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Riley C, Kraft WK, Miller R. Hydroxyurea in the sickle cell disease modern era. Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol 2024:1-15. [PMID: 39135533 DOI: 10.1080/17512433.2024.2390915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2024] [Revised: 08/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Sickle cell disease is an inherited disorder characterized by hemoglobin S polymerization leading to vaso-occlusion and hemolytic anemia. These result in a variety of pathological events, causing both acute and chronic complications. Millions around the world are affected by sickle cell disease with predominance in sub-Saharan Africa. Hydroxyurea was the first drug approved for use in sickle cell disease to reduce the occurrence of painful crises and blood transfusions in patients with frequent, moderate to severe painful crises. AREAS COVERED With the development of new therapeutics, the role of hydroxyurea is evolving. This narrative review aims to provide clinical data, safety information, and supplementary evidence for the role of hydroxyurea in the current era of sickle cell disease. A comprehensive literature search of databases, including PubMed and Cochrane Library, was conducted from 1963 to 2024. EXPERT OPINION Even though new medications have been approved for sickle cell disease, hydroxyurea remains the gold standard. Hydroxyurea is not only a disease modifier but it has additional clinical benefits, it is affordable, and its longevity has prompted expanded research in areas such as underutilization and pharmacogenomics. As the treatment landscape evolves, hydroxyurea's long-standing record of efficacy and safety continues to support its role as a key agent in disease management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chazmyn Riley
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Walter K Kraft
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Cancer Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Robin Miller
- Lisa Dean Moseley Institute Foundation for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Nemours Children's Hospital, Wilmington, DE, USA
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Jones-Wonni B, Kelkar AH, Achebe MO. A Review of Gene Therapies for Hemoglobinopathies. Hemoglobin 2024:1-12. [PMID: 39145521 DOI: 10.1080/03630269.2024.2369534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
Due to the significant morbidity and mortality of hemoglobinopathies, curative options have long been pursued. The overall goal of gene therapy is to modify a patient's own hematopoietic stem cells to overcome the deleterious effects of the underlying genetic defect by gene addition, gene editing, or gene silencing. Gene addition incorporates genes with superior function than the abnormal gene; gene editing takes advantage of molecular tools such as zinc finger proteins, Transcription Activator-Like Effector Nucleases and Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats coupled with Cas9 proteins (CRISPR-Cas9) which allow for sequence-specific breaks in DNA that disrupt gene function; and gene silencing suppresses gene expression by interference with mRNA transcription/protein translation or epigenetic modification. The majority of gene therapy strategies for hemoglobinopathies have targeted erythroid-specific BCL11A, a major regulator of fetal hemoglobin repression at the gamma-globin locus, in the normal fetal-to-adult hemoglobin switch that occurs shortly after birth. Other goals have involved the incorporation of anti-sickling globins, such as βT87Q or βAS3. Landmark clinical trials of gene therapy in transfusion-dependent thalassemia and sickle cell disease have shown remarkable efficacy and acceptable safety and culminated in recent regulatory approvals of gene therapy for both diseases in Europe and the United States.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amar H Kelkar
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute - Department of Medical Oncology, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Maureen O Achebe
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute - Department of Medical Oncology, Boston, MA, USA
- Brigham and Women's Hospital - Division of Hematology, Boston, MA, USA
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3
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Frati G, Brusson M, Sartre G, Mlayah B, Felix T, Chalumeau A, Antoniou P, Hardouin G, Concordet JP, Romano O, Turchiano G, Miccio A. Safety and efficacy studies of CRISPR-Cas9 treatment of sickle cell disease highlights disease-specific responses. Mol Ther 2024:S1525-0016(24)00470-2. [PMID: 39044427 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Fetal hemoglobin (HbF) reactivation expression through CRISPR-Cas9 is a promising strategy for the treatment of sickle cell disease (SCD). Here, we describe a genome editing strategy leading to reactivation of HbF expression by targeting the binding sites (BSs) for the lymphoma-related factor (LRF) repressor in the γ-globin promoters. CRISPR-Cas9 treatment in healthy donor (HD) and patient-derived HSPCs resulted in a high frequency of LRF BS disruption and potent HbF synthesis in their erythroid progeny. LRF BS disruption did not impair HSPC engraftment and differentiation but was more efficient in SCD than in HD cells. However, SCD HSPCs showed a reduced engraftment and a myeloid bias compared with HD cells. We detected off-target activity and chromosomal rearrangements, particularly in SCD samples (likely because of the higher overall editing efficiency) but did not impact the target gene expression and HSPC engraftment and differentiation. Transcriptomic analyses showed that the editing procedure results in the up-regulation of genes involved in DNA damage and inflammatory responses, which was more evident in SCD HSPCs. This study provides evidence of efficacy and safety for an editing strategy based on HbF reactivation and highlights the need of performing safety studies in clinically relevant conditions, i.e., in patient-derived HSPCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Frati
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Regulation During Development, INSERM UMR 1163, Paris, France
| | - Megane Brusson
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Regulation During Development, INSERM UMR 1163, Paris, France
| | - Gilles Sartre
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Regulation During Development, INSERM UMR 1163, Paris, France
| | - Bochra Mlayah
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Regulation During Development, INSERM UMR 1163, Paris, France
| | - Tristan Felix
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Regulation During Development, INSERM UMR 1163, Paris, France
| | - Anne Chalumeau
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Regulation During Development, INSERM UMR 1163, Paris, France
| | - Panagiotis Antoniou
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Regulation During Development, INSERM UMR 1163, Paris, France
| | - Giulia Hardouin
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Regulation During Development, INSERM UMR 1163, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Paul Concordet
- INSERM U1154, CNRS UMR7196, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Oriana Romano
- University of Padova, Department of Molecular Medicine, Padova, Italy
| | | | - Annarita Miccio
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Regulation During Development, INSERM UMR 1163, Paris, France.
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Caria CA, Faà V, Porcu S, Marongiu MF, Poddie D, Perseu L, Meloni A, Vaccargiu S, Ristaldi MS. Post-GWAS Validation of Target Genes Associated with HbF and HbA 2 Levels. Cells 2024; 13:1185. [PMID: 39056767 PMCID: PMC11274989 DOI: 10.3390/cells13141185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWASs) have identified a huge number of variants associated with different traits. However, their validation through in vitro and in vivo studies often lags well behind their identification. For variants associated with traits or diseases of biomedical interest, this gap delays the development of possible therapies. This issue also impacts beta-hemoglobinopathies, such as beta-thalassemia and sickle cell disease (SCD). The definitive cures for these diseases are currently bone marrow transplantation and gene therapy. However, limitations regarding their effective use restrict their worldwide application. Great efforts have been made to identify whether modulators of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) and, to a lesser extent, hemoglobin A2 (HbA2) are possible therapeutic targets. Herein, we performed the post-GWAS in vivo validation of two genes, cyclin D3 (CCND3) and nuclear factor I X (NFIX), previously associated with HbF and HbA2 levels. The absence of Ccnd3 expression in vivo significantly increased g (HbF) and d (HbA2) globin gene expression. Our data suggest that CCND3 is a possible therapeutic target in sickle cell disease. We also confirmed the association of Nfix with γ-globin gene expression and present data suggesting a possible role for Nfix in regulating Kruppel-like transcription factor 1 (Klf1), a master regulator of hemoglobin switching. This study contributes to filling the gap between GWAS variant identification and target validation for beta-hemoglobinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Maria Serafina Ristaldi
- Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, SS 554, Bivio Sestu Km 4,500, 09042 Cagliari, Italy; (C.A.C.); (V.F.); (S.P.); (M.F.M.); (D.P.); (L.P.); (A.M.); (S.V.)
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5
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Aygun B, Lane A, Smart LR, Santos B, Tshilolo L, Williams TN, Olupot-Olupot P, Stuber SE, Tomlinson G, Latham T, Ware RE. Hydroxyurea dose optimisation for children with sickle cell anaemia in sub-Saharan Africa (REACH): extended follow-up of a multicentre, open-label, phase 1/2 trial. Lancet Haematol 2024; 11:e425-e435. [PMID: 38701812 PMCID: PMC11289976 DOI: 10.1016/s2352-3026(24)00078-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Realizing Effectiveness Across Continents with Hydroxyurea (REACH) is an open-label non-randomised trial of hydroxyurea (hydroxycarbamide) in children with sickle cell anaemia in sub-Saharan Africa. The short-term results of REACH on safety, feasibility, and effectiveness of hydroxyurea were published previously. In this paper we report results from extended hydroxyurea treatment in the REACH cohort up to 8 years. METHODS In this open-label, non-randomised, phase 1/2 trial, participants were recruited from four clinical sites in Kilifi, Kenya; Mbale, Uganda; Luanda, Angola; and Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Eligible children were 1-10 years old with documented haemoglobin SS or haemoglobin Sβ zero thalassaemia, weighing at least 10 kg. Participants received fixed-dose hydroxyurea of 17.5 (±2.5) mg/kg per day for 6 months (fixed-dose phase), followed by 6 months of dose escalation (2·5-5·0 mg/kg increments every 8 weeks) as tolerated, up to 20-35 mg/kg per day (maximum tolerated dose; MTD), defined as mild myelosuppression. After the MTD was reached, hydroxyurea dosing was optimised for each participant on the basis of changes in bodyweight and laboratory values over time (MTD with optimisation phase). After completion of the first 12 months, children with an acceptable toxicity profile and favourable responses were given the opportunity to continue hydroxyurea until the age of 18 years. The safety and feasibility results after 3 years has been reported previously. Here, haematological responses, clinical events, and toxicity rates were compared across the dosing phases (fixed-dose hydroxyurea vs MTD with optimisation phase) as protocol-specified outcomes. REACH is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01966731) and is ongoing. FINDINGS We enrolled 635 children between July 4, 2014, and Nov 11, 2016. 606 children were given hydroxyurea and 522 (86%; 266 [51%] boys and 256 [49%] girls) received treatment for a median of 93 months (IQR 84-97) with 4340 patient-years of treatment. The current (Oct 5, 2023) mean dose is 28·2 (SD 5·2) mg/kg per day with an increased mean haemoglobin concentration (7·3 [SD 1·1] g/dL at baseline to 8·5 [1·5] g/dL) and mean fetal haemoglobin level (10·9% [SD 6·8] to 23·3% [9·5]) and decreased absolute neutrophil count (6·8 [3·0] × 109 cells per L to 3·6 [2·2] × 109 cells per L). Incidence rate ratios (IRR) comparing MTD with fixed-dose hydroxyurea indicate decreased vaso-occlusive episodes (0·60; 95% CI 0·52-0·70; p<0·0001), acute chest syndrome events (0·21; 0·13-0·33; p<0·0001), recurrent stroke events (0·27; 0·07-1·06; p=0·061), malaria infections (0·58; 0·46-0·72; p<0·0001), non-malarial infections (0·52; 0·46-0·58; p<0·0001), serious adverse events (0·42; 0·27-0·67; p<0·0001), and death (0·70; 0·25-1·97; p=0·50). Dose-limiting toxicity rates were similar between the fixed-dose (24·1 per 100 patient-years) and MTD phases (23·2 per 100 patient-years; 0·97; 0·70-1·35; p=0·86). Grade 3 and 4 adverse events were infrequent (18·5 per 100 patient-years) and included malaria infection, non-malarial infections, vaso-occlusive pain, and acute chest syndrome. Serious adverse events were uncommon (3·6 per 100 patient-years) and included malaria infections, parvovirus-associated anaemia, sepsis, and stroke, with no treatment-related deaths. INTERPRETATION Hydroxyurea dose escalation to MTD with dose optimisation significantly improved clinical responses and treatment outcomes, without increasing toxicities in children with sickle cell anaemia in sub-Saharan Africa. FUNDING US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and Cincinnati Children's Research Foundation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Banu Aygun
- Northwell Health, Department of Pediatrics, New Hyde Park, NY, USA; Division of Hematology, Oncology and Cellular Therapy, Cohen Children's Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY, USA.
