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Prommersberger S, Monjezi R, Shankar R, Schmeer M, Hudecek M, Ivics Z, Schleef M. Minicircles for CAR T Cell Production by Sleeping Beauty Transposition: A Technological Overview. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2521:25-39. [PMID: 35732991 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2441-8_2] [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] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Development and application of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has led to a breakthrough in the treatment of hematologic malignancies. In 2017, the FDA approved the first commercialized CD19-specific CAR T cell products for treatment of patients with B-cell malignancies. This success increased the desire to broaden the availability of CAR T cells to a larger patient cohort with hematological but also solid tumors. A critical factor of CAR T cell production is the stable and efficient delivery of the CAR transgene into T cells. This gene transfer is conventionally achieved by viral vectors. However, viral gene transfer is not conducive to affordable, scalable, and timely manufacturing of CAR T cell products. Thus, there is a necessity for developing alternative nonviral engineering platforms, which are more cost-effective, less complex to handle and which provide the scalability requirement for a globally available therapy.One alternative method for engineering of T cells is the nonviral gene transfer by Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposition. Electroporation with two nucleic acids is sufficient to achieve stable CAR transfer into T cells. One of these vectors has to encode the gene of interest, which is the CAR , the second one a recombinase called SB transposase, the enzyme that catalyzes integration of the transgene into the host cell genome. As nucleic acids are easy to produce and handle SB gene transfer has the potential to provide scalability, cost-effectiveness, and feasibility for widespread use of CAR T cell therapies.Nevertheless, the electroporation of two large-size plasmid vectors into T cells leads to high T cell toxicity and low gene transfer rates and has hindered the prevalent clinical application of the SB system. To circumvent these limitations, conventional plasmid vectors can be replaced by minimal-size vectors called minicircles (MC ). MCs are DNA vectors that lack the plasmid backbone, which is relevant for propagation in bacteria, but has no function in a human cell. Thus, their size is drastically reduced compared to conventional plasmids. It has been demonstrated that MC-mediated SB CAR transposition into T cells enhances their viability and gene transfer rate enabling the production of therapeutic doses of CAR T cells. These improvements make CAR SB transposition from MC vectors a promising alternative for engineering of clinical grade CAR T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Razieh Monjezi
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Ram Shankar
- PlasmidFactory GmbH & Co. KG, Bielefeld, Germany
| | | | - Michael Hudecek
- Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Zoltán Ivics
- Division of Medical Biotechnology, Paul Ehrlich Institute, Langen, Germany
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Taheri F, Taghizadeh E, Pour MJR, Rostami D, Renani PG, Rastgar-Moghadam A, Hayat SMG. Limb-girdle Muscular Dystrophy and Therapy: Insights into Cell and Gene-based Approaches. Curr Gene Ther 2020; 19:386-394. [PMID: 32067617 DOI: 10.2174/1566523220666200218113526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Revised: 01/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophies (LGMD) are genetically heterogeneous disorders, responsible for muscle wasting and severe form of dystrophies. Despite the critical developments in the insight and information of pathomechanisms of limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, any definitive treatments do not exist, and current strategies are only based on the improvement of the signs of disorder and to enhance the life quality without resolving an underlying cause. There is a crucial relationship between pharmacological therapy and different consequences; therefore, other treatment strategies will be required. New approaches, such as gene replacement, gene transfer, exon skipping, siRNA knockdown, and anti-myostatin therapy, which can target specific cellular or molecular mechanism of LGMD, could be a promising avenue for the treatment. Recently, genome engineering strategies with a focus on molecular tools such as CRISPR-Cas9 are used to different types of neuromuscular disorders and show the highest potential for clinical translation of these therapies. Thus, recent advancements and challenges in the field will be reviewed in this paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Forough Taheri
- Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran
| | - Eskandar Taghizadeh
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Yasuj University of Medical Sciences, Yasuj, Iran.,Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mohammad J R Pour
