector showed an approximate 50% reduction in clonal dominance compared to either the 650cHS4 insulated or control FV vectors, although the transduction efficiency of the A1 insulated vector was higher. This data suggests that the A1 insulated FV vector is promising for future pre-clinical and clinical studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- D L Browning
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - E M Everson
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA
| | - D J Leap
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA
| | - J D Hocum
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA
| | - H Wang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Genetics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - G Stamatoyannopoulos
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Genetics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - G D Trobridge
- School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Lent-On-Plus Lentiviral vectors for conditional expression in human stem cells. Sci Rep 2016; 6:37289. [PMID: 27853296 PMCID: PMC5112523 DOI: 10.1038/srep37289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2015] [Accepted: 10/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Conditional transgene expression in human stem cells has been difficult to achieve due to the low efficiency of existing delivery methods, the strong silencing of the transgenes and the toxicity of the regulators. Most of the existing technologies are based on stem cells clones expressing appropriate levels of tTA or rtTA transactivators (based on the TetR-VP16 chimeras). In the present study, we aim the generation of Tet-On all-in-one lentiviral vectors (LVs) that tightly regulate transgene expression in human stem cells using the original TetR repressor. By using appropriate promoter combinations and shielding the LVs with the Is2 insulator, we have constructed the Lent-On-Plus Tet-On system that achieved efficient transgene regulation in human multipotent and pluripotent stem cells. The generation of inducible stem cell lines with the Lent-ON-Plus LVs did not require selection or cloning, and transgene regulation was maintained after long-term cultured and upon differentiation toward different lineages. To our knowledge, Lent-On-Plus is the first all-in-one vector system that tightly regulates transgene expression in bulk populations of human pluripotent stem cells and its progeny.
Collapse
|
11
|
Takata N, Sakakura E, Kasukawa T, Sakuma T, Yamamoto T, Sasai Y. Establishment of Functional Genomics Pipeline in Mouse Epiblast-Like Tissue by Combining Transcriptomic Analysis and Gene Knockdown/Knockin/Knockout, Using RNA Interference and CRISPR/Cas9. Hum Gene Ther 2016; 27:436-50. [PMID: 26839115 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2015.148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The epiblast (foremost embryonic ectoderm) generates all three germ layers and therefore has crucial roles in the formation of all mammalian body cells. However, regulation of epiblast gene expression is poorly understood because of the difficulty of manipulating epiblast tissues in vivo. In the present study, using the self-organizing properties of mouse embryonic stem cell (ESC), we generated and characterized epiblast-like tissue in three-dimensional culture. We identified significant genome-wide gene expression changes in this epiblast-like tissue by transcriptomic analysis. In addition, we identified the particular significance of the Erk/Mapk and integrin-linked kinase pathways, and genes related to ectoderm/epithelial formation, using the bioinformatics resources IPA and DAVID. Here, we focused on Fgf5, which ranked in the top 10 among the discovered genes. To develop a functional analysis of Fgf5, we created an efficient method combining CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome engineering and RNA interference (RNAi). Notably, we show one-step generation of various Fgf5 reporter lines including heterozygous and homozygous knockins (the GET method). For time- and dose-dependent depletion of fgf5 over the course of development, we generated an ESC line harboring Tol2 transposon-mediated integration of an inducible short hairpin RNA interference system (pdiRNAi). Our findings raised the possibility that Fgf/Erk signaling and apicobasal epithelial integrity are important factors in epiblast development. In addition, our methods provide a framework for a broad array of applications in the areas of mammalian genetics and molecular biology to understand development and to improve future therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nozomu Takata
- 1 Laboratory for In Vitro Histogenesis, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology , Hyogo, Japan
| | - Eriko Sakakura
- 1 Laboratory for In Vitro Histogenesis, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology , Hyogo, Japan
| | - Takeya Kasukawa
- 2 Large Scale Data Managing Unit, RIKEN Center for Life Science Technologies , Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Tetsushi Sakuma
- 3 Department of Mathematical and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University , Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Takashi Yamamoto
- 3 Department of Mathematical and Life Sciences, Graduate School of Science, Hiroshima University , Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Yoshiki Sasai
- 4 Laboratory for Organogenesis and Neurogenesis, RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology , Hyogo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Psatha N, Karponi G, Yannaki E. Optimizing autologous cell grafts to improve stem cell gene therapy. Exp Hematol 2016; 44:528-39. [PMID: 27106799 DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2016.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2016] [Revised: 04/06/2016] [Accepted: 04/08/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Over the past decade, stem cell gene therapy has achieved unprecedented curative outcomes for several genetic disorders. Despite the unequivocal success, clinical gene therapy still faces challenges. Genetically engineered hematopoietic stem cells are particularly vulnerable to attenuation of their repopulating capacity once exposed to culture conditions, ultimately leading to low engraftment levels posttransplant. This becomes of particular importance when transduction rates are low or/and competitive transplant conditions are generated by reduced-intensity conditioning in the absence of a selective advantage of the transduced over the unmodified cells. These limitations could partially be overcome by introducing megadoses of genetically modified CD34(+) cells into conditioned patients or by transplanting hematopoietic stem cells hematopoietic stem cells with high engrafting and repopulating potential. On the basis of the lessons gained from cord blood transplantation, we summarize the most promising approaches to date of increasing either the numbers of hematopoietic stem cells for transplantation or/and their engraftability, as a platform toward the optimization of engineered stem cell grafts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikoletta Psatha
- Gene and Cell Therapy Center, Hematology Department-BMT Unit, George Papanicolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece; Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Garyfalia Karponi
- Gene and Cell Therapy Center, Hematology Department-BMT Unit, George Papanicolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Evangelia Yannaki
- Gene and Cell Therapy Center, Hematology Department-BMT Unit, George Papanicolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece; Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Jackson M, Derrick Roberts A, Martin E, Rout-Pitt N, Gronthos S, Byers S. Mucopolysaccharidosis enzyme production by bone marrow and dental pulp derived human mesenchymal stem cells. Mol Genet Metab 2015; 114:584-93. [PMID: 25748347 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymgme.2015.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2014] [Revised: 02/06/2015] [Accepted: 02/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) are inherited metabolic disorders that arise from a complete loss or a reduction in one of eleven specific lysosomal enzymes. MPS children display pathology in multiple cell types leading to tissue and organ failure and early death. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) give rise to many of the cell types affected in MPS, including those that are refractory to current treatment protocols such as hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) based therapy. In this study we compared multiple MPS enzyme production by bone marrow derived (hBM) and dental pulp derived (hDP) MSCs to enzyme production by HSCs. hBM MSCs produce significantly higher levels of MPS I, II, IIIA, IVA, VI and VII enzyme than HSCs, while hDP MSCs produce significantly higher levels of MPS I, IIIA, IVA, VI and VII enzymes. Higher transfection efficiency was observed in MSCs (89%) compared to HSCs (23%) using a lentiviral vector. Over-expression of four different lysosomal enzymes resulted in up to 9303-fold and up to 5559-fold greater levels in MSC cell layer and media respectively. Stable, persistent transduction of MSCs and sustained over-expression of MPS VII enzyme was observed in vitro. Transduction of MSCs did not affect the ability of the cells to differentiate down osteogenic, adipogenic or chondrogenic lineages, but did partially delay differentiation down the non-mesodermal neurogenic lineage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matilda Jackson
- Genetics and Molecular Pathology, SA Pathology, North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Department of Genetics, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Ainslie Derrick Roberts
- Genetics and Molecular Pathology, SA Pathology, North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Ellenore Martin
- Department of Genetics, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Nathan Rout-Pitt
- Genetics and Molecular Pathology, SA Pathology, North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Stan Gronthos
- Mesenchymal Stem Cell Laboratory, School of Medical Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Sharon Byers
- Genetics and Molecular Pathology, SA Pathology, North Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Department of Genetics, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Müller-Kuller U, Ackermann M, Kolodziej S, Brendel C, Fritsch J, Lachmann N, Kunkel H, Lausen J, Schambach A, Moritz T, Grez M. A minimal ubiquitous chromatin opening element (UCOE) effectively prevents silencing of juxtaposed heterologous promoters by epigenetic remodeling in multipotent and pluripotent stem cells. Nucleic Acids Res 2015; 43:1577-92. [PMID: 25605798 PMCID: PMC4330381 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkv019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic silencing of transgene expression represents a major obstacle for the efficient genetic modification of multipotent and pluripotent stem cells. We and others have demonstrated that a 1.5 kb methylation-free CpG island from the human HNRPA2B1-CBX3 housekeeping genes (A2UCOE) effectively prevents transgene silencing and variegation in cell lines, multipotent and pluripotent stem cells, and their differentiated progeny. However, the bidirectional promoter activity of this element may disturb expression of neighboring genes. Furthermore, the epigenetic basis underlying the anti-silencing effect of the UCOE on juxtaposed promoters has been only partially explored. In this study we removed the HNRPA2B1 moiety from the A2UCOE and demonstrate efficient anti-silencing properties also for a minimal 0.7 kb element containing merely the CBX3 promoter. This DNA element largely prevents silencing of viral and tissue-specific promoters in multipotent and pluripotent stem cells. The protective activity of CBX3 was associated with reduced promoter CpG-methylation, decreased levels of repressive and increased levels of active histone marks. Moreover, the anti-silencing effect of CBX3 was locally restricted and when linked to tissue-specific promoters did not activate transcription in off target cells. Thus, CBX3 is a highly attractive element for sustained, tissue-specific and copy-number dependent transgene expression in vitro and in vivo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Uta Müller-Kuller
- Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt, Hessen, 60596, Germany
| | - Mania Ackermann
- RG Reprogramming and Gene Therapy, REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Lower Saxony, 30625, Germany Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Lower Saxony, 30625, Germany
| | - Stephan Kolodziej
- Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt, Hessen, 60596, Germany
| | - Christian Brendel
- Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt, Hessen, 60596, Germany
| | - Jessica Fritsch
- RG Reprogramming and Gene Therapy, REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Lower Saxony, 30625, Germany Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Lower Saxony, 30625, Germany
| | - Nico Lachmann
- RG Reprogramming and Gene Therapy, REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Lower Saxony, 30625, Germany Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Lower Saxony, 30625, Germany
| | - Hana Kunkel
- Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt, Hessen, 60596, Germany
| | - Jörn Lausen
- Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt, Hessen, 60596, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Lower Saxony, 30625, Germany Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Thomas Moritz
- RG Reprogramming and Gene Therapy, REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Lower Saxony, 30625, Germany Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Lower Saxony, 30625, Germany
| | - Manuel Grez
- Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt, Hessen, 60596, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Mao Y, Yan R, Li A, Zhang Y, Li J, Du H, Chen B, Wei W, Zhang Y, Sumners C, Zheng H, Li H. Lentiviral Vectors Mediate Long-Term and High Efficiency Transgene Expression in HEK 293T cells. Int J Med Sci 2015; 12:407-15. [PMID: 26005375 PMCID: PMC4441065 DOI: 10.7150/ijms.11270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2014] [Accepted: 02/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Lentiviral vectors have been used successfully to rapidly produce decigram quantities of active recombinant proteins in mammalian cell lines. To optimize the protein production platform, the roles of Ubiquitous Chromatin Opening Element (UCOE), an insulator, and selected promoters were evaluated based on efficiency and stability of foreign gene expression mediated by lentiviral vectors. METHODS Five lentiviral vectors, pFIN-EF1α-GFP-2A-mCherH-WPRE containing EF1α promoter and HS4 insulator, p'HR.cppt.3'1.2kb-UCOE-SFFV-eGFP containing SFFV promoter and UCOE, pTYF-CMV(β-globin intron)-eGFP containing CMV promoter and β-globin intron, pTYF-CMV-eGFP containing CMV promoter, and pTYF-EF1α-eGFP with EF1α promoter were packaged, titered, and then transduced into 293T cells (1000 viral genomes per cell). The transduced cells were passaged once every three days at a ratio of 1:10. Expression level and stability of the foreign gene, green fluorescence protein (GFP), was evaluated using fluorescent microscopy and flow cytometry. Furthermore, we constructed a hepatitis C virus (HCV) E1 recombinant lentiviral vector, pLV-CMV-E1, driven by the CMV promoter. This vector was packaged and transduced into 293T cells, and the recombinant cell lines with stable expression of E1 protein were established by limiting dilution. RESULTS GFP expression in 293T cells transduced with the five lentiviral vectors peaked between passages 3 and 5 and persisted for more than 5 weeks. The expression was prolonged in the cells transduced with TYF-CMV (β-globin intron)-eGFP or TYF-CMV-eGFP, demonstrating less than a 50% decrease even at 9 weeks post transduction (p>0.05). The TYF-CMV-eGFP-transduced cells began with a higher level of GFP expression than other vectors did. The percentage of GFP positive cells for any of the five lentiviral vectors sustained over time. Moreover, the survival rates of all transfected cells exceeded 80% at both 5 and 9 weeks post transduction. Surprisingly, neither the HS4 insulator nor the UCOE sequence improved the GFP expression level or stability. Clonal cell lines with HCV E1 gene were generated from LV-CMV-E1 vector-infected 293T cells. A representative recombinant cell line maintained stable E1expression for at least 9 weeks without significant difference in morphology compared with untreated 293T cells. CONCLUSION The results suggest that all five vectors can stably transduce 293T cells, producing long term transgene expression with different efficiencies. However, neither the insulator nor the UCOE improved the GFP expression. The vectors containing the promoter CMV or CMV (β-globin intron) generated the highest gene expressions, manifesting as more favorable candidates for recombinant protein production in HEK293T cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Mao
- 1. School of Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Renhe Yan
- 1. School of Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Andrew Li
- 2. Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Yanling Zhang
- 1. School of Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jinlong Li
- 1. School of Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Hongyan Du
- 1. School of Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Baihong Chen
- 1. School of Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Wenjin Wei
- 3. Beijing Minhai Biotechnology CO., LTD, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- 4. Department of Pharmacology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Colin Sumners
- 5. Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Haifa Zheng
- 3. Beijing Minhai Biotechnology CO., LTD, Beijing, China
| | - Hongwei Li
- 1. School of Biotechnology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Verghese SC, Goloviznina NA, Skinner AM, Lipps HJ, Kurre P. S/MAR sequence confers long-term mitotic stability on non-integrating lentiviral vector episomes without selection. Nucleic Acids Res 2014; 42:e53. [PMID: 24474068 PMCID: PMC3985655 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gku082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2013] [Revised: 12/27/2013] [Accepted: 01/06/2014] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Insertional oncogene activation and aberrant splicing have proved to be major setbacks for retroviral stem cell gene therapy. Integrase-deficient human immunodeficiency virus-1-derived vectors provide a potentially safer approach, but their circular genomes are rapidly lost during cell division. Here we describe a novel lentiviral vector (LV) that incorporates human ß-interferon scaffold/matrix-associated region sequences to provide an origin of replication for long-term mitotic maintenance of the episomal LTR circles. The resulting 'anchoring' non-integrating lentiviral vector (aniLV) achieved initial transduction rates comparable with integrating vector followed by progressive establishment of long-term episomal expression in a subset of cells. Analysis of aniLV-transduced single cell-derived clones maintained without selective pressure for >100 rounds of cell division showed sustained transgene expression from episomes and provided molecular evidence for long-term episome maintenance. To evaluate aniLV performance in primary cells, we transduced lineage-depleted murine hematopoietic progenitor cells, observing GFP expression in clonogenic progenitor colonies and peripheral blood leukocyte chimerism following transplantation into conditioned hosts. In aggregate, our studies suggest that scaffold/matrix-associated region elements can serve as molecular anchors for non-integrating lentivector episomes, providing sustained gene expression through successive rounds of cell division and progenitor differentiation in vitro and in vivo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Santhosh Chakkaramakkil Verghese
- Department of Pediatrics, Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA, Department of Surgery/Surgical Oncology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA, Center for Biomedical Education and Research, Institute of Cell Biology, University of Witten/Herdecke, Witten 58453, Germany, Oregon Stem Cell Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA and Department of Cell & Developmental Biology Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Natalya A. Goloviznina
- Department of Pediatrics, Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA, Department of Surgery/Surgical Oncology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA, Center for Biomedical Education and Research, Institute of Cell Biology, University of Witten/Herdecke, Witten 58453, Germany, Oregon Stem Cell Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA and Department of Cell & Developmental Biology Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Amy M. Skinner
- Department of Pediatrics, Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA, Department of Surgery/Surgical Oncology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA, Center for Biomedical Education and Research, Institute of Cell Biology, University of Witten/Herdecke, Witten 58453, Germany, Oregon Stem Cell Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA and Department of Cell & Developmental Biology Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Hans J. Lipps
- Department of Pediatrics, Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA, Department of Surgery/Surgical Oncology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA, Center for Biomedical Education and Research, Institute of Cell Biology, University of Witten/Herdecke, Witten 58453, Germany, Oregon Stem Cell Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA and Department of Cell & Developmental Biology Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Peter Kurre
- Department of Pediatrics, Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA, Department of Surgery/Surgical Oncology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA, Center for Biomedical Education and Research, Institute of Cell Biology, University of Witten/Herdecke, Witten 58453, Germany, Oregon Stem Cell Center, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA and Department of Cell & Developmental Biology Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Antoniou MN, Skipper KA, Anakok O. Optimizing retroviral gene expression for effective therapies. Hum Gene Ther 2014; 24:363-74. [PMID: 23517535 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2013.062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