| | - Adam Lane
- Division of Hematology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Luke R Smart
- Division of Hematology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Global Health Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Brígida Santos
- Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Pediátrico David Bernardino, Luanda, Angola
| | - Léon Tshilolo
- Department of Pediatrics, Centre Hospitalier Monkole, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Thomas N Williams
- KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme, Kilifi, Kenya; Department of Surgery and Cancer, Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Peter Olupot-Olupot
- Mbale Clinical Research Institute, Mbale, Uganda; Mbale Regional Referral and Teaching Hospital, Busitema University, Mbale Uganda
| | - Susan E Stuber
- Division of Hematology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - George Tomlinson
- Department of Medicine, University Health Network and Mt Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada; The Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Teresa Latham
- Division of Hematology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Russell E Ware
- Division of Hematology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Global Health Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, USA; Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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Tang MS, Shan H. Current state of gene therapy in sickle cell disease. Vox Sang 2024; 119:521-528. [PMID: 38487952 DOI: 10.1111/vox.13612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a type of hemoglobinopathy due to an autosomal recessive genetic defect, causing significant red cell sickling, multi-organ damage and long-term severe morbidities. Due to its complicated care and the impact on quality of life, a curative treatment for SCD is highly desirable. In recent years, gene therapy is emerging as a curative option for SCD, where autologous haematopoietic stem cells are collected from SCD patients and genetically modified ex vivo to reduce its sickling tendency before reinfusion. Although still largely investigational, a limited number of gene therapy options have been recently granted approval for SCD patients. Published data are still currently limited, but early studies have so far demonstrated the intended outcomes of less vaso-occlusive crisis and haemolysis. Nonetheless, despite its curative potential, larger clinical trials and longer follow-up period are still necessary to evaluate the safety of this treatment option, especially the risk of unintended genetic modifications. Furthermore, SCD patients frequently have limited access to specialty care; hence, the issues of affordability and accessibility to SCD gene therapy must also be addressed for it to benefit the appropriate patient population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei San Tang
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, USA
- Department of Pathology, Washington University, St Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Hua Shan
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, USA
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Alsultan A. Targeting BCL11A through gene therapy in sickle cell disease: Will one size fit all or most? Pediatr Blood Cancer 2024; 71:e30934. [PMID: 38468364 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.30934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 02/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Abdulrahman Alsultan
- Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Oncology Center, King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Moody AT, Narula J, Maurer TS. Quantitative Model-Based Assessment of Multiple Sickle Cell Disease Therapeutic Approaches Alone and in Combination. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2024; 115:1114-1121. [PMID: 38229405 DOI: 10.1002/cpt.3175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Three sickle cell disease (SCD) treatment strategies, stabilizing oxygenated hemoglobin (oxyHb), lowering 2,3-BPG, and inducing fetal hemoglobin (HbF) expression aim to prevent red blood cell (RBC) sickling by reducing tense-state sickle hemoglobin that contributes to polymer formation. Induction of 30% HbF is seen as the gold standard because 30% endogenous expression is associated with a lack of symptoms. However, the level of intervention required to achieve equivalent polymerization protection by the other strategies is uncertain, and there is little understanding of how these approaches could work in combination. We sought to develop an oxygen saturation model that could assess polymerization protection of all three approaches alone or in combination by extending the Monod-Wymann-Changeux model to include additional mechanisms. Applying the model to monotherapies suggests 51% sickle hemoglobin (HbS) occupancy with an oxyHb stabilizer or lowering RBC 2,3 BPG concentrations to 1.8 mM would produce comparable polymerization protection as 30% HbF. The model predictions are consistent with observed clinical response to the oxyHb stabilizer voxelotor and the 2,3-BPG reducer etavopivat. The model also suggests combination therapy will have added benefit in the case of dose limitations, as is the case for voxelotor, which the model predicts could be combined with 20% HbF or 2,3-BPG reduction to 3.75 mM to reach equivalent protection as 30% HbF. The proposed model represents a unified framework that is useful in supporting decisions in preclinical and early clinical development and capable of evolving with clinical experience to gain new and increasingly confident insights into treatment strategies for SCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy T Moody
- Department of Pharmacokinetics, Dynamics and Metabolism, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jatin Narula
- Department of Biomedicine Design, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Tristan S Maurer
- Department of Pharmacokinetics, Dynamics and Metabolism, Pfizer Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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Leonard AK, Furstenau D, Inam Z, Luckett C, Chu R, Demirci S, Essawi K, Gudmundsdottir B, Hinds M, DiNicola J, Li Q, Eaton WA, Cellmer T, Wang X, Thein SL, Macari ER, VanNest S, Hsieh MM, Bonner M, Pierciey FJ, Tisdale JF. In vivo measurement of RBC survival in patients with sickle cell disease before or after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Blood Adv 2024; 8:1806-1816. [PMID: 38181784 PMCID: PMC11006808 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2023011397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Stable, mixed-donor-recipient chimerism after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) is sufficient for phenotypic disease reversal, and results from differences in donor/recipient-red blood cell (RBC) survival. Understanding variability and predictors of RBC survival among patients with SCD before and after HSCT is critical for gene therapy research which seeks to generate sufficient corrected hemoglobin to reduce polymerization thereby overcoming the red cell pathology of SCD. This study used biotin labeling of RBCs to determine the lifespan of RBCs in patients with SCD compared with patients who have successfully undergone curative HSCT, participants with sickle cell trait (HbAS), and healthy (HbAA) donors. Twenty participants were included in the analysis (SCD pre-HSCT: N = 6, SCD post-HSCT: N = 5, HbAS: N = 6, and HbAA: N = 3). The average RBC lifespan was significantly shorter for participants with SCD pre-HSCT (64.1 days; range, 35-91) compared with those with SCD post-HSCT (113.4 days; range, 105-119), HbAS (126.0 days; range, 119-147), and HbAA (123.7 days; range, 91-147) (P<.001). RBC lifespan correlated with various hematologic parameters and strongly correlated with the average final fraction of sickled RBCs after deoxygenation (P<.001). No adverse events were attributable to the use of biotin and related procedures. Biotin labeling of RBCs is a safe and feasible methodology to evaluate RBC survival in patients with SCD before and after HSCT. Understanding differences in RBC survival may ultimately guide gene therapy protocols to determine hemoglobin composition required to reverse the SCD phenotype as it relates directly to RBC survival. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT04476277.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis K. Leonard
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
- Department of Hematology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN
| | - Dana Furstenau
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Zaina Inam
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
- Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, Children’s National Hospital, Washington, DC
| | - Christina Luckett
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Rebecca Chu
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Selami Demirci
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Khaled Essawi
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jazan University, Gizan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bjorg Gudmundsdottir
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Malikiya Hinds
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Julia DiNicola
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Quan Li
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD
| | - William A. Eaton
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD
| | - Troy Cellmer
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, MD
| | - Xunde Wang
- Sickle Cell Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Swee Lay Thein
- Sickle Cell Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | | | | | - Matthew M. Hsieh
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | | | | | - John F. Tisdale
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
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10
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Zhang X, Xia F, Zhang X, Blumenthal RM, Cheng X. C2H2 Zinc Finger Transcription Factors Associated with Hemoglobinopathies. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168343. [PMID: 37924864 PMCID: PMC11185177 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
In humans, specific aberrations in β-globin results in sickle cell disease and β-thalassemia, symptoms of which can be ameliorated by increased expression of fetal globin (HbF). Two recent CRISPR-Cas9 screens, centered on ∼1500 annotated sequence-specific DNA binding proteins and performed in a human erythroid cell line that expresses adult hemoglobin, uncovered four groups of candidate regulators of HbF gene expression. They are (1) members of the nucleosome remodeling and deacetylase (NuRD) complex proteins that are already known for HbF control; (2) seven C2H2 zinc finger (ZF) proteins, including some (ZBTB7A and BCL11A) already known for directly silencing the fetal γ-globin genes in adult human erythroid cells; (3) a few other transcription factors of different structural classes that might indirectly influence HbF gene expression; and (4) DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) that maintains the DNA methylation marks that attract the MBD2-associated NuRD complex to DNA as well as associated histone H3 lysine 9 methylation. Here we briefly discuss the effects of these regulators, particularly C2H2 ZFs, in inducing HbF expression for treating β-hemoglobin disorders, together with recent advances in developing safe and effective small-molecule therapeutics for the regulation of this well-conserved hemoglobin switch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Zhang
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
| | - Fangfang Xia
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Xiaotian Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center Houston, McGovern Medical School, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Robert M Blumenthal
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, and Program in Bioinformatics, The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH 43614, USA
| | - Xiaodong Cheng
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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Locatelli F, Corbacioglu S, Hobbs W, Frangoul H, Walters MC. Defining curative endpoints for sickle cell disease in the era of gene therapy and gene editing. Am J Hematol 2024; 99:430-438. [PMID: 38010293 DOI: 10.1002/ajh.27164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
A growing number of gene therapy- and gene editing-based treatments for patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) are entering clinical trials. These treatments, designed to target the underlying cause of SCD, have the potential to provide functional cures, which until now were possible only through allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant. However, as these novel approaches advance from early- to late-stage clinical trials, it is essential to identify physiologically and clinically relevant endpoints that can demonstrate the achievement of a functional cure for SCD. Here, we present an overview of the pathophysiology of SCD and current treatment options, review ongoing SCD clinical trials using gene therapy or gene editing approaches, and identify the most relevant endpoints for demonstrating the attainment of a functional cure for SCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franco Locatelli
- Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino, Gesù, Rome, Italy
| | | | - William Hobbs
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Haydar Frangoul
- Sarah Cannon Research Institute and The Children's Hospital at TriStar Centennial, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Mark C Walters
- Department of Pediatrics, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland, Oakland, California, USA
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Gupta P, Goswami SG, Kumari G, Saravanakumar V, Bhargava N, Rai AB, Singh P, Bhoyar RC, Arvinden VR, Gunda P, Jain S, Narayana VK, Deolankar SC, Prasad TSK, Natarajan VT, Scaria V, Singh S, Ramalingam S. Development of pathophysiologically relevant models of sickle cell disease and β-thalassemia for therapeutic studies. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1794. [PMID: 38413594 PMCID: PMC10899644 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46036-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Ex vivo cellular system that accurately replicates sickle cell disease and β-thalassemia characteristics is a highly sought-after goal in the field of erythroid biology. In this study, we present the generation of erythroid progenitor lines with sickle cell disease and β-thalassemia mutation using CRISPR/Cas9. The disease cellular models exhibit similar differentiation profiles, globin expression and proteome dynamics as patient-derived hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. Additionally, these cellular models recapitulate pathological conditions associated with both the diseases. Hydroxyurea and pomalidomide treatment enhanced fetal hemoglobin levels. Notably, we introduce a therapeutic strategy for the above diseases by recapitulating the HPFH3 genotype, which reactivates fetal hemoglobin levels and rescues the disease phenotypes, thus making these lines a valuable platform for studying and developing new therapeutic strategies. Altogether, we demonstrate our disease cellular systems are physiologically relevant and could prove to be indispensable tools for disease modeling, drug screenings and cell and gene therapy-based applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pragya Gupta
- CSIR- Institute for Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Sukhdev Vihar, New Delhi, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Sangam Giri Goswami
- CSIR- Institute for Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Sukhdev Vihar, New Delhi, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Geeta Kumari
- Special Center for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Vinodh Saravanakumar
- CSIR- Institute for Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Sukhdev Vihar, New Delhi, India
| | - Nupur Bhargava
- CSIR- Institute for Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Sukhdev Vihar, New Delhi, India
| | - Akhila Balakrishna Rai
- Center for Systems Biology and Molecular Medicine, Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to Be University), Mangalore, 575018, India
| | - Praveen Singh
- CSIR- Institute for Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Sukhdev Vihar, New Delhi, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Rahul C Bhoyar
- CSIR- Institute for Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Sukhdev Vihar, New Delhi, India
| | - V R Arvinden
- CSIR- Institute for Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Sukhdev Vihar, New Delhi, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Padma Gunda
- Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Society- Kamala Hospital and Research Centre, Shivarampally, Hyderabad, India
| | - Suman Jain
- Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Society- Kamala Hospital and Research Centre, Shivarampally, Hyderabad, India
| | - Vanya Kadla Narayana
- Center for Systems Biology and Molecular Medicine, Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to Be University), Mangalore, 575018, India
| | - Sayali C Deolankar
- Center for Systems Biology and Molecular Medicine, Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to Be University), Mangalore, 575018, India
| | - T S Keshava Prasad
- Center for Systems Biology and Molecular Medicine, Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to Be University), Mangalore, 575018, India
| | - Vivek T Natarajan
- CSIR- Institute for Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Sukhdev Vihar, New Delhi, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Vinod Scaria
- CSIR- Institute for Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Sukhdev Vihar, New Delhi, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Shailja Singh
- Special Center for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India.
| | - Sivaprakash Ramalingam
- CSIR- Institute for Genomics and Integrative Biology, Mathura Road, Sukhdev Vihar, New Delhi, India.
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India.