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Mashhad-Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Daryoush Rostami
- Department of School Allied, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran
| | - Pedram G Renani
- Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran
| | - Azam Rastgar-Moghadam
- Department of Genetics, Tehran Medical Sciences Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Seyed M G Hayat
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
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Erdei Z, Schamberger A, Török G, Szebényi K, Várady G, Orbán TI, Homolya L, Sarkadi B, Apáti Á. Generation of multidrug resistant human tissues by overexpression of the ABCG2 multidrug transporter in embryonic stem cells. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0194925. [PMID: 29649238 PMCID: PMC5896897 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2017] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The ABCG2 multidrug transporter provides resistance against various endo- and xenobiotics, and protects the stem cells against toxins and stress conditions. We have shown earlier that a GFP-tagged version of ABCG2 is fully functional and may be used to follow the expression, localization and function of this transporter in living cells. In the present work we have overexpressed GFP-ABCG2, driven by a constitutive (CAG) promoter, in HUES9 human embryonic stem cells. Stem cell clones were generated to express the wild-type and a substrate-mutant (R482G) GFP-ABCG2 variant, by using the Sleeping Beauty transposon system. We found that the stable overexpression of these transgenes did not change the pluripotency and growth properties of the stem cells, nor their differentiation capacity to hepatocytes or cardiomyocytes. ABCG2 overexpression provided increased toxin resistance in the stem cells, and protected the derived cardiomyocytes against doxorubicin toxicity. These studies document the potential of a stable ABCG2 expression for engineering toxin-resistant human pluripotent stem cells and selected stem cell derived tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsuzsa Erdei
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Anita Schamberger
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - György Török
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Kornélia Szebényi
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - György Várady
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tamás I. Orbán
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - László Homolya
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Balázs Sarkadi
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
- Institute of Biophysics and Radiation Biology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ágota Apáti
- Institute of Enzymology, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
- * E-mail:
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Portier I, Vanhoorelbeke K, Verhenne S, Pareyn I, Vandeputte N, Deckmyn H, Goldenberg DS, Samal HB, Singh M, Ivics Z, Izsvák Z, De Meyer SF. High and long-term von Willebrand factor expression after Sleeping Beauty transposon-mediated gene therapy in a mouse model of severe von Willebrand disease. J Thromb Haemost 2018; 16:592-604. [PMID: 29288565 DOI: 10.1111/jth.13938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Essentials von Willebrand disease (VWD) is the most common inherited bleeding disorder. Gene therapy for VWD offers long-term therapy for VWD patients. Transposons efficiently integrate the large von Willebrand factor (VWF) cDNA in mice. Liver-directed transposons support sustained VWF expression with suboptimal multimerization. SUMMARY Background Type 3 von Willebrand disease (VWD) is characterized by complete absence of von Willebrand factor (VWF). Current therapy is limited to treatment with exogenous VWF/FVIII products, which only provide a short-term solution. Gene therapy offers the potential for a long-term treatment for VWD. Objectives To develop an integrative Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposon-mediated VWF gene transfer approach in a preclinical mouse model of severe VWD. Methods We established a robust platform for sustained transgene murine VWF (mVWF) expression in the liver of Vwf-/- mice by combining a liver-specific promoter with a sandwich transposon design and the SB100X transposase via hydrodynamic gene delivery. Results The sandwich SB transposon was suitable to deliver the full-length mVWF cDNA (8.4 kb) and supported supra-physiological expression that remained stable for up to 1.5 years after gene transfer. The sandwich vector stayed episomal (~60 weeks) or integrated in the host genome, respectively, in the absence or presence of the transposase. Transgene integration was confirmed using carbon tetrachloride-induced liver regeneration. Analysis of integration sites by high-throughput analysis revealed random integration of the sandwich vector. Although the SB vector supported long-term expression of supra-physiological VWF levels, the bleeding phenotype was not corrected in all mice. Long-term expression of VWF by hepatocytes resulted in relatively reduced amounts of high-molecular-weight multimers, potentially limiting its hemostatic efficacy. Conclusions Although this integrative platform for VWF gene transfer is an important milestone of VWD gene therapy, cell type-specific targeting is yet to be achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Portier