With their ability to integrate their genetic material into the target cell genome, retroviral vectors (RV) of both the gamma-retroviral (γ-RV) and lentiviral vector (LV) classes currently remain the most efficient and thus the system of choice for achieving transgene retention and therefore potentially long-term expression and therapeutic benefit. However, γ-RV and LV integration comes at a cost in that transcription units will be present within a native chromatin environment and thus be subject to epigenetic effects (DNA methylation, histone modifications) that can negatively impact on their function. Indeed, highly variable expression and silencing of γ-RV and LV transgenes especially resulting from promoter DNA methylation is well documented and was the cause of the failure of gene therapy in a clinical trial for X-linked chronic granulomatous disease. This review will critically explore the use of different classes of genetic control elements that can in principle reduce vector insertion site position effects and epigenetic-mediated silencing. These transcriptional regulatory elements broadly divide themselves into either those with a chromatin boundary or border function (scaffold/matrix attachment regions, insulators) or those with a dominant chromatin remodeling and transcriptional activating capability (locus control regions,, ubiquitous chromatin opening elements). All these types of elements have their strengths and weaknesses within the constraints of a γ-RV and LV backbone, showing varying degrees of efficacy in improving reproducibility and stability of transgene function. Combinations of boundary and chromatin remodeling; transcriptional activating elements, which do not impede vector production; transduction efficiency; and stability are most likely to meet the requirements within a gene therapy context especially when targeting a stem cell population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael N Antoniou
- Gene Expression and Therapy Group, King's College London School of Medicine, Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Guy's Hospital, London, SE1 9RT, United Kingdom.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
18
|
Benabdellah K, Gutierrez-Guerrero A, Cobo M, Muñoz P, Martín F. A chimeric HS4-SAR insulator (IS2) that prevents silencing and enhances expression of lentiviral vectors in pluripotent stem cells. PLoS One 2014; 9:e84268. [PMID: 24400083 PMCID: PMC3882226 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2013] [Accepted: 11/21/2013] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Chromatin insulators, such as the chicken β-globin locus control region hypersensitive site 4 (HS4), and scaffold/matrix attachment regions (SARs/MARs) have been incorporated separately or in combination into retroviral vectors (RVs) in order to increase transgene expression levels, avoid silencing and reduce expression variability. However, their incorporation into RVs either produces a reduction on titer and/or expression levels or do not have sufficient effect on stem cells. In order to develop an improved insulator we decided to combine SAR elements with HS4 insulators. We designed several synthetic shorter SAR elements containing 4 or 5 MAR/SARs recognition signatures (MRS) and studied their effects on a lentiviral vector (LV) expressing eGFP through the SFFV promoter (SE). A 388 bp SAR element containing 5 MRS, named SAR2, was as efficient or superior to the other SARs analyzed. SAR2 enhanced transgene expression and reduced silencing and variability on human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). We next compared the effect of different HS4-based insulators, the HS4-Core (250 bp), the HS4-Ext (400 bp) and the HS4-650 (650 bp). All HS4 elements reduced silencing and expression variability but they also had a negative effect on transgene expression levels and titer. In general, the HS4-650 element had a better overall effect. Based on these data we developed a chimeric insulator, IS2, combining the SAR2 and the HS4-650. When incorporated into the 3′ LTR of the SE LV, the IS2 element was able to enhance expression, avoid silencing and reduce variability of expression on hESCs. Importantly, these effects were maintained after differentiation of the transduced hESCs toward the hematopoietic linage. Neither the HS4-650 nor the SAR2 elements had these effects. The IS2 element is therefore a novel insulator that confers expression stability and enhances expression of LVs on stem cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karim Benabdellah
- Human DNA Variability Department, GENYO - Centre for Genomic and Oncological Research (Pfizer/University of Granada/Andalusian Regional Government), PTS Granada, Granada, Spain
- * E-mail: (FM); (KB)
| | - Alejandra Gutierrez-Guerrero
- Human DNA Variability Department, GENYO - Centre for Genomic and Oncological Research (Pfizer/University of Granada/Andalusian Regional Government), PTS Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Marién Cobo
- Human DNA Variability Department, GENYO - Centre for Genomic and Oncological Research (Pfizer/University of Granada/Andalusian Regional Government), PTS Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Pilar Muñoz
- Human DNA Variability Department, GENYO - Centre for Genomic and Oncological Research (Pfizer/University of Granada/Andalusian Regional Government), PTS Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Francisco Martín
- Human DNA Variability Department, GENYO - Centre for Genomic and Oncological Research (Pfizer/University of Granada/Andalusian Regional Government), PTS Granada, Granada, Spain
- * E-mail: (FM); (KB)
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Low PT, Lai MI, Ngai SC, Abdullah S. Transgene expression from CpG-reduced lentiviral gene delivery vectors in vitro. Gene 2013; 533:451-5. [PMID: 24120896 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2013.09.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2013] [Revised: 08/07/2013] [Accepted: 09/20/2013] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Current viral gene delivery vectors for gene therapy are inefficient due to short-lived transgene expression attributed to the cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) motifs in the transgene. Here we assessed the effects of CpG motif reduction in lentiviral (LV) gene delivery context on the level and duration of reporter gene expression in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells, Human Immortalized Myelogenous Leukemia (K562) cells and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). The cells were transduced with LV carrying Zero-CpG green fluorescent protein (ZGFP) reporter gene, LV/CMV/ZGFP. The GFP expression was compared to its non CpG-depleted GFP reporter gene LV (LV/CMV/GFP) counterpart. The LV/CMV/ZGFP exhibited prolonged transgene expression in CHO cells and HSCs up to 10 days and 14 days, in the respective cells. This effect was not seen in the transduced K562 cells, which may be due to the DNA hypomethylation status of the cancer cell line. Transgene copy number analysis verified that the GFP expression was not from pseudo-transduction and the transgene remained in the genome of the cells throughout the period of the study. The modest positive effects from the LV/CMV/ZGFP suggest that the reduction of CpG in the LV construct was not substantial to generate higher and more prolonged transgene expression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Poh Tee Low
- Medical Genetics Laboratory, Clinical Genetics Unit, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Genomic cis-acting Sequences Improve Expression and Establishment of a Nonviral Vector. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2013; 2:e118. [PMID: 24002728 PMCID: PMC3759742 DOI: 10.1038/mtna.2013.47] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2013] [Accepted: 06/21/2013] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The vector pEPI was the first nonviral and episomally replicating vector. Its functional element is an expression unit linked to a chromosomal scaffold/matrix attached region (S/MAR). The vector replicates autonomously with low copy number in various cell lines, is mitotically stable in the absence of selection over hundreds of generations, and was successfully used for the efficient generation of genetically modified pigs. Since it is assumed that establishment of the vector is a stochastic event and strongly depends on the nuclear compartment it reaches after transfection, it is of great interest to identify genomic sequences that guide DNA sequences into certain nuclear compartments. Here we inserted genomic cis-acting sequences into pEPI and examined their impact on transgene expression, long-term stability, and vector establishment. We demonstrated that a ubiquitous chromatin-opening element (UCOE) mediated enhanced transgene expression, while an insulator sequence (cHS4) increased establishment efficiency, presumably via an additional interaction with the nuclear matrix. Thus, besides being a promising alternative to currently used viral vectors in gene therapeutic approaches, pEPI may also serve as a tool to study nuclear compartmentalization; identification of genomic cis-acting sequences that are involved in nuclear organization will contribute to our understanding of the interplay between transgene expression, plasmid establishment, and nuclear architecture.
Collapse
|
21
|
Semple-Rowland SL, Berry J. Use of lentiviral vectors to deliver and express bicistronic transgenes in developing chicken embryos. Methods 2013; 66:466-73. [PMID: 23816789 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2013.06.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2013] [Revised: 05/16/2013] [Accepted: 06/21/2013] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The abilities of lentiviral vectors to carry large transgenes (∼8kb) and to efficiently infect and integrate these genes into the genomes of both dividing and non-dividing cells make them ideal candidates for transport of genetic material into cells and tissues. Given the properties of these vectors, it is somewhat surprising that they have seen only limited use in studies of developing tissues and in particular of the developing nervous system. Over the past several years, we have taken advantage of the large capacity of these vectors to explore the expression characteristics of several dual promoter and 2A peptide bicistronic transgenes in developing chick neural retina, with the goal of identifying transgene designs that reliably express multiple proteins in infected cells. Here we summarize the activities of several of these transgenes in neural retina and provide detailed methodologies for packaging lentivirus and delivering the virus into the developing neural tubes of chicken embryos in ovo, procedures that have been optimized over the course of several years of use in our laboratory. Conditions to hatch injected embryos are also discussed. The chicken-specific techniques will be of highest interest to investigators using avian embryos, development and packaging of lentiviral vectors that reliably express multiple proteins in infected cells should be of interest to all investigators whose experiments demand manipulation and expression of multiple proteins in developing cells and tissues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Susan L Semple-Rowland
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, FL 32610 0244, United States.