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13
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Nawaiseh MB, Yassin AM, Al-Sabbagh MQ, AlNawaiseh A, Zureigat H, Aljbour AlMajali D, Haddadin RR, El-Ghanem M, Abu-Rub M. Abnormal Neurologic Findings in Patients With Sickle Cell Disease Without a History of Major Neurologic Events. Neurol Clin Pract 2024; 14:e200215. [PMID: 38173541 PMCID: PMC10759091 DOI: 10.1212/cpj.0000000000200215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Background and Objectives Patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) are prone to symptomatic neurologic complications. Previous studies reported accrual of neural injury starting at early age, even without having symptomatic neurologic events. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and risk factors of abnormal neurologic findings in patients with SCD with no history of major symptomatic neurologic events. Methods Our study extracted patients diagnosed with SCD from the Cooperative Study of Sickle Cell Disease. Patients who underwent a neurologic evaluation were included in our analysis. Patients with previous documented major symptomatic neurologic events were excluded. We compared patients with SCD with abnormal neurologic findings with those without in terms of clinical and laboratory parameters using multivariate binary logistic regression. Results A total of 3,573 patients with SCD were included (median age = 11 [IQR = 19] years, male = 1719 [48.1%]). 519 (14.5%) patients had at least one abnormal neurologic finding. The most common findings in descending order were abnormal reflexes, gait abnormalities, cerebellar dysfunction, language deficits, nystagmus, abnormal muscle tone and strength, Romberg sign, Horner syndrome, and intellectual impairment. History of eye disease (odds ratio [OR] = 2.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.63-4.68) and history of osteomyelitis (OR = 2.55, 95% CI 1.34-4.84) were the strongest predictors of abnormal neurologic findings, followed by smoking (OR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.08-2.33), aseptic necrosis (OR = 1.57, 95% CI 1.06-2.33), hand-foot syndrome (OR = 1.48, 95% CI 1.04-2.12), and male sex (OR = 1.42, 95% CI 1.01-2.02). Discussion Neurologic deficits are relatively common in patients with SCD, even without documented major neurologic insults. They range from peripheral and ophthalmic deficits to central and cognitive disabilities. Patients with SCD should have early regular neurologic evaluations and risk factor modification, particularly actively promoting smoking cessation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed B Nawaiseh
- Department of Ophthalmology (MBN), Jordanian Royal Medical Services, Amman; Department of Neurology (AMY), Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; Department of Neurology (MQAS), Kansas University Medical Center, Kansas City; Department of Internal Medicine (AA), St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Boston, MA; Department of Internal Medicine (HZ), Cleveland Clinic, OH; Department of Internal Medicine (DAA), Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI; Department of Internal Medicine (RRH), JCESOM, Marshall University, WV; Department of Clinical Sciences (ME-G), College of Medicine, University of Houston, HCA Northwest Medical Center, Houston, TX; and Department of Neurology (MA-R), George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Ahmed M Yassin
- Department of Ophthalmology (MBN), Jordanian Royal Medical Services, Amman; Department of Neurology (AMY), Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; Department of Neurology (MQAS), Kansas University Medical Center, Kansas City; Department of Internal Medicine (AA), St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Boston, MA; Department of Internal Medicine (HZ), Cleveland Clinic, OH; Department of Internal Medicine (DAA), Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI; Department of Internal Medicine (RRH), JCESOM, Marshall University, WV; Department of Clinical Sciences (ME-G), College of Medicine, University of Houston, HCA Northwest Medical Center, Houston, TX; and Department of Neurology (MA-R), George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Mohammed Q Al-Sabbagh
- Department of Ophthalmology (MBN), Jordanian Royal Medical Services, Amman; Department of Neurology (AMY), Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; Department of Neurology (MQAS), Kansas University Medical Center, Kansas City; Department of Internal Medicine (AA), St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Boston, MA; Department of Internal Medicine (HZ), Cleveland Clinic, OH; Department of Internal Medicine (DAA), Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI; Department of Internal Medicine (RRH), JCESOM, Marshall University, WV; Department of Clinical Sciences (ME-G), College of Medicine, University of Houston, HCA Northwest Medical Center, Houston, TX; and Department of Neurology (MA-R), George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Ahmad AlNawaiseh
- Department of Ophthalmology (MBN), Jordanian Royal Medical Services, Amman; Department of Neurology (AMY), Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; Department of Neurology (MQAS), Kansas University Medical Center, Kansas City; Department of Internal Medicine (AA), St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Boston, MA; Department of Internal Medicine (HZ), Cleveland Clinic, OH; Department of Internal Medicine (DAA), Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI; Department of Internal Medicine (RRH), JCESOM, Marshall University, WV; Department of Clinical Sciences (ME-G), College of Medicine, University of Houston, HCA Northwest Medical Center, Houston, TX; and Department of Neurology (MA-R), George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Hadil Zureigat
- Department of Ophthalmology (MBN), Jordanian Royal Medical Services, Amman; Department of Neurology (AMY), Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; Department of Neurology (MQAS), Kansas University Medical Center, Kansas City; Department of Internal Medicine (AA), St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Boston, MA; Department of Internal Medicine (HZ), Cleveland Clinic, OH; Department of Internal Medicine (DAA), Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI; Department of Internal Medicine (RRH), JCESOM, Marshall University, WV; Department of Clinical Sciences (ME-G), College of Medicine, University of Houston, HCA Northwest Medical Center, Houston, TX; and Department of Neurology (MA-R), George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Dina Aljbour AlMajali
- Department of Ophthalmology (MBN), Jordanian Royal Medical Services, Amman; Department of Neurology (AMY), Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; Department of Neurology (MQAS), Kansas University Medical Center, Kansas City; Department of Internal Medicine (AA), St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Boston, MA; Department of Internal Medicine (HZ), Cleveland Clinic, OH; Department of Internal Medicine (DAA), Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI; Department of Internal Medicine (RRH), JCESOM, Marshall University, WV; Department of Clinical Sciences (ME-G), College of Medicine, University of Houston, HCA Northwest Medical Center, Houston, TX; and Department of Neurology (MA-R), George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Rund R Haddadin
- Department of Ophthalmology (MBN), Jordanian Royal Medical Services, Amman; Department of Neurology (AMY), Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; Department of Neurology (MQAS), Kansas University Medical Center, Kansas City; Department of Internal Medicine (AA), St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Boston, MA; Department of Internal Medicine (HZ), Cleveland Clinic, OH; Department of Internal Medicine (DAA), Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI; Department of Internal Medicine (RRH), JCESOM, Marshall University, WV; Department of Clinical Sciences (ME-G), College of Medicine, University of Houston, HCA Northwest Medical Center, Houston, TX; and Department of Neurology (MA-R), George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Mohammad El-Ghanem
- Department of Ophthalmology (MBN), Jordanian Royal Medical Services, Amman; Department of Neurology (AMY), Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; Department of Neurology (MQAS), Kansas University Medical Center, Kansas City; Department of Internal Medicine (AA), St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Boston, MA; Department of Internal Medicine (HZ), Cleveland Clinic, OH; Department of Internal Medicine (DAA), Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI; Department of Internal Medicine (RRH), JCESOM, Marshall University, WV; Department of Clinical Sciences (ME-G), College of Medicine, University of Houston, HCA Northwest Medical Center, Houston, TX; and Department of Neurology (MA-R), George Washington University, Washington, DC
| | - Mohammad Abu-Rub
- Department of Ophthalmology (MBN), Jordanian Royal Medical Services, Amman; Department of Neurology (AMY), Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan; Department of Neurology (MQAS), Kansas University Medical Center, Kansas City; Department of Internal Medicine (AA), St. Elizabeth's Medical Center, Boston, MA; Department of Internal Medicine (HZ), Cleveland Clinic, OH; Department of Internal Medicine (DAA), Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI; Department of Internal Medicine (RRH), JCESOM, Marshall University, WV; Department of Clinical Sciences (ME-G), College of Medicine, University of Houston, HCA Northwest Medical Center, Houston, TX; and Department of Neurology (MA-R), George Washington University, Washington, DC
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14
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Rab MAE, Kanne CK, Boisson C, Bos J, van Oirschot BA, Houwing ME, Renoux C, Bartels M, Rijneveld AW, Nur E, Cnossen MH, Joly P, Nader E, Fort R, Connes P, van Wijk R, Sheehan VA, van Beers EJ. Oxygen gradient ektacytometry-derived biomarkers are associated with acute complications in sickle cell disease. Blood Adv 2024; 8:276-286. [PMID: 37976458 PMCID: PMC10824684 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2023011013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT We investigated the potential of the point of sickling (PoS; the pO2 tension at which red cells start to sickle), determined by oxygen gradient ektacytometry to serve as a biomarker associated with the incidence of acute sickle cell disease-related complications in 177 children and 50 adults. In the pediatric cohort, for every 10 mmHg increase in PoS reflecting a greater likelihood of sickling, the likelihood of an individual experiencing >1 type of acute complication increased; the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) was 1.65. For every 0.1 increase in minimum elongation index (EImin; reflecting improved red blood cell deformability at hypoxia), the aOR was 0.50. In the adult cohort, for every 10 mmHg increase in PoS, we found an aOR of 3.00, although this was not significant after correcting for multiple testing. There was a trend for an association between higher PoS and greater likelihood of vaso-occlusive episodes (VOEs; children aOR, 1.35; adults aOR, 2.22). In children, only EImin was associated with VOEs (aOR, 0.68). When data of both cohorts were pooled, significant associations with PoS and/or EImin were found for all acute complications, independently and when >1 type of acute complication was assessed. These findings indicate that oxygen gradient ektacytometry generates novel biomarkers and provides a rationale for further development of these biomarkers in the assessment of clinical severity, evaluation of novel therapies, and as surrogate clinical trial end points. These biomarkers may be useful in assessing efficacy of novel therapies like pyruvate kinase activators, voxelotor, and L-glutamine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minke A. E. Rab
- Central Diagnostic Laboratory-Research, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Celeste K. Kanne
- Department of Pediatrics Emory University School of Medicine, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA
| | - Camille Boisson
- Laboratory LIBM EA7424, University of Lyon 1, “Vascular Biology and Red Blood Cell” team, Lyon, France
- Laboratory of Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
| | - Jennifer Bos
- Central Diagnostic Laboratory-Research, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Brigitte A. van Oirschot
- Central Diagnostic Laboratory-Research, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Maite E. Houwing
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Erasmus Medical Center Sophia Children’s Hospital, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Céline Renoux
- Laboratory LIBM EA7424, University of Lyon 1, “Vascular Biology and Red Blood Cell” team, Lyon, France
- Laboratory of Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UF Biochemistry of Red Blood Cell Diseases, Est Center of Biology and Pathology, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Marije Bartels
- Van Creveldkliniek, Divison of Internal Medicine and Dermatology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Anita W. Rijneveld
- Department of Hematology, Erasmus Medical Center, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Erfan Nur
- Department of Hematology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, The Netherlands
| | - Marjon H. Cnossen
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Erasmus Medical Center Sophia Children’s Hospital, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Philippe Joly
- Laboratory LIBM EA7424, University of Lyon 1, “Vascular Biology and Red Blood Cell” team, Lyon, France
- Laboratory of Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, UF Biochemistry of Red Blood Cell Diseases, Est Center of Biology and Pathology, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Elie Nader
- Laboratory LIBM EA7424, University of Lyon 1, “Vascular Biology and Red Blood Cell” team, Lyon, France
- Laboratory of Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
| | - Romain Fort
- Laboratory LIBM EA7424, University of Lyon 1, “Vascular Biology and Red Blood Cell” team, Lyon, France
- Laboratory of Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Philippe Connes
- Laboratory LIBM EA7424, University of Lyon 1, “Vascular Biology and Red Blood Cell” team, Lyon, France
- Laboratory of Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
| | - Richard van Wijk
- Central Diagnostic Laboratory-Research, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Vivien A. Sheehan
- Department of Pediatrics Emory University School of Medicine, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA
| | - Eduard J. van Beers
- Van Creveldkliniek, Divison of Internal Medicine and Dermatology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
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15
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Basuni ZT, Monagel DA, Taha A, Ahmed N, Ahmed A. Neurological abnormalities among pediatric patients with sickle cell disease in Saudi Arabia: a single-center retrospective study. Front Pediatr 2024; 11:1290314. [PMID: 38269289 PMCID: PMC10806027 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2023.1290314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a common inherited blood disorder characterized by the production of abnormal sickle-shaped red blood cells. SCD can lead to various complications including neurological issues. Early detection and treatment are crucial for preventing these complications. This study aimed to describe the neurological manifestations, radiological findings, and neurological diagnosis related to SCD in Saudi children with the aim of contributing to the formulation of population-based guidelines for screening and treating SCD-related neurological complications. Methods This descriptive retrospective study included pediatric patients aged < 14 years diagnosed with SCD who were regularly followed up at the hematology clinic in KAMC, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from January 2008 to January 2022. Demographic and clinical data were collected from the clinical charts of 101 participants. Results This study included 101 patients with SCD with a mean age of 23 months at diagnosis. Among these, 59% had SCD and high fetal hemoglobin (HbF) levels. Neurological sequelae, including seizures, stroke, and other abnormalities, were observed in 26.7% of patients. There were no significant differences in the onset of neurological issues between the patients with SCD-high HbF and those with other SCD phenotypes. Discussion This study highlights the increased risk of brain injury and neurocognitive deficits in children with SCD. The occurrence of neurological sequelae in many patients emphasizes the need for early detection and intervention. Some patients experience neurological complications despite having high HbF levels, suggesting that further interventions are needed. This study has some limitations, including its small sample size and retrospective nature. Conclusion Early detection and intervention are crucial for neurological complications in patients with SCD. This study emphasizes the need for further research and effective treatment strategies considering the presence of neurological complications despite the presence of high HbF levels. Large-scale studies and population-specific guidelines are warranted for better understanding and management of SCD-related neurological complications in the Saudi population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziad T. Basuni
- Department of Oncology, Ministry of the National Guard- Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Dania A. Monagel
