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Pavel-Dinu M, Gardner CL, Nakauchi Y, Kawai T, Delmonte OM, Palterer B, Bosticardo M, Pala F, Viel S, Malech HL, Ghanim HY, Bode NM, Kurgan GL, Detweiler AM, Vakulskas CA, Neff NF, Sheikali A, Menezes ST, Chrobok J, Hernández González EM, Majeti R, Notarangelo LD, Porteus MH. Genetically corrected RAG2-SCID human hematopoietic stem cells restore V(D)J-recombinase and rescue lymphoid deficiency. Blood Adv 2024; 8:1820-1833. [PMID: 38096800 PMCID: PMC11006817 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2023011766] [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: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/10/2024] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Recombination-activating genes (RAG1 and RAG2) are critical for lymphoid cell development and function by initiating the variable (V), diversity (D), and joining (J) (V(D)J)-recombination process to generate polyclonal lymphocytes with broad antigen specificity. The clinical manifestations of defective RAG1/2 genes range from immune dysregulation to severe combined immunodeficiencies (SCIDs), causing life-threatening infections and death early in life without hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). Despite improvements, haploidentical HCT without myeloablative conditioning carries a high risk of graft failure and incomplete immune reconstitution. The RAG complex is only expressed during the G0-G1 phase of the cell cycle in the early stages of T- and B-cell development, underscoring that a direct gene correction might capture the precise temporal expression of the endogenous gene. Here, we report a feasibility study using the CRISPR/Cas9-based "universal gene-correction" approach for the RAG2 locus in human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) from healthy donors and RAG2-SCID patient. V(D)J-recombinase activity was restored after gene correction of RAG2-SCID-derived HSPCs, resulting in the development of T-cell receptor (TCR) αβ and γδ CD3+ cells and single-positive CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes. TCR repertoire analysis indicated a normal distribution of CDR3 length and preserved usage of the distal TRAV genes. We confirmed the in vivo rescue of B-cell development with normal immunoglobulin M surface expression and a significant decrease in CD56bright natural killer cells. Together, we provide specificity, toxicity, and efficacy data supporting the development of a gene-correction therapy to benefit RAG2-deficient patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara Pavel-Dinu
- Division of Oncology, Hematology, Stem Cell Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Cameron L. Gardner
- Immune Deficiency Genetics Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Yusuke Nakauchi
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Cancer Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Tomoki Kawai
- Immune Deficiency Genetics Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Ottavia M. Delmonte
- Immune Deficiency Genetics Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Boaz Palterer
- Immune Deficiency Genetics Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Marita Bosticardo
- Immune Deficiency Genetics Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Francesca Pala
- Immune Deficiency Genetics Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Sebastien Viel
- Division of Oncology, Hematology, Stem Cell Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
- Service d’immunologie biologique, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Centre International de Recherche en Infectivologie, Centre International de Recheerche in Infectivalogie, INSERM U1111, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Centre National de la Recherge Scientifique, UMR5308, École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, University of Lyon, Lyon, France
| | - Harry L. Malech
- Genetic Immunotherapy Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Hana Y. Ghanim
- Division of Oncology, Hematology, Stem Cell Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Adam Sheikali
- Division of Oncology, Hematology, Stem Cell Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Sherah T. Menezes
- Division of Oncology, Hematology, Stem Cell Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Jade Chrobok
- Division of Oncology, Hematology, Stem Cell Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Elaine M. Hernández González
- Division of Oncology, Hematology, Stem Cell Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Ravindra Majeti
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Cancer Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Luigi D. Notarangelo
- Immune Deficiency Genetics Section, Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Matthew H. Porteus
- Division of Oncology, Hematology, Stem Cell Transplantation, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
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Naik AK, Dauphars DJ, Corbett E, Simpson L, Schatz DG, Krangel MS. RORγt up-regulates RAG gene expression in DP thymocytes to expand the Tcra repertoire. Sci Immunol 2024; 9:eadh5318. [PMID: 38489350 PMCID: PMC11005092 DOI: 10.1126/sciimmunol.adh5318] [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: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024]
Abstract