| | - Jonathan Berry
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Florida, McKnight Brain Institute, Gainesville, FL 32610 0244, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Miceli M, Franci G, Dell'Aversana C, Ricciardiello F, Petraglia F, Carissimo A, Perone L, Maruotti GM, Savarese M, Martinelli P, Cancemi M, Altucci L. MePR: a novel human mesenchymal progenitor model with characteristics of pluripotency. Stem Cells Dev 2013; 22:2368-83. [PMID: 23597129 DOI: 10.1089/scd.2012.0498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Human embryo stem cells or adult tissues are excellent models for discovery and characterization of differentiation processes. The aims of regenerative medicine are to define the molecular and physiological mechanisms that govern stem cells and differentiation. Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) are multipotent adult stem cells that are able to differentiate into a variety of cell types under controlled conditions both in vivo and in vitro, and they have the remarkable ability of self-renewal. hMSCs derived from amniotic fluid and characterized by the expression of Oct-4 and Nanog, typical markers of pluripotent cells, represent an excellent model for studies on stemness. Unfortunately, the limited amount of cells available from each donation and, above all, the limited number of replications do not allow for detailed studies. Here, we report on the immortalization and characterization of novel mesenchymal progenitor (MePR) cell lines from amniotic fluid-derived hMSCs, whose biological properties are similar to primary amniocytes. Our data indicate that MePR cells display the multipotency potential and differentiation rates of hMSCs, thus representing a useful model to study both mechanisms of differentiation and pharmacological approaches to induce selective differentiation. In particular, MePR-2B cells, which carry a bona fide normal karyotype, might be used in basic stem cell research, leading to the development of new approaches for stem cell therapy and tissue engineering.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marco Miceli
- Dipartimento di Biochimica, Biofisica e Patologia Generale, Seconda Università di Napoli , Napoli, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
23
|
Collet G, Grillon C, Nadim M, Kieda C. Trojan horse at cellular level for tumor gene therapies. Gene 2013; 525:208-16. [PMID: 23542073 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2013.03.057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2013] [Revised: 02/27/2013] [Accepted: 03/07/2013] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Among innovative strategies developed for cancer treatments, gene therapies stand of great interest despite their well-known limitations in targeting, delivery, toxicity or stability. The success of any given gene-therapy is highly dependent on the carrier efficiency. New approaches are often revisiting the mythic trojan horse concept to carry therapeutic nucleic acid, i.e. DNAs, RNAs or small interfering RNAs, to pathologic tumor site. Recent investigations are focusing on engineering carrying modalities to overtake the above limitations bringing new promise to cancer patients. This review describes recent advances and perspectives for gene therapies devoted to tumor treatment, taking advantage of available knowledge in biotechnology and medicine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Collet
- Centre de Biophysique Moléculaire, UPR4301 CNRS, Rue Charles Sadron, 45071, Orléans, cedex 2, France.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
24
|
Manic G, Maurin-Marlin A, Galluzzi L, Subra F, Mouscadet JF, Bury-Moné S. 3' self-inactivating long terminal repeat inserts for the modulation of transgene expression from lentiviral vectors. Hum Gene Ther Methods 2012; 23:84-97. [PMID: 22456436 DOI: 10.1089/hgtb.2011.154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene transfer for research or gene therapy requires the design of vectors that allow for adequate and safe transgene expression. Current methods to modulate the safety and expression profile of retroviral vectors can involve the insertion of insulators or scaffold/matrix-attachment regions in self-inactivating long terminal repeats (SIN-LTRs). Here, we generated a set of lentiviral vectors (with internal CMV or PGK promoter) in which we inserted (at the level of SIN-LTRs) sequences of avian (i.e., chicken hypersensitive site-4, cHS4), human (i.e., putative insulator and desert sequence), or bacterial origin. We characterized them with respect to viral titer, integration, transduction efficiency and transgene expression levels, in both integrase-proficient and -deficient contexts. We found that the cHS4 insulator enhanced transgene expression by a factor of 1.5 only when cloned in the antisense orientation. On the other hand, cHS4 in the sense orientation as well as all other inserts decreased transgene expression. This attenuation phenomenon persisted over long periods of time and did not correspond to extinction or variegation. Decreased transgene expression was associated with lower mRNA levels, yet RNA stability was not affected. Insertions within the SIN-LTRs may negatively affect transgene transcription in a direct fashion through topological rearrangements. The lentiviral vectors that we generated constitute valuable genetic tools for manipulating the level of transgene expression. Moreover, this study demonstrates that SIN-LTR inserts can decrease transgene expression, a phenomenon that might be overcome by modifying insert orientation, thereby highlighting the importance of careful vector design for gene therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gwenola Manic
- Laboratoire de Biologie et de Pharmacologie Appliquée, UMR 8113 CNRS, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan, FR-94230 Cachan, France
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
25
|
Love NR, Thuret R, Chen Y, Ishibashi S, Sabherwal N, Paredes R, Alves-Silva J, Dorey K, Noble AM, Guille MJ, Sasai Y, Papalopulu N, Amaya E. pTransgenesis: a cross-species, modular transgenesis resource. Development 2012; 138:5451-8. [PMID: 22110059 DOI: 10.1242/dev.066498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
As studies aim increasingly to understand key, evolutionarily conserved properties of biological systems, the ability to move transgenesis experiments efficiently between organisms becomes essential. DNA constructions used in transgenesis usually contain four elements, including sequences that facilitate transgene genome integration, a selectable marker and promoter elements driving a coding gene. Linking these four elements in a DNA construction, however, can be a rate-limiting step in the design and creation of transgenic organisms. In order to expedite the construction process and to facilitate cross-species collaborations, we have incorporated the four common elements of transgenesis into a modular, recombination-based cloning system called pTransgenesis. Within this framework, we created a library of useful coding sequences, such as various fluorescent protein, Gal4, Cre-recombinase and dominant-negative receptor constructs, which are designed to be coupled to modular, species-compatible selectable markers, promoters and transgenesis facilitation sequences. Using pTransgenesis in Xenopus, we demonstrate Gal4-UAS binary expression, Cre-loxP-mediated fate-mapping and the establishment of novel, tissue-specific transgenic lines. Importantly, we show that the pTransgenesis resource is also compatible with transgenesis in Drosophila, zebrafish and mammalian cell models. Thus, the pTransgenesis resource fosters a cross-model standardization of commonly used transgenesis elements, streamlines DNA construct creation and facilitates collaboration between researchers working on different model organisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nick R Love
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
26
|
Miccio A, Poletti V, Tiboni F, Rossi C, Antonelli A, Mavilio F, Ferrari G. The GATA1-HS2 enhancer allows persistent and position-independent expression of a β-globin transgene. PLoS One 2011; 6:e27955. [PMID: 22164220 PMCID: PMC3229501 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0027955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2011] [Accepted: 10/28/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene therapy of genetic diseases requires persistent and position-independent expression of a therapeutic transgene. Transcriptional enhancers binding chromatin-remodeling and modifying complexes may play a role in shielding transgenes from repressive chromatin effects. We tested the activity of the HS2 enhancer of the GATA1 gene in protecting the expression of a β-globin minigene delivered by a lentiviral vector in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. Gene expression from proviruses carrying GATA1-HS2 in both LTRs was persistent and resistant to silencing at most integration sites in the in vivo progeny of human hematopoietic progenitors and murine long-term repopulating stem cells. The GATA1-HS2-modified vector allowed correction of murine β-thalassemia at low copy number without inducing clonal selection of erythroblastic progenitors. Chromatin immunoprecipitation studies showed that GATA1 and the CBP acetyltransferase bind to GATA1-HS2, significantly increasing CBP-specific histone acetylations at the LTRs and β-globin promoter. Recruitment of CBP by the LTRs thus establishes an open chromatin domain encompassing the entire provirus, and increases the therapeutic efficacy of β-globin gene transfer by reducing expression variegation and epigenetic silencing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annarita Miccio
- H. San Raffaele-Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (HSR-TIGET), Istituto Scientifico H. San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Valentina Poletti
- Laboratory of Gene Expression, Istituto Scientifico H. San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Tiboni
- H. San Raffaele-Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (HSR-TIGET), Istituto Scientifico H. San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Claudia Rossi
- H. San Raffaele-Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (HSR-TIGET), Istituto Scientifico H. San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Antonella Antonelli
- H. San Raffaele-Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (HSR-TIGET), Istituto Scientifico H. San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Fulvio Mavilio
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Laboratory of Gene Expression, Istituto Scientifico H. San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuliana Ferrari
- H. San Raffaele-Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (HSR-TIGET), Istituto Scientifico H. San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
- University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Lineage- and stage-restricted lentiviral vectors for the gene therapy of chronic granulomatous disease. Gene Ther 2011; 18:1087-97. [PMID: 21544095 DOI: 10.1038/gt.2011.65] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Insertional mutagenesis represents a serious adverse effect of gene therapy with integrating vectors. However, although uncontrolled activation of growth-promoting genes in stem cells can predictably lead to oncological processes, this is far less likely if vector transcriptional activity can be restricted to fully differentiated cells. Diseases requiring phenotypic correction only in mature cells offer such an opportunity, provided that lineage/stage-restricted systems can be properly tailored. In this study, we followed this reasoning to design lentiviral vectors for the gene therapy of chronic granulomatous disease (CGD), an immune deficiency due a loss of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase in phagocytes, most often secondary to mutations in gp91(phox). Using self-inactivating HIV1-derived vectors as background, we first expressed enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) from a minimal gp91(phox) promoter, adding various natural or synthetic transcriptional regulatory elements to foster both specificity and potency. The resulting vectors were assessed either by transplantation or by lentiviral transgenesis, searching for combinations conferring strong and specific expression into mature phagocytic cells. The most promising vector was modified to express gp91(phox) and used to treat CGD mice. High-level restoration of NADPH activity was documented in granulocytes from the treated animals. We propose that this lineage-specific lentiviral vector is a suitable candidate for the gene therapy of CGD.