- Department of Oncology, Ministry of the National Guard- Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdul-Aziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Areej Taha
- Department of Oncology, Ministry of the National Guard- Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nehal Ahmed
- Department of Oncology, Ministry of the National Guard- Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amany Ahmed
- Department of Oncology, Ministry of the National Guard- Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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16
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Simbula M, Manchinu MF, Mingoia M, Pala M, Asunis I, Caria CA, Perseu L, Shah M, Crossley M, Moi P, Ristaldi MS. miR-365-3p mediates BCL11A and SOX6 erythroid-specific coregulation: A new player in HbF activation. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2023; 34:102025. [PMID: 37744176 PMCID: PMC10514143 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2023.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Hemoglobin switching is a complex biological process not yet fully elucidated. The mechanism regulating the suppression of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) expression is of particular interest because of the positive impact of HbF on the course of diseases such as β-thalassemia and sickle cell disease, hereditary hemoglobin disorders that affect the health of countless individuals worldwide. Several transcription factors have been implicated in the control of HbF, of which BCL11A has emerged as a major player in HbF silencing. SOX6 has also been implicated in silencing HbF and is critical to the silencing of the mouse embryonic hemoglobins. BCL11A and SOX6 are co-expressed and physically interact in the erythroid compartment during differentiation. In this study, we observe that BCL11A knockout leads to post-transcriptional downregulation of SOX6 through activation of microRNA (miR)-365-3p. Downregulating SOX6 by transient ectopic expression of miR-365-3p or gene editing activates embryonic and fetal β-like globin gene expression in erythroid cells. The synchronized expression of BCL11A and SOX6 is crucial for hemoglobin switching. In this study, we identified a BCL11A/miR-365-3p/SOX6 evolutionarily conserved pathway, providing insights into the regulation of the embryonic and fetal globin genes suggesting new targets for treating β-hemoglobinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michela Simbula
- Istituto Di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica del Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (IRGB-CNR), 09042 Monserrato, Italy
| | - Maria Francesca Manchinu
- Istituto Di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica del Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (IRGB-CNR), 09042 Monserrato, Italy
| | - Maura Mingoia
- Istituto Di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica del Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (IRGB-CNR), 09042 Monserrato, Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Sanità Pubblica, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, 09121 Cagliari, Italy
| | - Mauro Pala
- Istituto Di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica del Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (IRGB-CNR), 09042 Monserrato, Italy
| | - Isadora Asunis
- Istituto Di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica del Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (IRGB-CNR), 09042 Monserrato, Italy
| | - Cristian Antonio Caria
- Istituto Di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica del Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (IRGB-CNR), 09042 Monserrato, Italy
| | - Lucia Perseu
- Istituto Di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica del Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (IRGB-CNR), 09042 Monserrato, Italy
| | - Manan Shah
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Merlin Crossley
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Paolo Moi
- Istituto Di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica del Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (IRGB-CNR), 09042 Monserrato, Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche e Sanità Pubblica, Università degli Studi di Cagliari, 09121 Cagliari, Italy
| | - Maria Serafina Ristaldi
- Istituto Di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica del Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (IRGB-CNR), 09042 Monserrato, Italy
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17
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Ceglie G, Lecis M, Canciani G, Algeri M, Frati G. Genome editing for sickle cell disease: still time to correct? Front Pediatr 2023; 11:1249275. [PMID: 38027257 PMCID: PMC10652763 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2023.1249275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an inherited blood disorder, due to a single point mutation in the β-globin gene (HBB) leading to multisystemic manifestations and it affects millions of people worldwide. The monogenic nature of the disease and the availability of autologous hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) make this disorder an ideal candidate for gene modification strategies. Notably, significant advances in the field of gene therapy and genome editing that took place in the last decade enabled the possibility to develop several strategies for the treatment of SCD. These curative approaches were firstly based on the correction of disease-causing mutations holding the promise for a specific, effective and safe option for patients. Specifically, gene-editing approaches exploiting the homology directed repair pathway were investigated, but soon their limited efficacy in quiescent HSC has curbed their wider development. On the other hand, a number of studies on globin gene regulation, led to the development of several genome editing strategies based on the reactivation of the fetal γ-globin gene (HBG) by nuclease-mediated targeting of HBG-repressor elements. Although the efficiency of these strategies seems to be confirmed in preclinical and clinical studies, very little is known about the long-term consequences of these modifications. Moreover, the potential genotoxicity of these nuclease-based strategies must be taken into account, especially when associated with high targeting rates. The recent introduction of nuclease-free genome editing technologies brought along the potential for safer strategies for SCD gene correction, which may also harbor significant advantages over HBG-reactivating ones. In this Review, we discuss the recent advances in genome editing strategies for the correction of SCD-causing mutations trying to recapitulate the promising strategies currently available and their relative strengths and weaknesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Ceglie
- Cell and Gene Therapy for Hematological Disorders Unit, Department of Oncology-Hematology, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Lecis
- Cell and Gene Therapy for Hematological Disorders Unit, Department of Oncology-Hematology, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
- Pediatric Unit, Modena University Hospital, Modena, Italy
| | - Gabriele Canciani
- Cell and Gene Therapy for Hematological Disorders Unit, Department of Oncology-Hematology, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy
- Residency School of Pediatrics, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Mattia Algeri
- Cell and Gene Therapy for Hematological Disorders Unit, Department of Oncology-Hematology, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy
| | - Giacomo Frati
- Cell and Gene Therapy for Hematological Disorders Unit, Department of Oncology-Hematology, Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, Rome, Italy
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18
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Magitta NF, Komanya FB, Alphonce BO, Bitesigilwe MD, Sindato EM, Meda JR. Acute soft head syndrome in a teenager with sickle cell anemia: A case report. Clin Case Rep 2023; 11:e8174. [PMID: 37942183 PMCID: PMC10628107 DOI: 10.1002/ccr3.8174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Key Clinical Message Sickle cell disease (SCD) rarely presents with acute soft head syndrome (ASHS) often posing a diagnostic dilemma. Recovery is typically spontaneous, however, in the context of lack of awareness and limited brain imaging it could potentially lead to poor outcome. Abstract ASHS is a rare complication of SCD, invariably occurring near puberty with hitherto elusive pathogenic mechanisms. ASHS often resolves spontaneously on conservative management, however, lack of awareness in the context of limited access to brain imaging could pose diagnostic challenges resulting in inappropriate management and untoward outcome. We present a case of a teenager who presented with subtle symptoms for which the diagnosis of sickle cell anemia (SCA) was delayed until he developed ASHS. LTM was a 16 years old boy with a history of recurrent joints pain since the age of 6 years, with a family history of SCA, but had initial negative sickling test. He presented with episodes of multiple joints pain, unprovoked scalp and left orbital swelling, low-grade fever and mild headache without any evidence for bleeding diathesis. The diagnosis of SCA was confirmed by hemoglobin electrophoresis. Computed tomography (CT) scan of the head revealed subgaleal heamatoma (SGH) and intraorbital haematoma without intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). He was managed conservatively with analgesics and hydration together with antibiotics for associated sepsis with complete resolution of clinical symptoms within 2 weeks. This case represents a rare scenario for a relatively mild SCA phenotype presenting with ASHS whose diagnosis poses an enigma in the resource-limited contex. It is therefore, prudent to recognize ASHS to avoid judicious interventions which could potentially result in untoward clinical outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ng'weina F. Magitta
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine & DentistryUniversity of DodomaDodomaTanzania
- Department of Biochemistry & Clinical Pharmacology, Mbeya College of Health & Allied SciencesUniversity of Dar es SalaamMbeyaTanzania
| | | | | | | | - Emmanuel M. Sindato
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine & DentistryUniversity of DodomaDodomaTanzania
- Department of Internal MedicineBenjamin Mkapa HospitalDodomaTanzania
| | - John R. Meda
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine & DentistryUniversity of DodomaDodomaTanzania
- Department of Internal MedicineBenjamin Mkapa HospitalDodomaTanzania
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19
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Nikitin D, Beaudoin FL, Thokala P, McKenna A, Nhan E, Rind DM, Pearson SD. Gene therapies for sickle cell disease: Effectiveness and value. J Manag Care Spec Pharm 2023; 29:1253-1259. [PMID: 37889869 PMCID: PMC10609928 DOI: 10.18553/jmcp.2023.29.11.1253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
DISCLOSURES: Drs. Nikitin, McKenna, Rind, Nhan, and Pearson report grants from Arnold Ventures, grants from Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA, grants from California Healthcare Foundation, grants from The Commonwealth Fund, grants from The Patrick and Catherine Weldon Donaghue Medical Research Foundation, during the conduct of the study; other from America's Health Insurance Plans, other from Anthem, other from AbbVie, other from Alnylam, other from AstraZeneca, other from Biogen, other from Blue Shield of CA, other from CVS, other from Editas, other from Express Scripts, other from Genentech/Roche, other from GlaxoSmithKline, other from Harvard Pilgrim, other from Health Care Service Corporation, other from Kaiser Permanente, other from LEO Pharma, other from Mallinckrodt, other from Merck, other from Novartis, other from National Pharmaceutical Council, other from Premera, other from Prime Therapeutics, other from Regeneron, other from Sanofi, other from United Healthcare, other from HealthFirst, other from Pfizer, other from Boehringer-Ingelheim, other from uniQure, other from Envolve Pharmacy Solutions, other from Humana, other from Sunlife, outside the submitted work.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Praveen Thokala
- Centre for Health Economics, University of York, United Kingdom
| | - Avery McKenna
- Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, Boston, MA
| | - Emily Nhan
- Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, Boston, MA
| | - David M. Rind
- Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, Boston, MA
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20
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Steinberg MH, Gladwin MT. "Severity" in adult sickle cell disease. Am J Hematol 2023; 98:1508-1511. [PMID: 37449407 DOI: 10.1002/ajh.27024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Martin H Steinberg
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Center of Excellence for Sickle Cell Disease, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mark T Gladwin
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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21
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De Souza DC, Hebert N, Esrick EB, Ciuculescu MF, Archer NM, Armant M, Audureau É, Brendel C, Di Caprio G, Galactéros F, Liu D, McCabe A, Morris E, Schonbrun E, Williams D, Wood DK, Williams DA, Bartolucci P, Higgins JM. Genetic reversal of the globin switch concurrently modulates both fetal and sickle hemoglobin and reduces red cell sickling. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5850. [PMID: 37730674 PMCID: PMC10511721 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40923-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/22/2023] Open
Abstract
We previously reported initial clinical results of post-transcriptional gene silencing of BCL11A expression (NCT03282656) reversing the fetal to adult hemoglobin switch. A goal of this approach is to increase fetal hemoglobin (HbF) expression while coordinately reducing sickle hemoglobin (HbS) expression. The resulting combinatorial effect should prove effective in inhibiting HbS polymerization at lower physiologic oxygen values thereby mitigating disease complications. Here we report results of exploratory single-cell analysis of patients in which BCL11A is targeted molecularly and compare results with cells of patients treated with hydroxyurea (HU), the current standard of care. We use single-cell assays to assess HbF, HbS, oxygen saturation, and hemoglobin polymer content in RBCs for nine gene therapy trial subjects (BCLshmiR, median HbF% = 27.9) and compare them to 10 HU-treated subjects demonstrating high and comparable levels of HbF (HU High Responders, median HbF% = 27.0). All BCL11A patients achieved the primary endpoint for NCT03282656, which was defined by an absolute neutrophil count greater than or equal to 0.5 × 109 cells/L for three consecutive days, achieved within 7 weeks following infusion. Flow cytometric assessment of single-RBC HbF and HbS shows fewer RBCs with high HbS% that would be most susceptible to sickling in BCLshmiR vs. HU High Responders: median 42% of RBCs with HbS%>70% in BCLshmiR vs. 61% in HU High Responders (p = 0.004). BCLshmiR subjects also demonstrate more RBCs resistant to HbS polymerization at lower physiologic oxygen tension: median 32% vs. 25% in HU High Responders (p = 0.006). Gene therapy-induced BCL11A down-regulation reverses the fetal-to-adult hemoglobin switch and induces RBCs with higher HbF%, lower HbS%, and greater resistance to deoxygenation-induced polymerization in clinical trial subjects compared with a cohort of highly responsive hydroxyurea-treated subjects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel C De Souza
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nicolas Hebert
- French Blood Establishment (EFS), Créteil, France
- University Paris-Est-Créteil, IMRB, Laboratory of excellence LABEX, Créteil, France
- Paris-East Créteil University, Henri Mondor University Hospitals, APHP, Sickle Cell Referral Center-UMGGR, Créteil, France
| | - Erica B Esrick
- Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Natasha M Archer
- Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Myriam Armant
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Étienne Audureau
- INSERM U955 Team CEpiA, Paris-East Créteil University, Créteil, France
- Department of Public Health, Henri Mondor University Hospitals, APHP, Créteil, France
| | - Christian Brendel
- Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Boston, MA, USA
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Giuseppe Di Caprio
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Frédéric Galactéros
- University Paris-Est-Créteil, IMRB, Laboratory of excellence LABEX, Créteil, France
- Paris-East Créteil University, Henri Mondor University Hospitals, APHP, Sickle Cell Referral Center-UMGGR, Créteil, France
| | - Donghui Liu
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Amanda McCabe
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Emily Morris
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ethan Schonbrun
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Dillon Williams
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - David K Wood
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - David A Williams
- Dana-Farber/Boston Children's Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, Boston, MA, USA.
- Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Pablo Bartolucci
- University Paris-Est-Créteil, IMRB, Laboratory of excellence LABEX, Créteil, France.
- Paris-East Créteil University, Henri Mondor University Hospitals, APHP, Sickle Cell Referral Center-UMGGR, Créteil, France.