Recombination activating gene (RAG) expression increases as thymocytes transition from the CD4-CD8- double-negative (DN) to the CD4+CD8+ double-positive (DP) stage, but the physiological importance and mechanism of transcriptional up-regulation are unknown. Here, we show that a DP-specific component of the recombination activating genes antisilencer (DPASE) provokes elevated RAG expression in DP thymocytes. Mouse DP thymocytes lacking the DPASE display RAG expression equivalent to that in DN thymocytes, but this supports only a partial Tcra repertoire due to inefficient secondary Vα-Jα rearrangement. These data indicate that RAG up-regulation is required for a replete Tcra repertoire and that RAG expression is fine-tuned during lymphocyte development to meet the requirements of distinct antigen receptor loci. We further show that transcription factor RORγt directs RAG up-regulation in DP thymocytes by binding to the DPASE and that RORγt influences the Tcra repertoire by binding to the Tcra enhancer. These data, together with prior work showing RORγt to control Tcra rearrangement by regulating DP thymocyte proliferation and survival, reveal RORγt to orchestrate multiple pathways that support formation of the Tcra repertoire.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abani Kanta Naik
- Department of Integrative Immunobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Danielle J Dauphars
- Department of Integrative Immunobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Elizabeth Corbett
- Department of Immunobiology and Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Lunden Simpson
- Department of Integrative Immunobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - David G Schatz
- Department of Immunobiology and Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Michael S Krangel
- Department of Integrative Immunobiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
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3
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Castiello MC, Di Verniere M, Draghici E, Fontana E, Penna S, Sereni L, Zecchillo A, Minuta D, Uva P, Zahn M, Gil-Farina I, Annoni A, Iaia S, Ott de Bruin LM, Notarangelo LD, Pike-Overzet K, Staal FJT, Villa A, Capo V. Partial correction of immunodeficiency by lentiviral vector gene therapy in mouse models carrying Rag1 hypomorphic mutations. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1268620. [PMID: 38022635 PMCID: PMC10679457 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1268620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Recombination activating genes (RAG) 1 and 2 defects are the most frequent form of severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). Patients with residual RAG activity have a spectrum of clinical manifestations ranging from Omenn syndrome to delayed-onset combined immunodeficiency, often associated with granulomas and/or autoimmunity (CID-G/AI). Lentiviral vector (LV) gene therapy (GT) has been proposed as an alternative treatment to the standard hematopoietic stem cell transplant and a clinical trial for RAG1 SCID patients recently started. However, GT in patients with hypomorphic RAG mutations poses additional risks, because of the residual endogenous RAG1 expression and the general state of immune dysregulation and associated inflammation. Methods In this study, we assessed the efficacy of GT in 2 hypomorphic Rag1 murine models (Rag1F971L/F971L and Rag1R972Q/R972Q), exploiting the same LV used in the clinical trial encoding RAG1 under control of the MND promoter. Results and discussion Starting 6 weeks after transplant, GT-treated mice showed a decrease in proportion of myeloid cells and a concomitant increase of B, T and total white blood cells. However, counts remained lower than in mice transplanted with WT Lin- cells. At euthanasia, we observed a general redistribution of immune subsets in tissues, with the appearance of mature recirculating B cells in the bone marrow. In the thymus, we demonstrated correction of the block at double negative stage, with a modest improvement in the cortical/medullary ratio. Analysis of antigenspecific IgM and IgG serum levels after in vivo challenge showed an amelioration of antibody responses, suggesting that the partial immune correction could confer a clinical benefit. Notably, no overt signs of autoimmunity were detected, with B-cell activating factor decreasing to normal levels and autoantibodies remaining stable after GT. On the other hand, thymic enlargement was frequently observed, although not due to vector integration and insertional mutagenesis. In conclusion, our work shows that GT could partially alleviate the combined immunodeficiency of hypomorphic RAG1 patients and that extensive efficacy and safety studies with alternative models are required before commencing RAG gene therapy in thesehighly complex patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Carmina Castiello
- San Raffaele-Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Milan Unit, Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Milan, Italy
| | - Martina Di Verniere
- San Raffaele-Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Milan Unit, Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Draghici
- San Raffaele-Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Elena Fontana
- Milan Unit, Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Milan, Italy
- Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, IRCCS, Rozzano, Milan, Italy
| | - Sara Penna
- San Raffaele-Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Lucia Sereni
- San Raffaele-Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Alessandra Zecchillo
- San Raffaele-Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Milan Unit, Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Milan, Italy
| | - Denise Minuta
- San Raffaele-Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Uva
- Clinical Bioinformatics, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genoa, Italy
| | | | | | - Andrea Annoni
- San Raffaele-Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Iaia
- San Raffaele-Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Lisa M. Ott de Bruin
- Willem-Alexander Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation Program, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Luigi D. Notarangelo
- Laboratory of Clinical Immunology and Microbiology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Karin Pike-Overzet
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Frank J. T. Staal
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Anna Villa