Collapse
|
28
|
|
29
|
Ramezani A, Zweier-Renn LA, Hawley RG. Factor VIII delivered by haematopoietic stem cell-derived B cells corrects the phenotype of haemophilia A mice. Thromb Haemost 2011; 105:676-87. [PMID: 21264447 PMCID: PMC3117307 DOI: 10.1160/th10-11-0725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2010] [Accepted: 01/06/2011] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The main impediments to clinical application of haematopoietic stem cell (HSC) gene therapy for treatment of haemophilia A are the bone marrow transplant-related risks and the potential for insertional mutagenesis caused by retroviral vectors. To circumvent these limitations, we have adapted a non-myeloablative conditioning regimen and directed factor VIII (FVIII) protein synthesis to B lineage cells using an insulated lentiviral vector containing an immunoglobulin heavy chain enhancer-promoter. Transplantation of lentiviral vector-modified HSCs resulted in therapeutic levels of FVIII in the circulation of all transplanted mice for the duration of the study (six months). Immunostaining of spleen cells showed that the majority of FVIII was synthesised by B220+ B cells and CD138+ plasma cells. Subsequent challenge with recombinant FVIII elicited at most a minor anti-FVIII antibody response, demonstrating induction of immune hyporesponsiveness. All transplant recipients exhibited clot formation and survived tail clipping, indicating correction of their haemophilic phenotype. Therapeutic levels of FVIII could be transferred to secondary recipients by bone marrow transplantation, confirming gene transfer into long-term repopulating HSCs. Moreover, short-term therapeutic FVIII levels could also be achieved in secondary recipients by adoptive transfer of HSC-derived splenic B cells. Our findings support pursuit of B cell-directed protein delivery as a potential clinical approach to treat haemophilia A and other disorders correctable by systemically distributed proteins.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ali Ramezani
- Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Biology The George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Lynnsey A. Zweier-Renn
- Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Biology The George Washington University, Washington, DC
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, The George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Robert G. Hawley
- Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Biology The George Washington University, Washington, DC
- Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, The George Washington University, Washington, DC
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Emery DW. The use of chromatin insulators to improve the expression and safety of integrating gene transfer vectors. Hum Gene Ther 2011; 22:761-74. [PMID: 21247248 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2010.233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The therapeutic application of recombinant retroviruses and other integrating gene transfer vectors has been limited by problems of vector expression and vector-mediated genotoxicity. These problems arise in large part from the interactions between vector sequences and the genomic environment surrounding sites of integration. Strides have been made in overcoming both of these problems through the modification of deleterious vector sequences, the inclusion of better enhancers and promoters, and the use of alternative virus systems. However, these modifications often add other restrictions on vector design, which in turn can further limit therapeutic applications. As an alternative, several groups have been investigating a class of DNA regulatory elements known as chromatin insulators. These elements provide a means of blocking the interaction between an integrating vector and the target cell genome in a manner that is independent of the vector transgene, regulatory elements, or virus of origin. This review outlines the background, rationale, and evidence for using chromatin insulators to improve the expression and safety of gene transfer vectors. Also reviewed are topological factors that constrain the use of insulators in integrating gene transfer vectors, alternative sources of insulators, and the role of chromatin insulators as one of several components for optimal vector design.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David W Emery
- University of Washington Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Genetics, and Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
McGinley L, McMahon J, Strappe P, Barry F, Murphy M, O'Toole D, O'Brien T. Lentiviral vector mediated modification of mesenchymal stem cells & enhanced survival in an in vitro model of ischaemia. Stem Cell Res Ther 2011; 2:12. [PMID: 21385372 PMCID: PMC3226283 DOI: 10.1186/scrt53] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2010] [Accepted: 03/07/2011] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction A combination of gene and cell therapies has the potential to significantly enhance the therapeutic value of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). The development of efficient gene delivery methods is essential if MSCs are to be of benefit using such an approach. Achieving high levels of transgene expression for the required period of time, without adversely affecting cell viability and differentiation capacity, is crucial. In the present study, we investigate lentiviral vector-mediated genetic modification of rat bone-marrow derived MSCs and examine any functional effect of such genetic modification in an in vitro model of ischaemia. Methods Transduction efficiency and transgene persistence of second and third generation rHIV-1 based lentiviral vectors were tested using reporter gene constructs. Use of the rHIV-pWPT-EF1-α-GFP-W vector was optimised in terms of dose, toxicity, cell species, and storage. The in vivo condition of ischaemia was modelled in vitro by separation into its associated constituent parts i.e. hypoxia, serum and glucose deprivation, in which the effect of therapeutic gene over-expression on MSC survival was investigated. Results The second generation lentiviral vector rHIV-pWPT-EF1-α-GFP-W, was the most efficient and provided the most durable transgene expression of the vectors tested. Transduction with this vector did not adversely affect MSC morphology, viability or differentiation potential, and transgene expression levels were unaffected by cryopreservation of transduced cells. Over-expression of HSP70 resulted in enhanced MSC survival and increased resistance to apoptosis in conditions of hypoxia and ischaemia. MSC differentiation capacity was significantly reduced after oxygen deprivation, but was preserved with HSP70 over-expression. Conclusions Collectively, these data validate the use of lentiviral vectors for efficient in vitro gene delivery to MSCs and suggest that lentiviral vector transduction can facilitate sustained therapeutic gene expression, providing an efficient tool for ex vivo MSC modification. Furthermore, lentiviral mediated over-expression of therapeutic genes in MSCs may provide protection in an ischaemic environment and enable MSCs to function in a regenerative manner, in part through maintaining the ability to differentiate. This finding may have considerable significance in improving the efficacy of MSC-based therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lisa McGinley
- Regenerative Medicine Institute and Department of Medicine, National University of Ireland, Galway and Galway University Hospital, University Road, Galway, Ireland
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
32
|
Moreno R, Martínez I, Petriz J, Nadal M, Tintoré X, Gonzalez JR, Gratacós E, Aran JM. The β-Interferon Scaffold Attachment Region Confers High-Level Transgene Expression and Avoids Extinction by Epigenetic Modifications of Integrated Provirus in Adipose Tissue-Derived Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells. Tissue Eng Part C Methods 2011; 17:275-87. [DOI: 10.1089/ten.tec.2010.0383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Moreno
- Medical and Molecular Genetics Center, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Itziar Martínez
- Medical and Molecular Genetics Center, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Petriz
- Biomedical Research Unit, Institut de Recerca Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marga Nadal
- Translational Research Laboratory, IDIBELL-Institut Català d'Oncologia, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Tintoré
- Plastic Surgery Service, Capio Hospital General de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juan Ramón Gonzalez
- Center for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL) and CIBERESP, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eduard Gratacós
- Maternal-Fetal Medicine Department, Hospital Clinic-IDIBAPS, University of Barcelona and CIBERER, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josep M. Aran
- Medical and Molecular Genetics Center, Institut d'Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Abstract
Since their first clinical trial 20 years ago, retroviral (gretroviral and lentiviral) vectors have now been used in more than 350 gene-therapy studies. Retroviral vectors are particularly suited for gene-correction of cells due to long-term and stable expression of the transferred transgene(s), and also because little effort is required for their cloning and production. Several monogenic inherited diseases, mostly immunodeficiencies, can now be successfully treated. The occurrence of insertional mutagenesis in some studies allowed extensive analysis of integration profiles of retroviral vectors, as well as the design of lentiviral vectors with increased safety properties. These new-generation vectors will enable us to continue the successful story of gene therapy, and treat more patients and even more complex diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Maier
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167 Mannheim, Germany
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
34
|
Grandchamp N, Henriot D, Philippe S, Amar L, Ursulet S, Serguera C, Mallet J, Sarkis C. Influence of insulators on transgene expression from integrating and non-integrating lentiviral vectors. GENETIC VACCINES AND THERAPY 2011; 9:1. [PMID: 21205311 PMCID: PMC3025823 DOI: 10.1186/1479-0556-9-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2010] [Accepted: 01/04/2011] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The efficacy and biosafety of lentiviral gene transfer is influenced by the design of the vector. To this end, properties of lentiviral vectors can be modified by using cis-acting elements such as the modification of the U3 region of the LTR, the incorporation of the central flap (cPPT-CTS) element, or post-transcriptional regulatory elements such as the woodchuck post-transcriptional regulatory element (WPRE). Recently, several studies evaluated the influence of the incorporation of insulators into the integrating lentiviral vector genome on transgene expression level and position effects. METHODS In the present study, the influence of the matrix attachment region (MAR) of the mouse immunoglobulin-κ (Ig-κ) or the chicken lysozyme (ChL) gene was studied on three types of HIV-1-derived lentiviral vectors: self-inactivating (SIN) lentiviral vectors (LV), double-copy lentiviral vectors (DC) and non-integrating lentiviral vectors (NILVs) in different cell types: HeLa, HEK293T, NIH-3T3, Raji, and T Jurkat cell lines and primary neural progenitors. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Our results demonstrate that the Ig-κ MAR in the context of LV slightly increases transduction efficiency only in Hela, NIH-3T3 and Jurkat cells. In the context of double-copy lentiviral vectors, the Ig-κ MAR has no effect or even negatively influences transduction efficiency. In the same way, in the context of non-integrating lentiviral vectors, the Ig-κ MAR has no effect or even negatively influences transduction efficiency, except in differentiated primary neural progenitor cells.The ChL MAR in the context of integrating and non-integrating lentiviral vectors shows no effect or a decrease of transgene expression in all tested conditions. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that MAR sequences not necessarily increase transgene expression and that the effect of these sequences is probably context dependent and/or vector dependent. Thus, this study highlights the importance to consider a MAR sequence in a given context. Moreover, other recent reports pointed out the potential effects of random integration of insulators on the expression level of endogenous genes. Taken together, these results show that the use of an insulator in a vector for gene therapy must be well assessed in the particular therapeutic context that it will be used for, and must be balanced with its potential genotoxic effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Grandchamp