| | - John M Higgins
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
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22
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Sadeghi A, Taherifard E, Dehdari Ebrahimi N, Rafiei E, Hadianfard F, Taherifard E. Effects of l-arginine supplementation in patients with sickle cell disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials. Health Sci Rep 2023; 6:e1167. [PMID: 37064309 PMCID: PMC10090802 DOI: 10.1002/hsr2.1167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Background and Aims Previous studies have shown that supplementation of some amino acids such as l-arginine or its precursors could exert beneficial effects in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). The objective of this study is to systematically review the literature to assess the effect of arginine administration on the clinical and paraclinical parameters of patients with SCD. Methods Four online databases of PubMed, Web of Sciences, Scopus, and Embase were selected for systematic search. Eligible studies were clinical trials that evaluated the effect of arginine usage in patients with SCD. Effects sizes were calculated using weighted mean difference (WMD) and Hedge's g and they were pooled using random-effects modeling with Hartung-Knapp adjustment. Additional analyses were also conducted. Results Twelve studies containing detail of 399 patients with SCD were found to be eligible. The data synthesis showed that l-arginine significantly increased the level of NO metabolites (Hedge's g: 1.50, 0.48-1.82, I 2: 88%) and hemoglobin F (WMD: 1.69%, 0.86-2.52, I 2: 0%) and significantly decreased systolic blood pressure (WMD: -8.46 mmHg, -15.58 to -1.33, I 2: 53%) and aspartate transaminase (Hedge's g: -0.49, -0.73 to -0.26, I 2: 0%). However, there were no significant effects on hemoglobin, reticulocyte, malondialdehyde and diastolic blood pressure, and alanine transaminase. Conclusion Our meta-analysis showed that l-arginine use for SCD could be beneficial, increase hemoglobin F and exert blood pressure-lowering and hepatoprotective properties. However, for a firm conclusion and widespread use of l-arginine for these patients, more studies are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alireza Sadeghi
- Student Research CommitteeShiraz University of Medical SciencesShirazIran
| | - Ehsan Taherifard
- Internal Medicine DepartmentShiraz University of Medical SciencesShirazIran
| | | | - Elham Rafiei
- Student Research CommitteeShiraz University of Medical SciencesShirazIran
| | - Farshad Hadianfard
- Student Research CommitteeShiraz University of Medical SciencesShirazIran
| | - Erfan Taherifard
- Internal Medicine DepartmentShiraz University of Medical SciencesShirazIran
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23
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Pincez T, Lo KS, D'Orengiani ALPHD, Garrett ME, Brugnara C, Ashley-Koch AE, Telen MJ, Galacteros F, Joly P, Bartolucci P, Lettre G. Variation and impact of polygenic hematologic traits in monogenic sickle cell disease. Haematologica 2023; 108:870-881. [PMID: 36226494 PMCID: PMC9973495 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2022.281180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Several of the complications observed in sickle cell disease (SCD) are influenced by variation in hematologic traits (HT), such as fetal hemoglobin (HbF) level and neutrophil count. Previous large-scale genome-wide association studies carried out in largely healthy individuals have identified thousands of variants associated with HT, which have then been used to develop multi-ancestry polygenic trait scores (PTS). Here, we tested whether these PTS associate with HT in SCD patients and if they can improve statistical models associated with SCD-related complications. In 2,056 SCD patients, we found that the PTS predicted less HT variance than in non-SCD individuals of African ancestry. This was particularly striking at the Duffy/DARC locus, where we observed an epistatic interaction between the SCD genotype and the Duffy null variant (rs2814778) that led to a two-fold weaker effect on neutrophil count. PTS for these HT which are measured as part of routine practice were not associated with complications in SCD. In contrast, we found that a simple PTS for HbF that includes only six variants explained a large fraction of the phenotypic variation (20.5-27.1%), associated with acute chest syndrome and stroke risk, and improved the statistical modeling of the vaso-occlusive crisis rate. Using Mendelian randomization, we found that increasing HbF by 4.8% reduces stroke risk by 39% (P=0.0006). Taken together, our results highlight the importance of validating PTS in large diseased populations before proposing their implementation in the context of precision medicine initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Pincez
- Montreal Heart Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Charles-Bruneau Cancer Center, CHU Sainte-Justine, Universite de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec
| | - Ken Sin Lo
- Montreal Heart Institute, Montreal, Quebec
| | | | - Melanie E Garrett
- Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - Carlo Brugnara
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA
| | | | - Marilyn J Telen
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC
| | - Frederic Galacteros
- Red Cell Genetic Disease Unit, Hopital Henri-Mondor, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Universite Paris Est, IMRB - U955 - Equipe no 2, Creteil
| | - Philippe Joly
- Unite Fonctionnelle 34445 'Biochimie des Pathologies Erythrocytaires', Laboratoire de Biochimie et Biologie Moleculaire Grand-Est, Groupement Hospitalier Est, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Bron, France; Laboratoire Inter-Universitaire de Biologie de la Motricite (LIBM) EA7424, Equipe 'Biologie Vasculaire et du Globule Rouge', Universite Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Comite d'Universites et d'Etablissements (COMUE), Lyon
| | - Pablo Bartolucci
- Red Cell Genetic Disease Unit, Hopital Henri-Mondor, Assistance Publique-Hopitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Universite Paris Est, IMRB - U955 - Equipe no 2, Creteil
| | - Guillaume Lettre
- Montreal Heart Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universite de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec.
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24
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Sebastiani P, Steinberg MH. Fetal hemoglobin per erythrocyte (HbF/F-cell) after gene therapy for sickle cell anemia. Am J Hematol 2023; 98:E32-E34. [PMID: 36420999 DOI: 10.1002/ajh.26791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Paola Sebastiani
- Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies, Center for Quantitative Methods and Data Science, Tufts Medical Center and Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Martin H Steinberg
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Boston University Chobanian and Avedisian School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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25
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Antoniou P, Hardouin G, Martinucci P, Frati G, Felix T, Chalumeau A, Fontana L, Martin J, Masson C, Brusson M, Maule G, Rosello M, Giovannangeli C, Abramowski V, de Villartay JP, Concordet JP, Del Bene F, El Nemer W, Amendola M, Cavazzana M, Cereseto A, Romano O, Miccio A. Base-editing-mediated dissection of a γ-globin cis-regulatory element for the therapeutic reactivation of fetal hemoglobin expression. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6618. [PMID: 36333351 PMCID: PMC9636226 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34493-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Sickle cell disease and β-thalassemia affect the production of the adult β-hemoglobin chain. The clinical severity is lessened by mutations that cause fetal γ-globin expression in adult life (i.e., the hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin). Mutations clustering ~200 nucleotides upstream of the HBG transcriptional start sites either reduce binding of the LRF repressor or recruit the KLF1 activator. Here, we use base editing to generate a variety of mutations in the -200 region of the HBG promoters, including potent combinations of four to eight γ-globin-inducing mutations. Editing of patient hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells is safe, leads to fetal hemoglobin reactivation and rescues the pathological phenotype. Creation of a KLF1 activator binding site is the most potent strategy - even in long-term repopulating hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. Compared with a Cas9-nuclease approach, base editing avoids the generation of insertions, deletions and large genomic rearrangements and results in higher γ-globin levels. Our results demonstrate that base editing of HBG promoters is a safe, universal strategy for treating β-hemoglobinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Antoniou
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of chromatin and gene regulation during development, INSERM UMR 1163, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Giulia Hardouin
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of chromatin and gene regulation during development, INSERM UMR 1163, 75015, Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of Human Lymphohematopoiesis, INSERM UMR 1163, 75015, Paris, France
- Biotherapy Department and Clinical Investigation Center, Assistance Publique Hopitaux de Paris, INSERM, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Pierre Martinucci
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of chromatin and gene regulation during development, INSERM UMR 1163, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Giacomo Frati
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of chromatin and gene regulation during development, INSERM UMR 1163, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Tristan Felix
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of chromatin and gene regulation during development, INSERM UMR 1163, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Anne Chalumeau
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of chromatin and gene regulation during development, INSERM UMR 1163, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Letizia Fontana
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of chromatin and gene regulation during development, INSERM UMR 1163, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Jeanne Martin
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of chromatin and gene regulation during development, INSERM UMR 1163, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Cecile Masson
- Bioinformatics Platform, Imagine Institute, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Megane Brusson
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of chromatin and gene regulation during development, INSERM UMR 1163, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Giulia Maule
- CIBIO, University of Trento, 38100, Trento, Italy
| | - Marion Rosello
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, 75015, Paris, France
| | | | - Vincent Abramowski
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of genome dynamics in the immune system, INSERM UMR 1163, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Pierre de Villartay
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of genome dynamics in the immune system, INSERM UMR 1163, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Paul Concordet
- INSERM U1154, CNRS UMR7196, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Filippo Del Bene
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, CNRS, Institut de la Vision, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Wassim El Nemer
- Établissement Français du Sang, UMR 7268, 13005, Marseille, France
- Laboratoire d'Excellence GR-Ex, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Mario Amendola
- Genethon, 91000, Evry, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, Univ Evry, Inserm, Genethon, Integrare research unit UMR_S951, 91000, Evry, France
| | - Marina Cavazzana
- Biotherapy Department and Clinical Investigation Center, Assistance Publique Hopitaux de Paris, INSERM, 75015, Paris, France
- Université Paris Cité, 75015, Paris, France
- Imagine Institute, 75015, Paris, France
| | | | - Oriana Romano
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125, Modena, Italy
| | - Annarita Miccio
- Université Paris Cité, Imagine Institute, Laboratory of chromatin and gene regulation during development, INSERM UMR 1163, 75015, Paris, France.
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26
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Lad H, Naskar S, Punyasri Pasupuleti SKDB, Nahrel R, Sihare P, Chandak GR, Patra PK. Evaluation of pharmacological efficacy and safety of hydroxyurea in sickle cell disease: Study of a pediatric cohort from Chhattisgarh, India. Pediatr Hematol Oncol 2022; 40:395-406. [PMID: 36226857 DOI: 10.1080/08880018.2022.2126042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a disease of abnormal hemoglobin associated with severe clinical phenotype and recurrent complications. Hydroxyurea (HU) is one of the US-FDA approved and commonly used drug for the treatment of adult SCD patients with clinical -severity. However, its use in the pediatric groups remains atypical. Despite a high prevalence of the disease in the state Chhattisgarh, there is a lack of evidence supporting its use in pediatric patients. This study aimed to evaluate the pharmacological and clinical efficacy and safety of HU in a large pediatric cohort with SCD from Central India. The study cohort consisted of 164 SCD (138 Hb SS and 26 Hb S beta-thalassemia) children (≤14 years of age) on HU therapy, who were monitored for toxicity, hematological and clinical efficacy at baseline (Pre-HU) and after 24 months (Post-HU). The results highlight the beneficial effects of HU at a mean dose of 18.7 ± 7.0 mg/kg/day. A significant improvement was observed, not only in physical and clinical parameters but also in hematological parameters which include fetal hemoglobin (Hb F), total hemoglobin, hematocrit, mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) levels, when evaluated against the baseline. We did not observe any significant adverse effects during the treatment period. Similar results were obtained on independent analysis of Hb SS and Hb Sβ patients. These findings strengthen the beneficial effect of hydroxyurea in pediatric population also without any serious adverse effects and builds up ground for expanding its use under regular monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harsha Lad
- Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS), Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India
| | - Shoma Naskar
- Genomic Research on Complex diseases (GRC-Group), CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB), Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - S K D B Punyasri Pasupuleti
- Genomic Research on Complex diseases (GRC-Group), CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB), Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Rakesh Nahrel
- Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS), Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India
| | - Pradeep Sihare
- Sihare Children's Hospital, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India
| | - Giriraj R Chandak
- Genomic Research on Complex diseases (GRC-Group), CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB), Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Pradeep K Patra
- Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS), Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India
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Sickle Cell Disease in Children and Adolescents: A Review of the Historical, Clinical, and Public Health Perspective of Sub-Saharan Africa and Beyond. Int J Pediatr 2022; 2022:3885979. [PMID: 36254264 PMCID: PMC9569228 DOI: 10.1155/2022/3885979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an umbrella term for a group of life-long debilitating autosomal recessive disorders that are caused by a single-point mutation (Glu→Val) that results in polymerization of hemoglobin (Hb) and reversible sickle-shape deformation of erythrocytes. This leads to increased hemolysis of erythrocytes and microvascular occlusion, ischemia-reperfusion injury, and tissue infarction, ultimately causing multisystem end-organ complications. Sickle cell anemia (HbSS) is the most common and most severe genotype of SCD, followed by HbSC, HbSβ0thalassemia, HbSβ+thalassemia, and rare and benign genotypes. Clinical manifestations of SCD occur early in life, are variable, and are modified by several genetic and environmental factors. Nearly 500 children with SCD continue to die prematurely every day, due to delayed diagnosis and/or lack of access to comprehensive care in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), a trend that needs to be urgently reversed. Despite proven efficacy in developed countries, newborn screening programs are not universal in SSA. This calls for a consolidated effort to make this possible, through the use of rapid, accurate, and cheap point-of-care test kits which require minimal training. For almost two decades, hydroxyurea (hydroxycarbamide), a century-old drug, was the only disease-modifying therapy approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Recently, the list expanded to L-glutamine, crizanlizumab, and voxelotor, with several promising novel therapies in the pipeline. Despite its several limitations, hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) remains the only curative intervention for SCD. Meanwhile, recent advances in gene therapy trials offer a glimpse of hope for the near future, although its use maybe limited to developed countries for several decades.
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Quach D, Jiao B, Basu A, Bender M, Hankins J, Ramsey S, Devine B. A landscape analysis and discussion of value of gene therapies for sickle cell disease. Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res 2022; 22:891-911. [PMID: 35363602 PMCID: PMC10783332 DOI: 10.1080/14737167.2022.2060823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a rare genetic disease with limited therapeutic options. Gene-based therapies are being investigated in clinical trials to evaluate their curative potential. The expected life-long benefits of one-time administration of genetically corrected stem cells present uncharted challenges in estimating value of these treatments. Our objective is to conduct a landscape analysis of clinical trials and prompt a discussion estimating the value of gene therapy as a therapeutic option for SCD. AREAS COVERED We searched Clinicaltrials.gov to identify and characterize clinical trials in gene therapies for SCD. We report available results and discuss current concerns and elements of value necessary to consider as these products come to market. EXPERT OPINION Gene therapies could represent a major advance in SCD treatment. Although clinical trials are ongoing, reports of serious adverse events have led to pause of these trials, emphasizing the need to prove long-term tolerability. Measured using the methods of health economic evaluation, we anticipate high up-front costs may be offset by potential life-long benefits of these treatments. During development and after treatment approval, attention should be focused on ensuring adequate availability and equitable access to emerging therapies in underserved areas and low-middle-income countries (LMIC).