- Laboratory for Thrombosis Research, KU Leuven Campus Kulak Kortrijk, Kortrijk, Belgium
| | - K Vanhoorelbeke
- Laboratory for Thrombosis Research, KU Leuven Campus Kulak Kortrijk, Kortrijk, Belgium
| | - S Verhenne
- Laboratory for Thrombosis Research, KU Leuven Campus Kulak Kortrijk, Kortrijk, Belgium
| | - I Pareyn
- Laboratory for Thrombosis Research, KU Leuven Campus Kulak Kortrijk, Kortrijk, Belgium
| | - N Vandeputte
- Laboratory for Thrombosis Research, KU Leuven Campus Kulak Kortrijk, Kortrijk, Belgium
| | - H Deckmyn
- Laboratory for Thrombosis Research, KU Leuven Campus Kulak Kortrijk, Kortrijk, Belgium
| | - D S Goldenberg
- The Goldyne Savad Institute of Gene Therapy, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - H B Samal
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - M Singh
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - Z Ivics
- Division of Medical Biotechnology, Paul Ehrlich Institute, Langen, Germany
| | - Z Izsvák
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, Berlin, Germany
| | - S F De Meyer
- Laboratory for Thrombosis Research, KU Leuven Campus Kulak Kortrijk, Kortrijk, Belgium
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Holstein M, Mesa-Nuñez C, Miskey C, Almarza E, Poletti V, Schmeer M, Grueso E, Ordóñez Flores JC, Kobelt D, Walther W, Aneja MK, Geiger J, Bonig HB, Izsvák Z, Schleef M, Rudolph C, Mavilio F, Bueren JA, Guenechea G, Ivics Z. Efficient Non-viral Gene Delivery into Human Hematopoietic Stem Cells by Minicircle Sleeping Beauty Transposon Vectors. Mol Ther 2018; 26:1137-1153. [PMID: 29503198 PMCID: PMC6079369 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2018.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Revised: 01/08/2018] [Accepted: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposon system is a non-viral gene delivery platform that combines simplicity, inexpensive manufacture, and favorable safety features in the context of human applications. However, efficient correction of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) with non-viral vector systems, including SB, demands further refinement of gene delivery techniques. We set out to improve SB gene transfer into hard-to-transfect human CD34+ cells by vectorizing the SB system components in the form of minicircles that are devoid of plasmid backbone sequences and are, therefore, significantly reduced in size. As compared to conventional plasmids, delivery of the SB transposon system as minicircle DNA is ∼20 times more efficient, and it is associated with up to a 50% reduction in cellular toxicity in human CD34+ cells. Moreover, providing the SB transposase in the form of synthetic mRNA enabled us to further increase the efficacy and biosafety of stable gene delivery into hematopoietic progenitors ex vivo. Genome-wide insertion site profiling revealed a close-to-random distribution of SB transposon integrants, which is characteristically different from gammaretroviral and lentiviral integrations in HSPCs. Transplantation of gene-marked CD34+ cells in immunodeficient mice resulted in long-term engraftment and hematopoietic reconstitution, which was most efficient when the SB transposase was supplied as mRNA and nucleofected cells were maintained for 4–8 days in culture before transplantation. Collectively, implementation of minicircle and mRNA technologies allowed us to further refine the SB transposon system in the context of HSPC gene delivery to ultimately meet clinical demands of an efficient and safe non-viral gene therapy protocol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Holstein
- Transposition and Genome Engineering, Division of Medical Biotechnology, Paul Ehrlich Institute, Langen, Germany
| | - Cristina Mesa-Nuñez
- Division of Hematopoietic Innovative Therapies, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas Medioambientales y Tecnológicas and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIEMAT/CIBERER), Madrid, Spain; Advanced Therapies Unit, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Fundación Jiménez Díaz (IIS-FJD, UAM) Madrid, Spain
| | - Csaba Miskey
- Transposition and Genome Engineering, Division of Medical Biotechnology, Paul Ehrlich Institute, Langen, Germany
| | - Elena Almarza
- Division of Hematopoietic Innovative Therapies, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas Medioambientales y Tecnológicas and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIEMAT/CIBERER), Madrid, Spain; Advanced Therapies Unit, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Fundación Jiménez Díaz (IIS-FJD, UAM) Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Esther Grueso
- Transposition and Genome Engineering, Division of Medical Biotechnology, Paul Ehrlich Institute, Langen, Germany
| | - Juan Carlos Ordóñez Flores