- San Raffaele-Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Milan Unit, Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Capo
- San Raffaele-Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
- Milan Unit, Istituto di Ricerca Genetica e Biomedica, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Milan, Italy
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Allen D, Knop O, Itkowitz B, Kalter N, Rosenberg M, Iancu O, Beider K, Lee YN, Nagler A, Somech R, Hendel A. CRISPR-Cas9 engineering of the RAG2 locus via complete coding sequence replacement for therapeutic applications. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6771. [PMID: 37891182 PMCID: PMC10611791 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42036-5] [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: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
RAG2-SCID is a primary immunodeficiency caused by mutations in Recombination-activating gene 2 (RAG2), a gene intimately involved in the process of lymphocyte maturation and function. ex-vivo manipulation of a patient's own hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) using CRISPR-Cas9/rAAV6 gene editing could provide a therapeutic alternative to the only current treatment, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Here we show an innovative RAG2 correction strategy that replaces the entire endogenous coding sequence (CDS) for the purpose of preserving the critical endogenous spatiotemporal gene regulation and locus architecture. Expression of the corrective transgene leads to successful development into CD3+TCRαβ+ and CD3+TCRγδ+ T cells and promotes the establishment of highly diverse TRB and TRG repertoires in an in-vitro T-cell differentiation platform. Thus, our proof-of-concept study holds promise for safer gene therapy techniques of tightly regulated genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Allen
- Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Orli Knop
- Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Bryan Itkowitz
- Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Nechama Kalter
- Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Michael Rosenberg
- Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Ortal Iancu
- Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel
| | - Katia Beider
- The Division of Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Ramat Gan, 5266202, Israel
| | - Yu Nee Lee
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 6997801, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Pediatric Department A and the Immunology Service, Jeffrey Modell Foundation Center, Edmond and Lily Safra Children's Hospital, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, 5266202, Israel
| | - Arnon Nagler
- The Division of Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Ramat Gan, 5266202, Israel
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 6997801, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Raz Somech
- Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 6997801, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Pediatric Department A and the Immunology Service, Jeffrey Modell Foundation Center, Edmond and Lily Safra Children's Hospital, Sheba Medical Center, Ramat Gan, 5266202, Israel
| | - Ayal Hendel
- Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, 5290002, Israel.
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5
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Del Pozo-Yauner L, Herrera GA, Perez Carreon JI, Turbat-Herrera EA, Rodriguez-Alvarez FJ, Ruiz Zamora RA. Role of the mechanisms for antibody repertoire diversification in monoclonal light chain deposition disorders: when a friend becomes foe. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1203425. [PMID: 37520549 PMCID: PMC10374031 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1203425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The adaptive immune system of jawed vertebrates generates a highly diverse repertoire of antibodies to meet the antigenic challenges of a constantly evolving biological ecosystem. Most of the diversity is generated by two mechanisms: V(D)J gene recombination and somatic hypermutation (SHM). SHM introduces changes in the variable domain of antibodies, mostly in the regions that form the paratope, yielding antibodies with higher antigen binding affinity. However, antigen recognition is only possible if the antibody folds into a stable functional conformation. Therefore, a key force determining the survival of B cell clones undergoing somatic hypermutation is the ability of the mutated heavy and light chains to efficiently fold and assemble into a functional antibody. The antibody is the structural context where the selection of the somatic mutations occurs, and where both the heavy and light chains benefit from protective mechanisms that counteract the potentially deleterious impact of the changes. However, in patients with monoclonal gammopathies, the proliferating plasma cell clone may overproduce the light chain, which is then secreted into the bloodstream. This places the light chain out of the protective context provided by the quaternary structure of the antibody, increasing the risk of misfolding and aggregation due to destabilizing somatic mutations. Light chain-derived (AL) amyloidosis, light chain deposition disease (LCDD), Fanconi syndrome, and myeloma (cast) nephropathy are a diverse group of diseases derived from the pathologic aggregation of light chains, in which somatic mutations are recognized to play a role. In this review, we address the mechanisms by which somatic mutations promote the misfolding and pathological aggregation of the light chains, with an emphasis on AL amyloidosis. We also analyze the contribution of the variable domain (VL) gene segments and somatic mutations on light chain cytotoxicity, organ tropism, and structure of the AL fibrils. Finally, we analyze the most recent advances in the development of computational algorithms to predict the role of somatic mutations in the cardiotoxicity of amyloidogenic light chains and discuss the challenges and perspectives that this approach faces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Del Pozo-Yauner