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalyna Quach
- The Comparative Health Outcomes, Policy, and Economics (CHOICE) Institute, University of Washington
| | - Boshen Jiao
- The Comparative Health Outcomes, Policy, and Economics (CHOICE) Institute, University of Washington
| | - Anirban Basu
- The Comparative Health Outcomes, Policy, and Economics (CHOICE) Institute, University of Washington
- Department of Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States
| | - M.A. Bender
- Division of Public Health Sciences and Hutchinson Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, and Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle
| | - Jane Hankins
- Department of Hematology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | - Scott Ramsey
- Division of Public Health Sciences and Hutchinson Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle
| | - Beth Devine
- The Comparative Health Outcomes, Policy, and Economics (CHOICE) Institute, University of Washington
- Department of Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States
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29
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Peretz S, Livshits L, Pretorius E, Makhro A, Bogdanova A, Gassmann M, Koren A, Levin C. The protective effect of the spleen in sickle cell patients. A comparative study between patients with asplenia/hyposplenism and hypersplenism. Front Physiol 2022; 13:796837. [PMID: 36105295 PMCID: PMC9465245 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.796837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is caused by a point mutation in the beta-globin gene. SCD is characterized by chronic hemolytic anemia, vaso-occlusive events leading to tissue ischemia, and progressive organ failure. Chronic inflammatory state is part of the pathophysiology of SCD. Patients with SCD have extremely variable phenotypes, from mild disease to severe complications including early age death. The spleen is commonly injured in SCD. Early splenic dysfunction and progressive spleen atrophy are common. Splenomegaly and hypersplenism can also occur with the loss of the crucial splenic function. Acute, life-threatening spleen-related complications in SCD are well studied. The association of laboratory parameters with the spleen status including hyposplenism, asplenia, and splenomegaly/hypersplenism, and their implication in vaso-occlusive crisis and long-term complications in SCD remain to be determined. We evaluated the association between the spleen status with clinical and laboratory parameters in 31 SCD patients: Group a) Patients with asplenia/hyposplenism (N = 22) (including auto-splenectomy and splenectomized patients) vs. Group b) patients with splenomegaly and or hypersplenism (N = 9). Laboratory studies included: Complete Blood Count, reticulocyte count, iron metabolism parameters, C Reactive Protein (CRP), Hb variant distribution, and D-dimer. Metabolic and morphological red blood cell (RBC) studies included: density gradient (by Percoll), glucose consumption, lactate release, and K+ leakage, fetal RBC (F-Cells) and F-Reticulocytes, annexinV+, CD71+, oxidative stress measured by GSH presence in RBC and finally Howell Jolly Bodies count were all analyzed by Flow Cytometry. Scanning electron microscopy analysis of RBC was also performed. Patients with asplenia/hyposplenism showed significantly higher WBC, platelet, Hematocrit, hemoglobin S, CRP, D-dimer, Gamma Glutamyl Transferase (GGT), cholesterol, transferrin, annexin V+ RBCs, CD71+ RBCs, together with a markedly lower F Reticulocyte levels in comparison with splenomegaly/hypersplenism patients. In summary, important differences were also found between the groups in the studied RBCs parameters. Further studies are required to elucidate the effect of the spleen including hyper and hypo-splenia on laboratory parameters and in clinical manifestations, vascular pathology, and long-term complications of SCD. The benefits and risks of splenectomy compared to chronic transfusion need to be evaluated in clinical trials and the standard approach managing hypersplenism in SCD patients should be re-evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sari Peretz
- Pediatric Hematology Unit, Emek Medical Center, Afula, Israel
- The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Leonid Livshits
- Pediatric Hematology Unit, Emek Medical Center, Afula, Israel
- Red Blood Cell Research Group, Vetsuisse Faculty, Institute of Veterinary Physiology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Etheresia Pretorius
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Asya Makhro
- Red Blood Cell Research Group, Vetsuisse Faculty, Institute of Veterinary Physiology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Anna Bogdanova
- Red Blood Cell Research Group, Vetsuisse Faculty, Institute of Veterinary Physiology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
- The Zurich Center for Integrative Human Physiology (ZIHP), Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Max Gassmann
- Red Blood Cell Research Group, Vetsuisse Faculty, Institute of Veterinary Physiology, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Ariel Koren
- Pediatric Hematology Unit, Emek Medical Center, Afula, Israel
| | - Carina Levin
- Pediatric Hematology Unit, Emek Medical Center, Afula, Israel
- The Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion–Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
- *Correspondence: Carina Levin, ,
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30
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Bou-Fakhredin R, De Franceschi L, Motta I, Cappellini MD, Taher AT. Pharmacological Induction of Fetal Hemoglobin in β-Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Disease: An Updated Perspective. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15060753. [PMID: 35745672 PMCID: PMC9227505 DOI: 10.3390/ph15060753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
A significant amount of attention has recently been devoted to the mechanisms involved in hemoglobin (Hb) switching, as it has previously been established that the induction of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) production in significant amounts can reduce the severity of the clinical course in diseases such as β-thalassemia and sickle cell disease (SCD). While the induction of HbF using lentiviral and genome-editing strategies has been made possible, they present limitations. Meanwhile, progress in the use of pharmacologic agents for HbF induction and the identification of novel HbF-inducing strategies has been made possible as a result of a better understanding of γ-globin regulation. In this review, we will provide an update on all current pharmacological inducer agents of HbF in β-thalassemia and SCD in addition to the ongoing research into other novel, and potentially therapeutic, HbF-inducing agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rayan Bou-Fakhredin
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy; (R.B.-F.); (I.M.)
| | - Lucia De Franceschi
- Department of Medicine, University of Verona and Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Verona, 37128 Verona, Italy;
| | - Irene Motta
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy; (R.B.-F.); (I.M.)
- UOC General Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Domenica Cappellini
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, 20122 Milan, Italy; (R.B.-F.); (I.M.)
- UOC General Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
- Correspondence: (M.D.C.); (A.T.T.)
| | - Ali T. Taher
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology-Oncology, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon
- Correspondence: (M.D.C.); (A.T.T.)
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31
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Cui MH, Billett HH, Suzuka SM, Ambadipudi K, Archarya S, Mowrey WB, Branch CA. Corrected cerebral blood flow and reduced cerebral inflammation in berk sickle mice with higher fetal hemoglobin. Transl Res 2022; 244:75-87. [PMID: 35091127 DOI: 10.1016/j.trsl.2022.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Fetal hemoglobin (HbF) is known to lessen the severity of sickle cell disease (SCD), through reductions in peripheral vaso-occlusive disease and reduced risk for cerebrovascular events. However, the influence of HbF on oxygen delivery to high metabolism tissues like the brain, or its influence on cerebral perfusion, metabolism, inflammation or function have not been widely studied. We employed a Berkley mouse model (BERK) of SCD with gamma transgenes q3 expressing exclusively human α- and βS-globins with varying levels of γ globin expression to investigate the effect of HbF expression on the brain using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), MRI diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and spectroscopy (MRS) and hematological parameters. Hematological parameters improved with increasing γ level expression, as did markers for brain metabolism, perfusion and inflammation. Brain microstructure assessed by DTI fractional anisotropy improved, while myo-inositol levels increased, suggesting improved microstructural integrity and reduced cell loss. Our results suggest that increasing γ levels not only improves sickle peripheral disease, but also improves brain perfusion and oxygen delivery while reducing brain inflammation while protecting brain microstructural integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Hui Cui
- Gruss Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York; Department of Radiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York; Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Henny H Billett
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York; Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Sandra M Suzuka
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Kamalakar Ambadipudi
- Gruss Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York; Department of Radiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Seetharama Archarya
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York; Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Wenzhu B Mowrey
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Craig A Branch
- Gruss Magnetic Resonance Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York; Department of Radiology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York; Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, New York.
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32
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Sales RR, Nogueira BL, Luizon MR. Pharmacogenomics of hydroxyurea therapy and fetal hemoglobin (HbF) levels in sickle cell anemia. Pharmacogenomics 2022; 23:393-396. [PMID: 35546339 DOI: 10.2217/pgs-2022-0050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Rahyssa Rodrigues Sales
- Graduate Program in Genetics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Bárbara Lisboa Nogueira
- Graduate Program in Genetics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Rizzatti Luizon
- Graduate Program in Genetics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, 31270-901, Brazil.,Department of Genetics, Ecology & Evolution, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, 31270-901, Brazil
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33
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Liu B, Brendel C, Vinjamur DS, Zhou Y, Harris C, McGuinness M, Manis JP, Bauer DE, Xu H, Williams DA. Development of a double shmiR lentivirus effectively targeting both BCL11A and ZNF410 for enhanced induction of fetal hemoglobin to treat β-hemoglobinopathies. Mol Ther 2022; 30:2693-2708. [PMID: 35526095 PMCID: PMC9372373 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A promising treatment for β-hemoglobinopathies is the de-repression of γ-globin expression leading to increased fetal hemoglobin (HbF) by targeting BCL11A. Here, we aim to improve a lentivirus vector (LV) containing a single BCL11A shmiR (SS) to further increase γ-globin induction. We engineered a novel LV to express two shmiRs simultaneously targeting BCL11A and the γ-globin repressor, ZNF410. Erythroid cells derived from human HSCs transduced with the double shmiR (DS) showed up to 70% reduction of both BCL11A and ZNF410 proteins. There was a consistent and significant additional 10% increase in HbF compared to targeting BCL11A alone in erythroid cells. Erythrocytes differentiated from SCD HSCs transduced with the DS demonstrated significantly reduced in vitro sickling phenotype compared to the SS. Erythrocytes differentiated from transduced HSCs from β-thalassemia major patients demonstrated improved globin chain balance by increased γ-globin with reduced microcytosis. Reconstitution of DS-transduced cells from Berkeley SCD mice was associated with a statistically larger reduction in peripheral blood hemolysis markers compared with the SS vector. Overall, these results indicate that the DS LV targeting BCL11A and ZNF410 can enhance HbF induction for treating β-hemoglobinopathies and could be used as a model to simultaneously and efficiently target multiple gene products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boya Liu
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Christian Brendel
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Divya S Vinjamur
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yu Zhou
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Chad Harris
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Meaghan McGuinness
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - John P Manis
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Daniel E Bauer
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Haiming Xu
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - David A Williams
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION Sickle cell disease and β thalassemia are the principal β hemoglobinopathies. The complex pathophysiology of sickle cell disease is initiated by sickle hemoglobin polymerization. In β thalassemia, insufficient β-globin synthesis results in excessive free α globin, ineffective erythropoiesis and severe anemia. Fetal hemoglobin (HbF) prevents sickle hemoglobin polymerization; in β thalassemia HbF compensates for the deficit of normal hemoglobin. When HbF constitutes about a third of total cell hemoglobin, the complications of sickle cell disease are nearly totally prevented. Similarly, sufficient HbF in β thalassemia diminishes or prevents ineffective erythropoiesis and hemolysis. AREAS COVERED This article examines the pathophysiology of β hemoglobinopathies, the physiology of HbF, intracellular distribution and the regulation of HbF expression. Inducing high levels of HbF by targeting its regulatory pathways pharmacologically or with cell-based therapeutics provides major clinical benefit and perhaps a "cure." EXPERT OPINION Erythrocytes must contain about 10 pg of HbF to "cure" sickle cell disease. If HbF is the only hemoglobin present, much higher levels are needed to "cure" β thalassemia. These levels of HbF can be obtained by different iterations of gene therapy. Small molecule drugs that can achieve even modest pancellular HbF concentrations are a major unmet need.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin H Steinberg
- Professor of Medicine, Pediatrics, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine.,Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Center of Excellence for Sickle Cell Disease, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 East Concord St., Boston, MA, 02118, USA.,Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord St. Boston, MA 02118. ., Tel
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35
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Sun Y, Habara A, Le CQ, Nguyen N, Chen R, Murphy GJ, Chui DHK, Steinberg MH, Cui S. Pharmacologic induction of PGC-1α stimulates fetal haemoglobin gene expression. Br J Haematol 2022; 197:97-109. [PMID: 35118652 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.18042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic disorder that affects millions around the world. Enhancement of fetal γ-globin levels and fetal haemoglobin (HbF) production in SCD patients leads to diminished severity of many clinical features of the disease. We recently identified the transcriptional co-activator PGC-1α as a new protein involved in the regulation of the globin genes. Here, we report that upregulation of PGC-1α by infection with a lentivirus expressing PGC-1α or by the small-molecule PGC-1α agonist ZLN005 in human primary erythroid progenitor CD34+ cells induces both fetal γ-globin mRNA and protein expression as well as the percentage of HbF-positive cell (F cells) without significantly affecting cell proliferation and differentiation. We further found that the combination of ZLN005 and hydroxyurea (hydroxycarbamide) exhibited an additive effect on the expression of γ-globin and the generation of F cells from cultured CD34+ cells. In addition, ZLN005 induced robust expression of the murine embryonic βh1-globin gene and to a lesser extent, human γ-globin gene expression in sickle mice. These findings suggest that activation of PGC-1α by ZLN005 might provide a new path for modulating HbF levels with potential therapeutic benefit in β-hemoglobinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Sun
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology-Medical Oncology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Alawi Habara
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology-Medical Oncology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia
| | - Cuong Quang Le
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology-Medical Oncology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nicole Nguyen
- Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Raymon Chen
- Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - George J Murphy
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology-Medical Oncology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Center for Regenerative Medicine, Boston University, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - David H K Chui
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology-Medical Oncology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Martin H Steinberg
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology-Medical Oncology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Shuaiying Cui
- Department of Medicine, Section of Hematology-Medical Oncology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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36
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Ramadier S, Chalumeau A, Felix T, Othman N, Aknoun S, Casini A, Maule G, Masson C, De Cian A, Frati G, Brusson M, Concordet JP, Cavazzana M, Cereseto A, El Nemer W, Amendola M, Wattellier B, Meneghini V, Miccio A. Combination of lentiviral and genome editing technologies for the treatment of sickle cell disease. Mol Ther 2022; 30:145-163. [PMID: 34418541 PMCID: PMC8753569 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2021.08.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is caused by a mutation in the β-globin gene leading to polymerization of the sickle hemoglobin (HbS) and deformation of red blood cells. Autologous transplantation of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) genetically modified using lentiviral vectors (LVs) to express an anti-sickling β-globin leads to some clinical benefit in SCD patients, but it requires high-level transgene expression (i.e., high vector copy number [VCN]) to counteract HbS polymerization. Here, we developed therapeutic approaches combining LV-based gene addition and CRISPR-Cas9 strategies aimed to either knock down the sickle β-globin and increase the incorporation of an anti-sickling globin (AS3) in hemoglobin tetramers, or to induce the expression of anti-sickling fetal γ-globins. HSPCs from SCD patients were transduced with LVs expressing AS3 and a guide RNA either targeting the endogenous β-globin gene or regions involved in fetal hemoglobin silencing. Transfection of transduced cells with Cas9 protein resulted in high editing efficiency, elevated levels of anti-sickling hemoglobins, and rescue of the SCD phenotype at a significantly lower VCN compared to the conventional LV-based approach. This versatile platform can improve the efficacy of current gene addition approaches by combining different therapeutic strategies, thus reducing the vector amount required to achieve a therapeutic VCN and the associated genotoxicity risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Ramadier
- Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Regulation during Development, Imagine Institute, INSERM UMR1163, 75015 Paris, France; Université de Paris, 75015 Paris, France; Phasics, Bâtiment Explorer, Espace Technologique, Route de l'Orme des Merisiers, 91190 St. Aubin, France
| | - Anne Chalumeau
- Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Regulation during Development, Imagine Institute, INSERM UMR1163, 75015 Paris, France; Université de Paris, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Tristan Felix
- Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Regulation during Development, Imagine Institute, INSERM UMR1163, 75015 Paris, France; Université de Paris, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Nadia Othman
- Phasics, Bâtiment Explorer, Espace Technologique, Route de l'Orme des Merisiers, 91190 St. Aubin, France
| | - Sherazade Aknoun
- Phasics, Bâtiment Explorer, Espace Technologique, Route de l'Orme des Merisiers, 91190 St. Aubin, France
| | | | - Giulia Maule
- CIBIO, University of Trento, 38100 Trento, Italy
| | - Cecile Masson
- Paris-Descartes Bioinformatics Platform, Imagine Institute, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Anne De Cian
- INSERM U1154, CNRS UMR7196, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Giacomo Frati
- Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Regulation during Development, Imagine Institute, INSERM UMR1163, 75015 Paris, France; Université de Paris, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Megane Brusson
- Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Regulation during Development, Imagine Institute, INSERM UMR1163, 75015 Paris, France; Université de Paris, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Jean-Paul Concordet
- INSERM U1154, CNRS UMR7196, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Marina Cavazzana
- Université de Paris, 75015 Paris, France; Imagine Institute, 75015 Paris, France; Biotherapy Department and Clinical Investigation Center, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, INSERM, 75015 Paris, France
| | | | - Wassim El Nemer
- Etablissement Français du Sang PACA-Corse, Marseille, France; Aix Marseille Université, EFS, CNRS, ADES, "Biologie des Groupes Sanguins," 13000 Marseille, France; Laboratoire d'Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
| | | | - Benoit Wattellier
- Phasics, Bâtiment Explorer, Espace Technologique, Route de l'Orme des Merisiers, 91190 St. Aubin, France
| | - Vasco Meneghini
- Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Regulation during Development, Imagine Institute, INSERM UMR1163, 75015 Paris, France; Université de Paris, 75015 Paris, France.