- CRICM - Centre de Recherche de l'Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Epinière - UPMC/INERM UMR_S975/CNRS UMR7225, Equipe de Biotechnologie et Biothérapie, 83 boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France.,NewVectys - 109 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008 Paris, France
| | - Dorothée Henriot
- CRICM - Centre de Recherche de l'Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Epinière - UPMC/INERM UMR_S975/CNRS UMR7225, Equipe de Biotechnologie et Biothérapie, 83 boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France.,NewVectys - 109 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008 Paris, France
| | - Stéphanie Philippe
- CRICM - Centre de Recherche de l'Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Epinière - UPMC/INERM UMR_S975/CNRS UMR7225, Equipe de Biotechnologie et Biothérapie, 83 boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France.,Unit of Gene Therapy & Stem Cell Biology, Ophthalmology Department of the University of Lausanne, Jules-Gonin Eye Hospital, avenue de France 15, 1004 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Lahouari Amar
- CRICM - Centre de Recherche de l'Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Epinière - UPMC/INERM UMR_S975/CNRS UMR7225, Equipe de Biotechnologie et Biothérapie, 83 boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France.,Neuronal Survival Unit, Department of Experimental Medical Science, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, BMC A10, 221 84 Lund, Sweden
| | - Suzanna Ursulet
- CRICM - Centre de Recherche de l'Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Epinière - UPMC/INERM UMR_S975/CNRS UMR7225, Equipe de Biotechnologie et Biothérapie, 83 boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France.,NewVectys - 109 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008 Paris, France
| | - Che Serguera
- CRICM - Centre de Recherche de l'Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Epinière - UPMC/INERM UMR_S975/CNRS UMR7225, Equipe de Biotechnologie et Biothérapie, 83 boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France.,CRC MIRcen - Laboratoire INSERM - Modélisation des biothérapies, 18, route du Panorama, 92265, Fontenay-aux-roses, France
| | - Jacques Mallet
- CRICM - Centre de Recherche de l'Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Epinière - UPMC/INERM UMR_S975/CNRS UMR7225, Equipe de Biotechnologie et Biothérapie, 83 boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Chamsy Sarkis
- CRICM - Centre de Recherche de l'Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Epinière - UPMC/INERM UMR_S975/CNRS UMR7225, Equipe de Biotechnologie et Biothérapie, 83 boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France.,NewVectys - 109 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, 75008 Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Li H, Lu Y, Witek RP, Chang LJ, Campbell-Thompson M, Jorgensen M, Petersen B, Song S. Ex vivo transduction and transplantation of bone marrow cells for liver gene delivery of alpha1-antitrypsin. Mol Ther 2010; 18:1553-8. [PMID: 20551917 DOI: 10.1038/mt.2010.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Adult stem cell-based gene therapy holds several unique advantages including avoidance of germline or other undesirable cell transductions. We have previously shown that liver progenitor (oval) cells can be used as a platform for liver gene delivery of human alpha1-antitrypsin (hAAT). However, this cell source cannot be used in humans for autologous transplantation. In the present study, we tested the feasibility of bone marrow (BM) cell-based liver gene delivery of hAAT. In vitro studies showed that BM cells can be transduced by lentiviral vector (Lenti-CB-hAAT) and recombinant adeno-associated viral vectors (rAAV1-CB-hAAT, and rAAV8-CB-hAAT). Transplantation studies showed that transplanted BM cells homed into liver, differentiated into hepatocytes and expressed hAAT in the liver. Importantly, we showed that transplantation of rAAV8-CB-hAAT vector-transduced BM cells resulted in sustained levels of hAAT in the systemic circulation of recipient mice. These results demonstrated that rAAV vector-mediated BM cell-based liver gene therapy is feasible for the treatment of AAT deficiency and implies a novel therapy for the treatment of liver diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hong Li
- Department of Pharmaceutics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
36
|
Subramanya S, Kim SS, Manjunath N, Shankar P. RNA interference-based therapeutics for human immunodeficiency virus HIV-1 treatment: synthetic siRNA or vector-based shRNA? Expert Opin Biol Ther 2010; 10:201-13. [PMID: 20088715 PMCID: PMC3745298 DOI: 10.1517/14712590903448158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELD Despite the clinical benefits of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), the prospect of life-long antiretroviral treatment poses significant problems, which has spurred interest in developing new drugs and strategies to treat HIV infection and eliminate persistent viral reservoirs. RNAi has emerged as a therapeutic possibility for HIV. AREAS COVERED IN THIS REVIEW We discuss progress in overcoming hurdles to translating transient and stable RNAi enabling technologies to clinical application for HIV; covering the past 2 - 3 years. WHAT THE READER WILL GAIN HIV inhibition can be achieved by transfection of chemically or enzymatically synthesized siRNAs or by DNA-based vector systems expressing short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) that are processed intracellularly into siRNA. We compare these approaches, focusing on technical and safety issues that will guide the choice of strategy for clinical use. TAKE HOME MESSAGE Introduction of synthetic siRNA into cells or its stable endogenous production using vector-driven shRNA have been shown to suppress HIV replication in vitro and, in some instances, in vivo. Each method has advantages and limitations in terms of ease of delivery, duration of silencing, emergence of escape mutants and potential toxicity. Both appear to have potential as future therapeutics for HIV, once the technical and safety issues of each approach are overcome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sandesh Subramanya
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Center of Excellence for Infectious Diseases, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso, TX 79905
| | - Sang-Soo Kim
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Center of Excellence for Infectious Diseases, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso, TX 79905
| | - N Manjunath
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Center of Excellence for Infectious Diseases, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso, TX 79905
| | - Premlata Shankar
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Center of Excellence for Infectious Diseases, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso, TX 79905
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Abstract
Lentiviruses are capable of infecting many cells irrespective of their cycling status, stably inserting DNA copies of the viral RNA genomes into host chromosomes. This property has led to the development of lentiviral vectors for high-efficiency gene transfer to a wide variety of cell types, from slowly proliferating hematopoietic stem cells to terminally differentiated neurons. Regardless of their advantage over gammaretroviral vectors, which can only introduce transgenes into target cells that are actively dividing, lentiviral vectors are still susceptible to chromosomal position effects that result in transgene silencing or variegated expression. In this chapter, various genetic regulatory elements are described that can be incorporated within lentiviral vector backbones to minimize the influences of neighboring chromatin on single-copy transgene expression. The modifications include utilization of strong internal enhancer-promoter sequences, addition of scaffold/matrix attachment regions, and flanking the transcriptional unit with chromatin domain insulators. Protocols are provided to evaluate the performance as well as the relative biosafety of lentiviral vectors containing these elements.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ali Ramezani
- Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Biology, The George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
38
|
Retroviral vectors encoding ADA regulatory locus control region provide enhanced T-cell-specific transgene expression. GENETIC VACCINES AND THERAPY 2009; 7:13. [PMID: 20042112 PMCID: PMC2809042 DOI: 10.1186/1479-0556-7-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2009] [Accepted: 12/30/2009] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Background Murine retroviral vectors have been used in several hundred gene therapy clinical trials, but have fallen out of favor for a number of reasons. One issue is that gene expression from viral or internal promoters is highly variable and essentially unregulated. Moreover, with retroviral vectors, gene expression is usually silenced over time. Mammalian genes, in contrast, are characterized by highly regulated, precise levels of expression in both a temporal and a cell-specific manner. To ascertain if recapitulation of endogenous adenosine deaminase (ADA) expression can be achieved in a vector construct we created a new series of Moloney murine leukemia virus (MuLV) based retroviral vector that carry human regulatory elements including combinations of the ADA promoter, the ADA locus control region (LCR), ADA introns and human polyadenylation sequences in a self-inactivating vector backbone. Methods A MuLV-based retroviral vector with a self-inactivating (SIN) backbone, the phosphoglycerate kinase promoter (PGK) and the enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP), as a reporter gene, was generated. Subsequent vectors were constructed from this basic vector by deletion or addition of certain elements. The added elements that were assessed are the human ADA promoter, human ADA locus control region (LCR), introns 7, 8, and 11 from the human ADA gene, and human growth hormone polyadenylation signal. Retroviral vector particles were produced by transient three-plasmid transfection of 293T cells. Retroviral vectors encoding eGFP were titered by transducing 293A cells, and then the proportion of GFP-positive cells was determined using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Non T-cell and T-cell lines were transduced at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 0.1 and the yield of eGFP transgene expression was evaluated by FACS analysis using mean fluorescent intensity (MFI) detection. Results Vectors that contained the ADA LCR were preferentially expressed in T-cell lines. Further improvements in T-cell specific gene expression were observed with the incorporation of additional cis-regulatory elements, such as a human polyadenylation signal and intron 7 from the human ADA gene. Conclusion These studies suggest that the combination of an authentically regulated ADA gene in a murine retroviral vector, together with additional locus-specific regulatory refinements, will yield a vector with a safer profile and greater efficacy in terms of high-level, therapeutic, regulated gene expression for the treatment of ADA-deficient severe combined immunodeficiency.