- Transposition and Genome Engineering, Division of Medical Biotechnology, Paul Ehrlich Institute, Langen, Germany
| | - Dennis Kobelt
- Translational Oncology, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Walther
- Translational Oncology, Experimental and Clinical Research Center, Charité University Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | - Halvard B Bonig
- Department of Transfusion Medicine and Immunohematology, Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe Universität, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Zsuzsanna Izsvák
- Mobile DNA, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Carsten Rudolph
- ethris GmbH, Planegg, Germany; Department of Pediatrics, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany
| | - Fulvio Mavilio
- Genethon, Evry, France; Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Juan A Bueren
- Division of Hematopoietic Innovative Therapies, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas Medioambientales y Tecnológicas and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIEMAT/CIBERER), Madrid, Spain; Advanced Therapies Unit, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Fundación Jiménez Díaz (IIS-FJD, UAM) Madrid, Spain
| | - Guillermo Guenechea
- Division of Hematopoietic Innovative Therapies, Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas Medioambientales y Tecnológicas and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIEMAT/CIBERER), Madrid, Spain; Advanced Therapies Unit, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Fundación Jiménez Díaz (IIS-FJD, UAM) Madrid, Spain
| | - Zoltán Ivics
- Transposition and Genome Engineering, Division of Medical Biotechnology, Paul Ehrlich Institute, Langen, Germany.
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Abstract
DNA transposons are defined segments of DNA that are able to move from one genomic location to another. Movement is facilitated by one or more proteins, called the transposase, typically encoded by the mobile element itself. Here, we first provide an overview of the classification of such mobile elements in a variety of organisms. From a mechanistic perspective, we have focused on one particular group of DNA transposons that encode a transposase with a DD(E/D) catalytic domain that is topologically similar to RNase H. For these, a number of three-dimensional structures of transpososomes (transposase-nucleic acid complexes) are available, and we use these to describe the basics of their mechanisms. The DD(E/D) group, in addition to being the largest and most common among all DNA transposases, is the one whose members have been used for a wide variety of genomic applications. Therefore, a second focus of the article is to provide a nonexhaustive overview of transposon applications. Although several non-transposon-based approaches to site-directed genome modifications have emerged in the past decade, transposon-based applications are highly relevant when integration specificity is not sought. In fact, for many applications, the almost-perfect randomness and high frequency of integration make transposon-based approaches indispensable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alison B. Hickman
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Fred Dyda
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
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Enhanced CAR T-cell engineering using non-viral Sleeping Beauty transposition from minicircle vectors. Leukemia 2016; 31:186-194. [PMID: 27491640 DOI: 10.1038/leu.2016.180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 169] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2016] [Revised: 06/08/2016] [Accepted: 06/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapy with T cell modified with gamma-retroviral or lentiviral (LV) vectors to express a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) has shown remarkable efficacy in clinical trials. However, the potential for insertional mutagenesis and genotoxicity of viral vectors is a safety concern, and their cost and regulatory demands a roadblock for rapid and broad clinical translation. Here, we demonstrate that CAR T cells can be engineered through non-viral Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposition of CAR genes from minimalistic DNA vectors called minicircles (MCs). We analyzed genomic distribution of SB and LV integrations and show that a significantly higher proportion of MC-derived CAR transposons compared with LV integrants had occurred outside of highly expressed and cancer-related genes into genomic safe harbor loci that are not expected to cause mutagenesis or genotoxicity. CD19-CAR T cells engineered with our enhanced SB approach conferred potent reactivity in vitro and eradicated lymphoma in a xenograft model in vivo. Intriguingly, electroporation of SB MCs is substantially more effective and less toxic compared with conventional plasmids, and enables cost-effective rapid preparation of therapeutic CAR T-cell doses. This approach sets a new standard in advanced cellular and gene therapy and will accelerate and increase the availability of CAR T-cell therapy to treat hematologic malignancies.