- Department of Pathology, University of South Alabama-College of Medicine, Mobile, AL, United States
| | - Guillermo A. Herrera
- Department of Pathology, University of South Alabama-College of Medicine, Mobile, AL, United States
| | | | - Elba A. Turbat-Herrera
- Department of Pathology, University of South Alabama-College of Medicine, Mobile, AL, United States
- Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama-College of Medicine, Mobile, AL, United States
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Braams M, Pike-Overzet K, Staal FJT. The recombinase activating genes: architects of immune diversity during lymphocyte development. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1210818. [PMID: 37497222 PMCID: PMC10367010 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1210818] [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: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The mature lymphocyte population of a healthy individual has the remarkable ability to recognise an immense variety of antigens. Instead of encoding a unique gene for each potential antigen receptor, evolution has used gene rearrangements, also known as variable, diversity, and joining gene segment (V(D)J) recombination. This process is critical for lymphocyte development and relies on recombination-activating genes-1 (RAG1) and RAG2, here collectively referred to as RAG. RAG serves as powerful genome editing tools for lymphocytes and is strictly regulated to prevent dysregulation. However, in the case of dysregulation, RAG has been implicated in cases of cancer, autoimmunity and severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). This review examines functional protein domains and motifs of RAG, describes advances in our understanding of the function and (dys)regulation of RAG, discuss new therapeutic options, such as gene therapy, for RAG deficiencies, and explore in vitro and in vivo methods for determining RAG activity and target specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merijn Braams
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Karin Pike-Overzet
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Frank J. T. Staal
- Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, Netherlands
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Centre for Stem Cell Medicine (reNEW), Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, Netherlands
- Department of Paediatrics, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, Netherlands
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7
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Allen D, Kalter N, Rosenberg M, Hendel A. Homology-Directed-Repair-Based Genome Editing in HSPCs for the Treatment of Inborn Errors of Immunity and Blood Disorders. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15051329. [PMID: 37242571 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15051329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Genome engineering via targeted nucleases, specifically CRISPR-Cas9, has revolutionized the field of gene therapy research, providing a potential treatment for diseases of the blood and immune system. While numerous genome editing techniques have been used, CRISPR-Cas9 homology-directed repair (HDR)-mediated editing represents a promising method for the site-specific insertion of large transgenes for gene knock-in or gene correction. Alternative methods, such as lentiviral/gammaretroviral gene addition, gene knock-out via non-homologous end joining (NHEJ)-mediated editing, and base or prime editing, have shown great promise for clinical applications, yet all possess significant drawbacks when applied in the treatment of patients suffering from inborn errors of immunity or blood system disorders. This review aims to highlight the transformational benefits of HDR-mediated gene therapy and possible solutions for the existing problems holding the methodology back. Together, we aim to help bring HDR-based gene therapy in CD34+ hematopoietic stem progenitor cells (HSPCs) from the lab bench to the bedside.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Allen
- Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel
| | - Nechama Kalter
- Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel
| | - Michael Rosenberg
- Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel
| | - Ayal Hendel
- Institute of Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials, The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel
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8
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Pavel-Dinu M, Borna S, Bacchetta R. Rare immune diseases paving the road for genome editing-based precision medicine. Front Genome Ed 2023; 5:1114996. [PMID: 36846437 PMCID: PMC9945114 DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2023.1114996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) genome editing platform heralds a new era of gene therapy. Innovative treatments for life-threatening monogenic diseases of the blood and immune system are transitioning from semi-random gene addition to precise modification of defective genes. As these therapies enter first-in-human clinical trials, their long-term safety and efficacy will inform the future generation of genome editing-based medicine. Here we discuss the significance of Inborn Errors of Immunity as disease prototypes for establishing and advancing precision medicine. We will review the feasibility of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-based genome editing platforms to modify the DNA sequence of primary cells and describe two emerging genome editing approaches to treat RAG2 deficiency, a primary immunodeficiency, and FOXP3 deficiency, a primary immune regulatory disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara Pavel-Dinu