| | - Annarita Miccio
- Laboratory of Chromatin and Gene Regulation during Development, Imagine Institute, INSERM UMR1163, 75015 Paris, France; Université de Paris, 75015 Paris, France.
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Han Y, Tan X, Jin T, Zhao S, Hu L, Zhang W, Kurita R, Nakamura Y, Liu J, Li D, Zhang Z, Fang X, Huang S. CRISPR/Cas9-based multiplex genome editing of BCL11A and HBG efficiently induces fetal hemoglobin expression. Eur J Pharmacol 2022; 918:174788. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2022.174788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Säll C, Fogt Hjorth C. In vitro drug-drug interactions of decitabine and tetrahydrouridine involving drug transporters and drug metabolising enzymes. Xenobiotica 2021; 52:1-15. [PMID: 34913834 DOI: 10.1080/00498254.2021.2018628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
1. NDec is a novel, oral, fixed-dose formulation of decitabine and tetrahydrouridine that is currently being developed for the treatment of patients with sickle cell disease. Here, we examine the potential for both components of NDec to interact with key drug metabolising enzymes (tetrahydrouridine only) and drug transporters (decitabine and tetrahydrouridine).2. This study assessed the inhibition and induction of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes by tetrahydrouridine, as well as the involvement of specific drug metabolising enzymes in tetrahydrouridine metabolism. Inhibition of efflux and uptake transporters by both decitabine and tetrahydrouridine was also studied.3. Tetrahydrouridine did not inhibit or induce relevant CYP enzymes at concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 100 μM. Metabolism of tetrahydrouridine did not occur in the presence of the human drug metabolising enzymes tested. Tetrahydrouridine showed weak inhibition towards the MATE2-K transporter (∼30% inhibition at 5 and 50 μM), which was not deemed clinically relevant. Tetrahydrouridine did not inhibit any of the remaining uptake or efflux transporters. Decitabine (0.5 and 5 μM) did not inhibit any of the evaluated uptake or efflux drug transporters.4. Data presented confirm that tetrahydrouridine and decitabine are unlikely to be involved in metabolism- or transporter-based drug-drug interactions.
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Samuelson C, Radtke S, Zhu H, Llewellyn M, Fields E, Cook S, Huang MLW, Jerome KR, Kiem HP, Humbert O. Multiplex CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing in hematopoietic stem cells for fetal hemoglobin reinduction generates chromosomal translocations. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2021; 23:507-523. [PMID: 34853798 PMCID: PMC8605315 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2021.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Sickle cell disease and β-thalassemia are common monogenic disorders that cause significant morbidity and mortality globally. The only curative treatment currently is allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, which is unavailable to many patients due to a lack of matched donors and carries risks including graft-versus-host disease. Genome editing therapies targeting either the BCL11A erythroid enhancer or the HBG promoter are already demonstrating success in reinducing fetal hemoglobin. However, where a single locus is targeted, reliably achieving levels high enough to deliver an effective cure remains a challenge. We investigated the application of a CRISPR/Cas9 multiplex genome editing approach, in which both the BCL11A erythroid enhancer and HBG promoter are disrupted within human hematopoietic stem cells. We demonstrate superior fetal hemoglobin reinduction with this dual-editing approach without compromising engraftment or lineage differentiation potential of edited cells post-xenotransplantation. However, multiplex editing consistently resulted in the generation of chromosomal rearrangement events that persisted in vivo following transplantation into immunodeficient mice. The risk of oncogenic events resulting from such translocations therefore currently prohibits its clinical translation, but it is anticipated that, in the future, alternative editing platforms will help alleviate this risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare Samuelson
- Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Program, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109-1024, USA
| | - Stefan Radtke
- Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Program, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109-1024, USA
| | - Haiying Zhu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Mallory Llewellyn
- Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Program, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109-1024, USA
| | - Emily Fields
- Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Program, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109-1024, USA
| | - Savannah Cook
- Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Program, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109-1024, USA
| | - Meei-Li W. Huang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Keith R. Jerome
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle WA 98109-1024, USA
| | - Hans-Peter Kiem
- Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Program, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109-1024, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Olivier Humbert
- Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Program, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109-1024, USA
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Demirci S, Leonard A, Essawi K, Tisdale JF. CRISPR-Cas9 to induce fetal hemoglobin for the treatment of sickle cell disease. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2021; 23:276-285. [PMID: 34729375 PMCID: PMC8526756 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2021.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Genome editing is potentially a curative technique available to all individuals with β-hemoglobinopathies, including sickle cell disease (SCD). Fetal hemoglobin (HbF) inhibits sickle hemoglobin (HbS) polymerization, and it is well described that naturally occurring hereditary persistence of HbF (HPFH) alleviates disease symptoms; therefore, reawakening of developmentally silenced HbF in adult red blood cells (RBCs) has long been of interest as a therapeutic strategy. Recent advances in genome editing platforms, particularly with the use of CRISPR-Cas9, have paved the way for efficient HbF induction through the creation of artificial HPFH mutations, editing of transcriptional HbF silencers, and modulating epigenetic intermediates that govern HbF expression. Clinical trials investigating BCL11A enhancer editing in patients with β-hemoglobinopathies have demonstrated promising results, although follow-up is short and the number of patients treated to date is low. While practical, economic, and clinical challenges of genome editing are well recognized by the scientific community, potential solutions to overcome these hurdles are in development. Here, we review the recent progress and obstacles yet to be overcome for the most effective and feasible HbF reactivation practice using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing as a curative strategy for patients with SCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selami Demirci
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Alexis Leonard
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Khaled Essawi
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia
| | - John F. Tisdale
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
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Karkoska K, McGann PT. How I approach disease-modifying therapy in children with sickle cell disease in an era of novel therapies. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2021; 68:e29363. [PMID: 34550643 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.29363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Finally,after decades of stagnation, the therapeutic landscape for sickle cell disease (SCD) is changing with an increasing number of novel therapeutics. Hydroxyurea remains the primary disease-modifying therapy and, when started early in life with maintenance of an optimal dose, can reduce many SCD-related complications. To complement hydroxyurea, there are a growing number of pharmacologic options with additional efforts focused on the development and optimization of curative therapies. Here, we review current treatment options and provide recommendations as to how to approach the treatment of children and adolescents within this evolving therapeutic landscape to allow for full and healthy lives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristine Karkoska
- Division of Hematology, Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Patrick T McGann
- Division of Hematology, Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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Barbarani G, Łabedz A, Ronchi AE. β-Hemoglobinopathies: The Test Bench for Genome Editing-Based Therapeutic Strategies. Front Genome Ed 2021; 2:571239. [PMID: 34713219 PMCID: PMC8525389 DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2020.571239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Hemoglobin is a tetrameric protein composed of two α and two β chains, each containing a heme group that reversibly binds oxygen. The composition of hemoglobin changes during development in order to fulfill the need of the growing organism, stably maintaining a balanced production of α-like and β-like chains in a 1:1 ratio. Adult hemoglobin (HbA) is composed of two α and two β subunits (α2β2 tetramer), whereas fetal hemoglobin (HbF) is composed of two γ and two α subunits (α2γ2 tetramer). Qualitative or quantitative defects in β-globin production cause two of the most common monogenic-inherited disorders: β-thalassemia and sickle cell disease. The high frequency of these diseases and the relative accessibility of hematopoietic stem cells make them an ideal candidate for therapeutic interventions based on genome editing. These strategies move in two directions: the correction of the disease-causing mutation and the reactivation of the expression of HbF in adult cells, in the attempt to recreate the effect of hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin (HPFH) natural mutations, which mitigate the severity of β-hemoglobinopathies. Both lines of research rely on the knowledge gained so far on the regulatory mechanisms controlling the differential expression of globin genes during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria Barbarani
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Agata Łabedz
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie e Bioscienze, Università di Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
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Psatha N, Georgakopoulou A, Li C, Nandakumar V, Georgolopoulos G, Acosta R, Paschoudi K, Nelson J, Chee D, Athanasiadou A, Kouvatsi A, Funnell APW, Lieber A, Yannaki E, Papayannopoulou T. Enhanced HbF reactivation by multiplex mutagenesis of thalassemic CD34+ cells in vitro and in vivo. Blood 2021; 138:1540-1553. [PMID: 34086867 PMCID: PMC8554647 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2020010020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Thalassemia or sickle cell patients with hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) have an ameliorated clinical phenotype and, in some cases, can achieve transfusion independence. Inactivation via genome editing of γ-globin developmental suppressors, such as BCL11A or LRF/ZBTB7A, or of their binding sites, have been shown to significantly increase expression of endogenous HbF. To broaden the therapeutic window beyond a single-editing approach, we have explored combinations of cis- and trans-editing targets to enhance HbF reactivation. Multiplex mutagenesis in adult CD34+ cells was well tolerated and did not lead to any detectable defect in the cells' proliferation and differentiation, either in vitro or in vivo. The combination of 1 trans and 1 cis mutation resulted in high editing retention in vivo, coupled with almost pancellular HbF expression in NBSGW mice. The greater in vivo performance of this combination was also recapitulated using a novel helper-dependent adenoviral-CRISPR vector (HD-Ad-dualCRISPR) in CD34+ cells from β-thalassemia patients transplanted to NBSGW mice. A pronounced increase in HbF expression was observed in human red blood cells in mice with established predominant β0/β0-thalassemic hemopoiesis after in vivo injection of the HD-Ad-dualCRISPR vector. Collectively, our data suggest that the combination of cis and trans fetal globin reactivation mutations has the potential to significantly increase HbF both totally and on a per cell basis over single editing and could thus provide significant clinical benefit to patients with severe β-globin phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aphrodite Georgakopoulou
- School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
- Gene and Cell Therapy Center, Hematology Department-Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece; and
| | - Chang Li
- Division of Medical Genetics and
| | | | | | - Reyes Acosta
- Altius Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Seattle, WA
| | - Kiriaki Paschoudi
- School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
- Gene and Cell Therapy Center, Hematology Department-Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece; and
| | - Jemma Nelson
- Altius Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Seattle, WA
| | - Daniel Chee
- Altius Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Seattle, WA
| | - Anastasia Athanasiadou
- Gene and Cell Therapy Center, Hematology Department-Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece; and
| | - Anastasia Kouvatsi
- School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | | | | | - Evangelia Yannaki
- Gene and Cell Therapy Center, Hematology Department-Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece; and
- Division of Hematology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
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Starlard-Davenport A, Fitzgerald A, Pace BS. Exploring epigenetic and microRNA approaches for γ-globin gene regulation. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2021; 246:2347-2357. [PMID: 34292080 DOI: 10.1177/15353702211028195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic interventions aimed at inducing fetal hemoglobin and reducing the concentration of sickle hemoglobin is an effective approach to ameliorating acute and chronic complications of sickle cell disease, exemplified by the long-term use of hydroxyurea. However, there remains an unmet need for the development of additional safe and effective drugs for single agent or combination therapy for individuals with β-hemoglobinopathies. Regulation of the γ-globin to β-globin switch is achieved by chromatin remodeling at the HBB locus on chromosome 11 and interactions of major DNA binding proteins, such as KLF1 and BCL11A in the proximal promoters of the globin genes. Experimental evidence also supports a role of epigenetic modifications including DNA methylation, histone acetylation/methylation, and microRNA expression in γ-globin gene silencing during development. In this review, we will critically evaluate the role of epigenetic mechanisms in γ-globin gene regulation and discuss data generated in tissue culture, pre-clinical animal models, and clinical trials to support drug development to date. The question remains whether modulation of epigenetic pathways will produce sufficient efficacy and specificity for fetal hemoglobin induction and to what extent targeting these pathways form the basis of prospects for clinical therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athena Starlard-Davenport
- Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Ashley Fitzgerald
- Department of Genetics, Genomics and Informatics, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38163, USA
| | - Betty S Pace
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