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Voigt F, Wiedemann L, Zuliani C, Querques I, Sebe A, Mátés L, Izsvák Z, Ivics Z, Barabas O. Sleeping Beauty transposase structure allows rational design of hyperactive variants for genetic engineering. Nat Commun 2016; 7:11126. [PMID: 27025571 PMCID: PMC4820933 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2015] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Sleeping Beauty (SB) is a prominent Tc1/mariner superfamily DNA transposon that provides a popular genome engineering tool in a broad range of organisms. It is mobilized by a transposase enzyme that catalyses DNA cleavage and integration at short specific sequences at the transposon ends. To facilitate SB's applications, here we determine the crystal structure of the transposase catalytic domain and use it to model the SB transposase/transposon end/target DNA complex. Together with biochemical and cell-based transposition assays, our structure reveals mechanistic insights into SB transposition and rationalizes previous hyperactive transposase mutations. Moreover, our data enables us to design two additional hyperactive transposase variants. Our work provides a useful resource and proof-of-concept for structure-based engineering of tailored SB transposases. Sleeping Beauty is used as a genome engineering tool in a range of organisms. Here, the authors solve an atomic structure of Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposase and model the target DNA into the active site, elucidating details that may enable the rational design of novel transposases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franka Voigt
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Structural and Computational Biology Unit, Meyerhofstrasse 1, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
| | - Lisa Wiedemann
- Paul Ehrlich Institute, Division of Medical Biotechnology, Paul Ehrlich Strasse 51-59, Langen 63225, Germany
| | - Cecilia Zuliani
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Structural and Computational Biology Unit, Meyerhofstrasse 1, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
| | - Irma Querques
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Structural and Computational Biology Unit, Meyerhofstrasse 1, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
| | - Attila Sebe
- Paul Ehrlich Institute, Division of Medical Biotechnology, Paul Ehrlich Strasse 51-59, Langen 63225, Germany
| | - Lajos Mátés
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert Rössle Strasse 10, Berlin 13092, Germany
| | - Zsuzsanna Izsvák
- Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert Rössle Strasse 10, Berlin 13092, Germany
| | - Zoltán Ivics
- Paul Ehrlich Institute, Division of Medical Biotechnology, Paul Ehrlich Strasse 51-59, Langen 63225, Germany
| | - Orsolya Barabas
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Structural and Computational Biology Unit, Meyerhofstrasse 1, Heidelberg 69117, Germany
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Abstract
Sleeping Beauty (SB) is a synthetic transposon that was constructed based on sequences of transpositionally inactive elements isolated from fish genomes. SB is a Tc1/mariner superfamily transposon following a cut-and-paste transpositional reaction, during which the element-encoded transposase interacts with its binding sites in the terminal inverted repeats of the transposon, promotes the assembly of a synaptic complex, catalyzes excision of the element out of its donor site, and integrates the excised transposon into a new location in target DNA. SB transposition is dependent on cellular host factors. Transcriptional control of transposase expression is regulated by the HMG2L1 transcription factor. Synaptic complex assembly is promoted by the HMGB1 protein and regulated by chromatin structure. SB transposition is highly dependent on the nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ) pathway of double-strand DNA break repair that generates a transposon footprint at the excision site. Through its association with the Miz-1 transcription factor, the SB transposase downregulates cyclin D1 expression that results in a slowdown of the cell-cycle in the G1 phase, where NHEJ is preferentially active. Transposon integration occurs at TA dinucleotides in the target DNA, which are duplicated at the flanks of the integrated transposon. SB shows a random genome-wide insertion profile in mammalian cells when launched from episomal vectors and "local hopping" when launched from chromosomal donor sites. Some of the excised transposons undergo a self-destructive autointegration reaction, which can partially explain why longer elements transpose less efficiently. SB became an important molecular tool for transgenesis, insertional mutagenesis, and gene therapy.