Collapse
|
39
|
Mori-Uchino M, Takeuchi T, Murakami I, Yano T, Yasugi T, Taketani Y, Nakagawa K, Kanda T. Enhanced transgene expression in the mouse skeletal muscle infected by the adeno-associated viral vector with the human elongation factor 1alpha promoter and a human chromatin insulator. J Gene Med 2009; 11:598-604. [PMID: 19399759 DOI: 10.1002/jgm.1337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Efficient and continuous expression of a therapeutic transgene is a key factor for improving the efficacy of gene therapy. Some insulators are known to contribute to continuous high-level expression of a therapeutic transgene. METHODS Using the human AAVS1 insulator (DHS) found in the AAVS1 DNase I hypersensitive site, chicken beta-globin insulator (cHS4) and sea urchin arylsufatase insulator (Ars), we newly constructed three recombinant adeno-associated virus vectors (rAAV) and examined their capability of transducing the mouse quadriceps muscle. RESULTS DHS increased transgene expression from the human elongation factor 1alpha promoter (EF) by 1000-fold, up to the high level achieved by the human cytomegalovirus immediate early promoter/enhancer (CMV), which comprises an extremely strong promoter for driving a transgene. cHS4 enhanced the expression by 100-fold, whereas Ars did not. The enhanced expression was maintained for at least 24 weeks. Vector copy numbers were similar with and without DHS or cHS4; thus, the enhancement is most likely due to up-regulated transcription. Neither DHS, nor cHS4 affected transgene expression from CMV. DHS enhanced expression from the human muscle creatine kinase promoter/enhancer by 100-fold in mice, as did DHS from EF. CONCLUSIONS Although DHS was unable to further enhance high expression from the strong viral enhancer/promoter, it enhanced low expression from the human promoters by 100- to 1000-fold. Thus, DHS may be useful for constructing rAAVs that express a therapeutic transgene from less efficient, tissue specific promoters.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mayuyo Mori-Uchino
- Center for Pathogen Genomics, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
40
|
Boundary sequences stabilize transgene expression from subtle position effects in retroviral vectors. Blood Cells Mol Dis 2009; 43:214-20. [PMID: 19632138 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcmd.2009.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2009] [Revised: 06/11/2009] [Accepted: 06/11/2009] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Transgene expression shut-down, attenuation and/or variability from integrated retroviral vectors pose a major obstacle to gene therapy trials involving hematopoietic cells. We have undertaken a systematic assessment of the behavior of different configurations containing IFN-beta SAR and/or 5'HS4 beta-globin insulator sequences within a gammaretroviral vector optimized for high-level expression, focusing on the long-term achievement of stable, homogeneous transgene expression in the successfully transduced cells. Introduction of these cis regulatory elements did not perturb virus production and stability. Conversely, the SAR/5'HS4 insulator combination appeared to increase the homogeneity of EGFP expression in mass cultures. Furthermore, a clonal analysis of the dispersion of EGFP expression revealed that the IFN-SAR/5'HS4 insulator dyad was particularly effective in reducing the variability of transgene expression when both sequences were placed in opposite orientations within the retroviral backbone. These results may prove useful for the design of more stable retroviral expression cassettes able to counteract chromosomal position effects.
Collapse
|
41
|
Wang X, Li L, Ding S, Huang X, Zhang J, Yin J, Zhong J. Chicken HS4 insulator significantly improves baculovirus-mediated foreign gene expression in insect cells by modifying the structure of neighbouring chromatin in virus minichromosome. J Biotechnol 2009; 142:193-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2009.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2008] [Revised: 06/07/2009] [Accepted: 06/09/2009] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
|
42
|
Desprat R, Bouhassira EE. Gene specificity of suppression of transgene-mediated insertional transcriptional activation by the chicken HS4 insulator. PLoS One 2009; 4:e5956. [PMID: 19536296 PMCID: PMC2694267 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0005956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2009] [Accepted: 04/17/2009] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Insertional mutagenesis has emerged as a major obstacle for gene therapy based on vectors that integrate randomly in the genome. Reducing the genotoxicity of genomic viral integration can, in first approximation, be equated with reducing the risk of oncogene activation, at least in the case of therapeutic payloads that have no known oncogenic potential, such as the globin genes. An attractive solution to the problem of oncogene activation is the inclusion of insulators/enhancer-blockers in the viral vectors. In this study we have used Recombinase-Mediated Cassette Exchange to characterize the effect of integration of globin therapeutic cassettes in the presence or absence of the chicken HS4 and three other putative insulators inserted near Stil, Tal1 and MAP17, three well-known cellular proto-oncogenes in the SCL/Tal1 locus. We show that insertion of a Locus Control Region-driven globin therapeutic globin transgene had a dramatic activating effect on Tal1 and Map17, the two closest genes, a minor effect on Stil, and no effect on Cyp4x1, a non-expressed gene. Of the four element tested, cHS4 was the only one that was able to suppress this transgene-mediated insertional transcriptional activation. cHS4 had a strong suppressive effect on the activation expression of Map17 but has little or no effect on expression of Tal1. The suppressive activity of cHS4 is therefore promoter specific. Importantly, the observed suppressive effect of cHS4 on Map17 activation did not depend on its intercalation between the LCR and the Map 17 promoter. Rather, presence of one or two copies of cHS4 anywhere within the transgene was sufficient to almost completely block the activation of Map17. Therefore, at this complex locus, suppression of transgene-mediated insertional transcriptional activation by cHS4 could not be adequately explained by models that predict that cHS4 can only suppress expression through an enhancer-blocking activity that requires intercalation between an enhancer and a promoter. This has important implications for our theoretical understanding of the possible effects of the insertion of cHS4 on gene therapy vectors. We also show that cHS4 decreased the level of expression of the globin transgene. Therefore, the benefits of partially preventing insertional gene activation are in part negated by the lower expression level of the transgene. A cost/benefit analysis of the utility of incorporation of insulators in gene therapy vectors will require further studies in which the effects of insulators on both the therapeutic gene and the flanking genes are determined at a large number of integration sites. Identification of insulators with minimal promoter specificity would also be of great value.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Romain Desprat
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
| | - Eric E. Bouhassira
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Chen X, Gao W, Gambotto A, Finn OJ. Lentiviral vectors encoding human MUC1-specific, MHC-unrestricted single-chain TCR and a fusion suicide gene: potential for universal and safe cancer immunotherapy. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2009; 58:977-87. [PMID: 19023569 PMCID: PMC11030661 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-008-0624-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2008] [Accepted: 10/29/2008] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
MUC1 tumor antigen is a target for immunotherapy of most human adenocarcinomas and some hematological malignancies. Expression of a MUC1-specific, MHC-unrestricted single-chain T cell receptor (scTCR) on cells of both innate and adaptive immune system through reconstitution of lethally irradiated mice by retroviral vector-transduced bone marrow cells, had been shown to effectively control the growth of MUC1(+) tumors independent of their MHC type, suggesting that this receptor is a good candidate for broadly applicable gene therapy/immunotherapy. However, the translational application of this immuno-gene therapy modality was discouraged by the progressive transgene silencing in reconstituted T and B cells, as well as the potential of tumorogenesis intrinsic to oncoretroviral vectors. To overcome these problems and facilitate the future clinical use of this receptor, we have constructed a panel of novel self-inactivating lentiviral vectors (LVs) which harbor two independent internal promoters, one driving expression of the scTCR gene and the other of a fusion suicide gene, the HSV-TK-EGFP fusion gene, allowing the transduced cells to be destroyable by the pro-drug ganciclovir. Despite the large size of insert, these vectors were efficiently packaged into high titer virus that transferred the expression of transgene in both T cell lines and primary T cells. Sustained expression was maintained in a T cell line for over 4 months in vitro, suggesting its efficient resistance to transgene silencing. Both scTCR and HSV-TK-EGFP genes were functional in the transduced cells, as evidenced by their specific recognition of MUC1(+) tumors and efficient eradication by ganciclovir.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaochuan Chen
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 200 Lothrop Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261 USA
- Garden State Cancer Center, Center for Molecular Medicine and Immunology, 520 Belleville Ave, Belleville, NJ 07109 USA
| | - Wentao Gao
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261 USA
| | - Andrea Gambotto
- Center for Biotechnology and Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15261 USA
| | - Olivera J. Finn
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 200 Lothrop Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261 USA
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Correction of murine hemophilia A following nonmyeloablative transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells engineered to encode an enhanced human factor VIII variant using a safety-augmented retroviral vector. Blood 2009; 114:526-34. [PMID: 19470695 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2009-01-199653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Insertional mutagenesis by retroviral vectors is a major impediment to the clinical application of hematopoietic stem cell gene transfer for the treatment of hematologic disorders. We recently developed an insulated self-inactivating gammaretroviral vector, RMSinOFB, which uses a novel enhancer-blocking element that significantly decreases genotoxicity of retroviral integration. In this study, we used the RMSinOFB vector to evaluate the efficacy of a newly bioengineered factor VIII (fVIII) variant (efVIII)--containing a combination of A1 domain point mutations (L303E/F309S) and an extended partial B domain for improved secretion plus A2 domain mutations (R484A/R489A/P492A) for reduced immunogenicity--toward successful treatment of murine hemophilia A. In cell lines, efVIII was secreted at up to 6-fold higher levels than an L303E/F309S A1 domain-only fVIII variant (sfVIIIDeltaB). Most important, when compared with a conventional gammaretroviral vector expressing sfVIIIDeltaB, lower doses of RMSin-efVIII-OFB-transduced hematopoietic stem cells were needed to generate comparable curative fVIII levels in hemophilia A BALB/c mice after reduced-intensity total body irradiation or nonmyeloablative chemotherapy conditioning regimens. These data suggest that the safety-augmented RMSin-efVIII-OFB platform represents an encouraging step in the development of a clinically appropriate gene addition therapy for hemophilia A.