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Uchida N, Ferrara F, Drysdale CM, Yapundich M, Gamer J, Nassehi T, DiNicola J, Shibata Y, Wielgosz M, Kim YS, Bauler M, Throm RE, Haro-Mora JJ, Demirci S, Bonifacino AC, Krouse AE, Linde NS, Donahue RE, Ryu B, Tisdale JF. Sustained fetal hemoglobin induction in vivo is achieved by BCL11A interference and coexpressed truncated erythropoietin receptor. Sci Transl Med 2021; 13:13/591/eabb0411. [PMID: 33910976 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abb0411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy for hemoglobin disorders, including sickle cell disease, requires high-efficiency lentiviral gene transfer and robust therapeutic globin expression in erythroid cells. Erythropoietin is a key cytokine for erythroid proliferation and differentiation (erythropoiesis), and truncated human erythropoietin receptors (thEpoR) have been reported in familial polycythemia. We reasoned that coexpression of thEpoR could enhance the phenotypic effect of a therapeutic vector in erythroid cells in xenograft mouse and autologous nonhuman primate transplantation models. We generated thEpoR by deleting 40 amino acids from the carboxyl terminus, allowing for erythropoietin-dependent enhanced erythropoiesis of gene-modified cells. We then designed lentiviral vectors encoding both thEpoR and B cell lymphoma/leukemia 11A (BCL11A)-targeting microRNA-adapted short hairpin RNA (shmiR BCL11A) driven by an erythroid-specific promoter. thEpoR expression enhanced erythropoiesis among gene-modified cells in vitro. We then transplanted lentiviral vector gene-modified CD34+ cells with erythroid-specific expression of both thEpoR and shmiR BCL11A and compared to cells modified with shmiR BCL11A only. We found that thEpoR enhanced shmiR BCL11A-based fetal hemoglobin (HbF) induction in both xenograft mice and rhesus macaques, whereas HbF induction with shmiR BCL11A only was robust, yet transient. thEpoR/shmiR BCL11A coexpression allowed for sustained HbF induction at 20 to 25% in rhesus macaques for 4 to 8 months. In summary, we developed erythroid-specific thEpoR/shmiR BCL11A-expressing vectors, enhancing HbF induction in xenograft mice and rhesus macaques. The sustained HbF induction achieved by addition of thEpoR and shmiR BCL11A may represent a viable gene therapy strategy for hemoglobin disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoya Uchida
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA. .,Division of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Center for Gene and Cell Therapy, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan
| | - Francesca Ferrara
- Department of Hematology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (SJCRH), Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Claire M Drysdale
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Morgan Yapundich
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jackson Gamer
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Tina Nassehi
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Julia DiNicola
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Yoshitaka Shibata
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Matthew Wielgosz
- Department of Hematology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (SJCRH), Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Yoon-Sang Kim
- Department of Hematology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (SJCRH), Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Matthew Bauler
- Vector Development and Production Laboratory, SJCRH, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Robert E Throm
- Vector Development and Production Laboratory, SJCRH, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
| | - Juan J Haro-Mora
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Selami Demirci
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Aylin C Bonifacino
- Translational Stem Cell Biology Branch, NHLBI, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Allen E Krouse
- Translational Stem Cell Biology Branch, NHLBI, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - N Seth Linde
- Translational Stem Cell Biology Branch, NHLBI, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Robert E Donahue
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Byoung Ryu
- Department of Hematology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (SJCRH), Memphis, TN 38105, USA.,Umoja Biopharma, 1920 Terry Ave., Seattle, WA 98101, USA
| | - John F Tisdale
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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46
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Quinn CT, Niss O, Dong M, Pfeiffer A, Korpik J, Reynaud M, Bonar H, Kalfa TA, Smart LR, Malik P, Ware RE, Vinks AA, McGann PT. Early initiation of hydroxyurea (hydroxycarbamide) using individualised, pharmacokinetics-guided dosing can produce sustained and nearly pancellular expression of fetal haemoglobin in children with sickle cell anaemia. Br J Haematol 2021; 194:617-625. [PMID: 34227124 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.17663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Hydroxyurea (hydroxycarbamide) is an effective treatment for sickle cell anaemia (SCA), but clinical responses depend primarily upon the degree of fetal haemoglobin (HbF) induction and the heterogeneity of HbF expression across erythrocytes. The number and characteristics of HbF-containing cells (F-cells) are not assessed by traditional HbF measurements. Conventional hydroxyurea dosing (e.g. fixed doses or low starting doses with stepwise escalation) produces a moderate heterocellular HbF induction, but haemolysis and clinical complications continue. Robust, pancellular HbF induction is needed to minimise or fully inhibit polymerisation of sickle haemoglobin. We treated children with hydroxyurea using an individualised, pharmacokinetics-guided regimen starting at predicted maximum tolerated dose (MTD). We observed sustained HbF induction (mean >30%) for up to 6 years, which was not dependent on genetic determinants of HbF expression. Nearly 70% of patients had ≥80% F-cells (near-pancellular), and almost half had ≥90% F-cells (pancellular). The mean HbF/F-cell content was ~12 pg. Earlier age of initiation and better medication adherence were associated with high F-cell responses. In summary, early initiation of hydroxyurea using pharmacokinetics-guided starting doses at predicted MTD can achieve sustained near-pancellular or pancellular HbF expression and should be considered an achievable goal for children with SCA treated with hydroxyurea at optimal doses. Clinical trial registration number: NCT02286154 (clinicaltrials.gov).
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles T Quinn
- Division of Hematology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Erythrocyte Diagnostic Laboratory, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Omar Niss
- Division of Hematology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Min Dong
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Amanda Pfeiffer
- Division of Hematology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Jennifer Korpik
- Division of Hematology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Erythrocyte Diagnostic Laboratory, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Mary Reynaud
- Division of Hematology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Erythrocyte Diagnostic Laboratory, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Immunopathology Laboratory, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Holly Bonar
- Division of Hematology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Immunopathology Laboratory, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Theodosia A Kalfa
- Division of Hematology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Erythrocyte Diagnostic Laboratory, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Luke R Smart
- Division of Hematology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Punam Malik
- Division of Hematology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Russell E Ware
- Division of Hematology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Alexander A Vinks
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
| | - Patrick T McGann
- Division of Hematology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA
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47
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Pace BS, Perrine S, Li B, Makala L, Xu H, Takezaki M, Wolf RF, Wang A, Xu X, Huang J, Alimardanov A, Tawa GJ, Sangerman J, Faller A, Zheng W, Toney L, Haugabook SJ. Benserazide racemate and enantiomers induce fetal globin gene expression in vivo: Studies to guide clinical development for beta thalassemia and sickle cell disease. Blood Cells Mol Dis 2021; 89:102561. [PMID: 33744514 PMCID: PMC8409227 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcmd.2021.102561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 03/05/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Increased expression of developmentally silenced fetal globin (HBG) reduces the clinical severity of β-hemoglobinopathies. Benserazide has a relatively benign safety profile having been approved for 50 years in Europe and Canada for Parkinson's disease treatment. Benserazide was shown to activate HBG gene transcription in a high throughput screen, and subsequent studies confirmed fetal hemoglobin (HbF) induction in erythroid progenitors from hemoglobinopathy patients, transgenic mice containing the entire human β-globin gene (β-YAC) and anemic baboons. The goal of this study is to evaluate efficacies and plasma exposure profiles of benserazide racemate and its enantiomers to select the chemical form for clinical development. Intermittent treatment with all forms of benserazide in β-YAC mice significantly increased proportions of red blood cells expressing HbF and HbF protein per cell with similar pharmacokinetic profiles and with no cytopenia. These data contribute to the regulatory justification for development of the benserazide racemate. Additionally, dose ranges and frequencies required for HbF induction using racemic benserazide were explored. Orally administered escalating doses of benserazide in an anemic baboon induced γ-globin mRNA up to 13-fold and establish an intermittent dose regimen for clinical studies as a therapeutic candidate for potential treatment of β-hemoglobinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Betty S Pace
- Department of Pediatrics, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Susan Perrine
- Phoenicia BioSciences, Weston, MA 02493, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Hemoglobinopathy Thalassemia Research Unit, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Biaoru Li
- Department of Pediatrics, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Levi Makala
- Department of Pediatrics, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Hongyan Xu
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Mayuko Takezaki
- Department of Pediatrics, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Roman F Wolf
- Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Amy Wang
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases (TRND) Program, Therapeutic Development Branch, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Xin Xu
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases (TRND) Program, Therapeutic Development Branch, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Junfeng Huang
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases (TRND) Program, Therapeutic Development Branch, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Asaf Alimardanov
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases (TRND) Program, Therapeutic Development Branch, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Gregory J Tawa
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases (TRND) Program, Therapeutic Development Branch, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jose Sangerman
- Phoenicia BioSciences, Weston, MA 02493, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Hemoglobinopathy Thalassemia Research Unit, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Aidan Faller
- Phoenicia BioSciences, Weston, MA 02493, USA; Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Hemoglobinopathy Thalassemia Research Unit, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02118, USA
| | - Wei Zheng
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases (TRND) Program, Therapeutic Development Branch, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - London Toney
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases (TRND) Program, Therapeutic Development Branch, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Sharie J Haugabook
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, Therapeutics for Rare and Neglected Diseases (TRND) Program, Therapeutic Development Branch, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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48
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Steinberg MH. HbA 2 induction: the merit of pancellularity in sickle cell disease. Br J Haematol 2021; 193:1032-1033. [PMID: 34060070 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.17562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Martin H Steinberg
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Center of Excellence for Sickle Cell Disease, Center for Regenerative Medicine, Genome Science Institute, Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
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49
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Salinas Cisneros G, Thein SL. Research in Sickle Cell Disease: From Bedside to Bench to Bedside. Hemasphere 2021; 5:e584. [PMID: 34095767 PMCID: PMC8171370 DOI: 10.1097/hs9.0000000000000584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 04/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an exemplar of bidirectional translational research, starting with a remarkable astute observation of the abnormally shaped red blood cells that motivated decades of bench research that have now translated into new drugs and genetic therapies. Introduction of hydroxyurea (HU) therapy, the only SCD-modifying treatment for >30 years and now standard care, was initiated through another clinical observation by a pediatrician. While the clinical efficacy of HU is primarily due to its fetal hemoglobin (HbF) induction, the exact mechanism of how it increases HbF remains not fully understood. Unraveling of the molecular mechanism of how HU increases HbF has provided insights on the development of new HbF-reactivating agents in the pipeline. HU has other salutary effects, reduction of cellular adhesion to the vascular endothelium and inflammation, and dissecting these mechanisms has informed bench-both cellular and animal-research for development of the 3 recently approved agents: endari, voxelotor, and crizanlizumab; truly, a bidirectional bench to bedside translation. Decades of research to understand the mechanisms of fetal to adult hemoglobin have also culminated in promising anti-sickling genetic therapies and the first-in-human studies of reactivating an endogenous (γ-globin) gene HBG utilizing innovative genomic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Salinas Cisneros
- Sickle Cell Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Children’s National Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Swee Lay Thein
- Sickle Cell Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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50
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Porcu S, Simbula M, Marongiu MF, Perra A, Poddie D, Perseu L, Kowalik MA, Littera R, Barella S, Caria CA, Demartis FR, Ristaldi MS. Delta-globin gene expression improves sickle cell disease in a humanised mouse model. Br J Haematol 2021; 193:1228-1237. [PMID: 34046885 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.17561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a widespread genetic disease associated with severe disability and multi-organ damage, resulting in a reduced life expectancy. None of the existing clinical treatments provide a solution for all patients. Gene therapy and fetal haemoglobin (HbF) reactivation through genetic approaches have obtained promising, but early, results in patients. Furthermore, the search for active molecules to increase HbF is still ongoing. The delta-globin gene produces the delta-globin of haemoglobin A2 (HbA2). Although expressed at a low level, HbA2 is fully functional and could be a valid anti-sickling agent in SCD. To evaluate the therapeutic potential of a strategy aimed to over-express the delta-globin gene in vivo, we crossed transgenic mice carrying a single copy of the delta-globin gene, genetically modified to be expressed at a higher level (activated), with a humanised mouse model of SCD. The activated delta-globin gene gives rise to a consistent production of HbA2, effectively improving the SCD phenotype. For the first time in vivo, these results demonstrate the therapeutic potential of delta-globin, which could lead to novel approaches to the cure of SCD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanna Porcu
- Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IRGB-CNR), Cagliari, Italy
| | - Michela Simbula
- Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IRGB-CNR), Cagliari, Italy
| | - Maria F Marongiu
- Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IRGB-CNR), Cagliari, Italy
| | - Andrea Perra
- Unità di Oncologia e Patologia Molecolare, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Daniela Poddie
- Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IRGB-CNR), Cagliari, Italy
| | - Lucia Perseu
- Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IRGB-CNR), Cagliari, Italy
| | - Marta A Kowalik
- Unità di Oncologia e Patologia Molecolare, Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Roberto Littera
- Struttura Complessa di Genetica Medica, Ospedale R. Binaghi, ASSL Cagliari, ATS Sardegna, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Susanna Barella
- Ospedale Microcitemico 'A. Cao' - A.O. 'G. Brotzu', Cagliari, Italy
| | - Cristian A Caria
- Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IRGB-CNR), Cagliari, Italy
| | | | - Maria S Ristaldi
- Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IRGB-CNR), Cagliari, Italy
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