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Escobar H, Schöwel V, Spuler S, Marg A, Izsvák Z. Full-length Dysferlin Transfer by the Hyperactive Sleeping Beauty Transposase Restores Dysferlin-deficient Muscle. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2016; 5:e277. [PMID: 26784637 PMCID: PMC5012550 DOI: 10.1038/mtna.2015.52] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2015] [Accepted: 11/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Dysferlin-deficient muscular dystrophy is a progressive disease characterized by muscle weakness and wasting for which there is no treatment. It is caused by mutations in DYSF, a large, multiexonic gene that forms a coding sequence of 6.2 kb. Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposon is a nonviral gene transfer vector, already used in clinical trials. The hyperactive SB system consists of a transposon DNA sequence and a transposase protein, SB100X, that can integrate DNA over 10 kb into the target genome. We constructed an SB transposon-based vector to deliver full-length human DYSF cDNA into dysferlin-deficient H2K A/J myoblasts. We demonstrate proper dysferlin expression as well as highly efficient engraftment (>1,100 donor-derived fibers) of the engineered myoblasts in the skeletal muscle of dysferlin- and immunodeficient B6.Cg-Dysf(prmd) Prkdc(scid)/J (Scid/BLA/J) mice. Nonviral gene delivery of full-length human dysferlin into muscle cells, along with a successful and efficient transplantation into skeletal muscle are important advances towards successful gene therapy of dysferlin-deficient muscular dystrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Escobar
- Mobile DNA, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine of the Helmholtz Society, Berlin, Germany
| | - Verena Schöwel
- Muscle Research Unit, Experimental and Clinical Research Center (ECRC), a joint cooperation between the Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Simone Spuler
- Muscle Research Unit, Experimental and Clinical Research Center (ECRC), a joint cooperation between the Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Marg
- Muscle Research Unit, Experimental and Clinical Research Center (ECRC), a joint cooperation between the Charité, Universitätsmedizin Berlin and the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Zsuzsanna Izsvák
- Mobile DNA, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine of the Helmholtz Society, Berlin, Germany
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11
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Abstract
Plasmid DNA is being used as a pharmaceutical agent in vaccination, as well as a basic substance and starting material in gene and cell therapy, and viral vector production. Since the uncontrolled expression of backbone sequences present in such plasmids and the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes may have profound detrimental effects, an important goal in vector development was to produce supercoiled DNA lacking bacterial backbone sequences: Minicircle (MC) DNA. The Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposon system is a non-viral gene delivery platform enabling a close-to-random profile of genomic integration. In combination, the MC platform greatly enhances SB transposition and transgene integration resulting in higher numbers of stably modified target cells. We have recently developed a strategy for MC-based SB transposition of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) transgenes that enable improved transposition rates compared to conventional plasmids and rapid manufacturing of therapeutic CAR T cell doses (Monjezi et al. 2016). This advance enables manufacturing CAR T cells in a virus-free process that relies on SB-mediated transposition from MC DNA to accomplish gene-transfer. Advantages of this approach include a strong safety profile due to the nature of the MC itself and the genomic insertion pattern of MC-derived CAR transposons. In addition, stable transposition and high-level CAR transgene expression, as well as easy and reproducible handling, make MCs a preferred vector source for gene-transfer in advanced cellular and gene therapy. In this chapter, we will review our experience in MC-based CAR T cell engineering and discuss our recent advances in MC manufacturing to accelerate both pre-clinical and clinical implementation.