Collapse
|
45
|
Urbinati F, Arumugam P, Higashimoto T, Perumbeti A, Mitts K, Xia P, Malik P. Mechanism of reduction in titers from lentivirus vectors carrying large inserts in the 3'LTR. Mol Ther 2009; 17:1527-36. [PMID: 19384292 DOI: 10.1038/mt.2009.89] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Self-inactivating (SIN) lentiviruses flanked by the 1.2-kb chicken hypersensitive site-4 (cHS4) insulator element provide consistent, improved expression of transgenes, but have significantly lower titers. The mechanism by which this occurs is unknown. Lengthening the lentiviral (LV) vector transgene cassette by an additional 1.2 kb by an internal cassette caused no further reduction in titers. However, when cHS4 sequences or inert DNA spacers of increasing size were placed in the 3'-long terminal repeat (LTR), infectious titers decreased proportional to the length of the insert. The stage of vector life cycle affected by vectors carrying the large cHS4 3'LTR insert was compared to a control vector: there was no increase in read-through transcription with insertion of the 1.2-kb cHS4 in the 3'LTR. Equal amount of full-length viral mRNA was produced in packaging cells and viral assembly/packaging was unaffected, resulting in comparable amounts of intact vector particles produced by either vectors. However, LV vectors carrying cHS4 in the 3'LTR were inefficiently processed following target-cell entry, with reduced reverse transcription and integration efficiency, and hence lower transduction titers. Therefore, vectors with large insertions in the 3'LTR are transcribed and packaged efficiently, but the LTR insert hinders viral-RNA (vRNA) processing and transduction of target cells. These studies have important implications in design of integrating vectors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizia Urbinati
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229-3039, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
46
|
D'Apolito D, Baiamonte E, Bagliesi M, Di Marzo R, Calzolari R, Ferro L, Franco V, Spinelli G, Maggio A, Acuto S. The sea urchin sns5 insulator protects retroviral vectors from chromosomal position effects by maintaining active chromatin structure. Mol Ther 2009; 17:1434-41. [PMID: 19352322 DOI: 10.1038/mt.2009.74] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Silencing and position-effect (PE) variegation (PEV), which is due to integration of viral vectors in heterochromatin regions, are considered significant obstacles to obtaining a consistent level of transgene expression in gene therapy. The inclusion of chromatin insulators into vectors has been proposed to counteract this position-dependent variegation of transgene expression. Here, we show that the sea urchin chromatin insulator, sns5, protects a recombinant gamma-retroviral vector from the negative influence of chromatin in erythroid milieu. This element increases the probability of vector expression at different chromosomal integration sites, which reduces both silencing and PEV. By chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis, we demonstrated the specific binding of GATA1 and OCT1 transcription factors and the enrichment of hyperacetylated nucleosomes to sns5 sequences. The results suggest that this new insulator is able to maintain a euchromatin state inside the provirus locus with mechanisms that are common to other characterized insulators. On the basis of its ability to function as barrier element in erythroid milieu and to bind the erythroid specific factor GATA1, the inclusion of sns5 insulator in viral vectors may be of practical benefit in gene transfer applications and, in particular, for gene therapy of erythroid disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Danilo D'Apolito
- Unità di Ricerca P. Cutino, U.O.C. Ematologia II, A.O. V. Cervello, Palermo, Italy
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
47
|
Nielsen TT, Jakobsson J, Rosenqvist N, Lundberg C. Incorporating double copies of a chromatin insulator into lentiviral vectors results in less viral integrants. BMC Biotechnol 2009; 9:13. [PMID: 19239708 PMCID: PMC2651870 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6750-9-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2008] [Accepted: 02/24/2009] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Lentiviral vectors hold great promise as gene transfer vectors in gene therapeutic settings. However, problems related to the risk of insertional mutagenesis, transgene silencing and positional effects have stalled the use of such vectors in the clinic. Chromatin insulators are boundary elements that can prevent enhancer-promoter interactions, if placed between these elements, and protect transgene cassettes from silencing and positional effects. It has been suggested that insulators can improve the safety and performance of lentiviral vectors. Therefore insulators have been incorporated into lentiviral vectors in order to enhance their safety profile and improve transgene expression. Commonly such insulator vectors are produced at lower titers than control vectors thus limiting their potential use. Results In this study we cloned in tandem copies of the chicken β-globin insulator (cHS4) on both sides of the transgene cassette in order to enhance the insulating effect. Our insulator vectors were produced at significantly lower titers compared to control vectors, and we show that this reduction in titer is due to a block during the transduction process that appears after reverse transcription but before integration of the viral DNA. This non-integrated viral DNA could be detected by PCR and, importantly, prevented efficient transduction of target cells. Conclusion These results have importance for the future use of insulator sequences in lentiviral vectors and might limit the use of insulators in vectors for in vivo use. Therefore, a careful analysis of the optimal design must be performed before insulators are included into clinical lentiviral vectors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Troels T Nielsen
- CNS Gene Therapy Unit, Wallenberg Neuroscience Center, Department of Experimental Medical Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
48
|
Li CL, Xiong D, Stamatoyannopoulos G, Emery DW. Genomic and functional assays demonstrate reduced gammaretroviral vector genotoxicity associated with use of the cHS4 chromatin insulator. Mol Ther 2009; 17:716-24. [PMID: 19240697 DOI: 10.1038/mt.2009.7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Interest in the use of recombinant retroviral vectors for clinical gene therapy has been tempered by evidence of vector-mediated genotoxicity involving the activation of cellular oncogenes flanking sites of vector integration. We report here that the rate of gammaretroviral vector genotoxicity can be significantly reduced by addition of the cHS4 chromatin insulator, based on two complementary approaches for assessing vector-mediated genotoxicity. One approach involves the direct, genomewide assessment of cellular gene dysregulation using panels of transduced cell clones and genomic microarrays, whereas the other involves the functional assessment of malignant transformation using a factor-dependent cell line. Both assays are robust and quantitative, and indicate the cHS4 chromatin insulator can reduce vector-mediated genotoxicity approximately sixfold (ranged three to eight fold). These approaches also provide a means for assessing various aspects of vector-mediated genotoxicity, including the overall rate of cellular gene dysregulation, the potential influence of vector provirus over large genomic distances, and the involvement of oncogenic pathways in vector-mediated malignant transformation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chang Long Li
- Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-7720, USA
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
49
|
Hanawa H, Yamamoto M, Zhao H, Shimada T, Persons DA. Optimized lentiviral vector design improves titer and transgene expression of vectors containing the chicken beta-globin locus HS4 insulator element. Mol Ther 2009; 17:667-74. [PMID: 19223867 DOI: 10.1038/mt.2009.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Hematopoietic cell gene therapy using retroviral vectors has achieved success in clinical trials. However, safety issues regarding vector insertional mutagenesis have emerged. In two different trials, vector insertion resulted in the transcriptional activation of proto-oncogenes. One strategy for potentially diminishing vector insertional mutagenesis is through the use of self-inactivating lentiviral vectors containing the 1.2-kb insulator element derived from the chicken beta-globin locus. However, use of this element can dramatically decrease both vector titer and transgene expression, thereby compromising its practical use. Here, we studied lentiviral vectors containing either the full-length 1.2-kb insulator or the smaller 0.25-kb core element in both orientations in the partially deleted long-terminal repeat. We show that use of the 0.25-kb core insulator rescued vector titer by alleviating a postentry block to reverse transcription associated with the 1.2-kb element. In addition, in an orientation-dependent manner, the 0.25-kb core element significantly increased transgene expression from an internal promoter due to improved transcriptional termination. This element also demonstrated barrier activity, reducing variability of expression due to position effects. As it is known that the 0.25-kb core insulator has enhancer-blocking activity, this particular insulated lentiviral vector design may be useful for clinical application.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hideki Hanawa
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
50
|
Dossett ML, Teague RM, Schmitt TM, Tan X, Cooper LJ, Pinzon C, Greenberg PD. Adoptive immunotherapy of disseminated leukemia with TCR-transduced, CD8+ T cells expressing a known endogenous TCR. Mol Ther 2009; 17:742-9. [PMID: 19209146 DOI: 10.1038/mt.2008.300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Adoptive T-cell immunotherapy has shown promise in the treatment of human malignancies, but the challenge of isolating T cells with high avidity for tumor antigens in each patient has limited application of this approach. The transfer into T cells of T-cell receptor (TCR) genes encoding high-affinity TCRs recognizing defined tumor-associated antigens can potentially circumvent this obstacle. Using a well-characterized murine model of adoptive T-cell immunotherapy for widely disseminated leukemia, we demonstrate that TCR gene-modified T cells can cure mice of disseminated tumor. One goal of such adoptive therapy is to establish a persistent memory response to prevent recurrence; however, long-term function of transferred TCR-transduced T cells is limited due to reduced expression of the introduced TCR in vivo in quiescent resting T cells. However, by introducing the TCR into a cell with a known endogenous specificity, activation of these T cells by stimulation through the endogenous TCR can be used to increase expression of the introduced TCR, potentially providing a strategy to increase the total number of tumor-reactive T cells in the host and restore more potent antitumor activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michelle L Dossett
- Department of Immunology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|