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Skipper KA, Andersen PR, Sharma N, Mikkelsen JG. DNA transposon-based gene vehicles - scenes from an evolutionary drive. J Biomed Sci 2013; 20:92. [PMID: 24320156 PMCID: PMC3878927 DOI: 10.1186/1423-0127-20-92] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2013] [Accepted: 11/27/2013] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA transposons are primitive genetic elements which have colonized living organisms from plants to bacteria and mammals. Through evolution such parasitic elements have shaped their host genomes by replicating and relocating between chromosomal loci in processes catalyzed by the transposase proteins encoded by the elements themselves. DNA transposable elements are constantly adapting to life in the genome, and self-suppressive regulation as well as defensive host mechanisms may assist in buffering ‘cut-and-paste’ DNA mobilization until accumulating mutations will eventually restrict events of transposition. With the reconstructed Sleeping Beauty DNA transposon as a powerful engine, a growing list of transposable elements with activity in human cells have moved into biomedical experimentation and preclinical therapy as versatile vehicles for delivery and genomic insertion of transgenes. In this review, we aim to link the mechanisms that drive transposon evolution with the realities and potential challenges we are facing when adapting DNA transposons for gene transfer. We argue that DNA transposon-derived vectors may carry inherent, and potentially limiting, traits of their mother elements. By understanding in detail the evolutionary journey of transposons, from host colonization to element multiplication and inactivation, we may better exploit the potential of distinct transposable elements. Hence, parallel efforts to investigate and develop distinct, but potent, transposon-based vector systems will benefit the broad applications of gene transfer. Insight and clever optimization have shaped new DNA transposon vectors, which recently debuted in the first DNA transposon-based clinical trial. Learning from an evolutionary drive may help us create gene vehicles that are safer, more efficient, and less prone for suppression and inactivation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jacob Giehm Mikkelsen
- Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Wilh, Meyers Allé 4, DK-8000, Aarhus C, Denmark.
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Kaufmann KB, Büning H, Galy A, Schambach A, Grez M. Gene therapy on the move. EMBO Mol Med 2013; 5:1642-61. [PMID: 24106209 PMCID: PMC3840483 DOI: 10.1002/emmm.201202287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 193] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2013] [Revised: 08/13/2013] [Accepted: 08/19/2013] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The first gene therapy clinical trials were initiated more than two decades ago. In the early days, gene therapy shared the fate of many experimental medicine approaches and was impeded by the occurrence of severe side effects in a few treated patients. The understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms leading to treatment- and/or vector-associated setbacks has resulted in the development of highly sophisticated gene transfer tools with improved safety and therapeutic efficacy. Employing these advanced tools, a series of Phase I/II trials were started in the past few years with excellent clinical results and no side effects reported so far. Moreover, highly efficient gene targeting strategies and site-directed gene editing technologies have been developed and applied clinically. With more than 1900 clinical trials to date, gene therapy has moved from a vision to clinical reality. This review focuses on the application of gene therapy for the correction of inherited diseases, the limitations and drawbacks encountered in some of the early clinical trials and the revival of gene therapy as a powerful treatment option for the correction of monogenic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hildegard Büning
- Department I of Internal Medicine and Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of CologneCologne, Germany
| | | | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical SchoolHannover, Germany
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical SchoolBoston, MA, USA
| | - Manuel Grez
- Institute for Biomedical ResearchGeorg-Speyer-Haus, Frankfurt, Germany
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Current world literature. Curr Opin Pediatr 2012; 24:770-9. [PMID: 23146873 DOI: 10.1097/mop.0b013e32835af8de] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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