- Division of Hematology-Oncology-Stem Cell Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford Medical School, Palo Alto, CA, United States
| | - Simon Borna
- Division of Hematology-Oncology-Stem Cell Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford Medical School, Palo Alto, CA, United States
| | - Rosa Bacchetta
- Division of Hematology-Oncology-Stem Cell Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Stanford Medical School, Palo Alto, CA, United States,Center for Definitive and Curative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, United States,*Correspondence: Rosa Bacchetta,
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9
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Castiello MC, Brandas C, Capo V, Villa A. HyperIgE in hypomorphic recombination-activating gene defects. Curr Opin Immunol 2023; 80:102279. [PMID: 36529093 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2022.102279] [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: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Increased immunogloblulin-E (IgE) levels associated with eosinophilia represent a common finding observed in Omenn syndrome, a severe immunodeficiency caused by decreased V(D)J recombination, leading to restricted T- and B-cell receptor repertoire. V(D)J recombination is initiated by the lymphoid-restricted recombination-activating gene (RAG) recombinases. The lack of RAG proteins causes a block in lymphocyte differentiation, resulting in T-B- severe combined immunodeficiency. Conversely, hypomorphic mutations allow the generation of few T and B cells, leading to a spectrum of immunological phenotypes, in which immunodeficiency associates to inflammation, immune dysregulation, and autoimmunity. Elevated IgE levels are frequently observed in hypomorphic RAG patients. Here, we describe the role of RAG genes in lymphocyte differentiation and maintenance of immune tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Carmina Castiello
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research, Milan Unit, National Research Council, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Brandas
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; Translational and Molecular Medicine (DIMET), University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Valentina Capo
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research, Milan Unit, National Research Council, Milan, Italy
| | - Anna Villa
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy; Institute of Genetic and Biomedical Research, Milan Unit, National Research Council, Milan, Italy.
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Anderson MK, da Rocha JDB. Direct regulation of TCR rearrangement and expression by E proteins during early T cell development. WIREs Mech Dis 2022; 14:e1578. [PMID: 35848146 PMCID: PMC9669112 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1578] [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: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 05/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
γδ T cells are widely distributed throughout mucosal and epithelial cell-rich tissues and are an important early source of IL-17 in response to several pathogens. Like αβ T cells, γδ T cells undergo a stepwise process of development in the thymus that requires recombination of genome-encoded segments to assemble mature T cell receptor (TCR) genes. This process is tightly controlled on multiple levels to enable TCR segment assembly while preventing the genomic instability inherent in the double-stranded DNA breaks that occur during this process. Each TCR locus has unique aspects in its structure and requirements, with different types of regulation before and after the αβ/γδ T cell fate choice. It has been known that Runx and Myb are critical transcriptional regulators of TCRγ and TCRδ expression, but the roles of E proteins in TCRγ and TCRδ regulation have been less well explored. Multiple lines of evidence show that E proteins are involved in TCR expression at many different levels, including the regulation of Rag recombinase gene expression and protein stability, induction of germline V segment expression, chromatin remodeling, and restriction of the fetal and adult γδTCR repertoires. Importantly, E proteins interact directly with the cis-regulatory elements of the TCRγ and TCRδ loci, controlling the predisposition of a cell to become an αβ T cell or a γδ T cell, even before the lineage-dictating TCR signaling events. This article is categorized under: Immune System Diseases > Stem Cells and Development Immune System Diseases > Genetics/Genomics/Epigenetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele K Anderson
- Department Immunology, Sunnybrook Research Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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11
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Gupta A, Sasse SK, Berman R, Gruca MA, Dowell RD, Chu HW, Downey GP, Gerber AN. Integrated genomics approaches identify transcriptional mediators and epigenetic responses to Afghan desert particulate matter in small airway epithelial cells. Physiol Genomics 2022; 54:389-401. [PMID: 36062885 PMCID: PMC9550581 DOI: 10.1152/physiolgenomics.00063.2022] [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: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Military Deployment to Southwest Asia and Afghanistan and exposure to toxic airborne particulates have been associated with an increased risk of developing respiratory disease, collectively termed deployment-related respiratory diseases (DRRDs). Our knowledge about how particulates mediate respiratory disease is limited, precluding the appropriate recognition or management. Central to this limitation is the lack of understanding of how exposures translate into dysregulated cell identity with dysregulated transcriptional programs. The small airway epithelium is involved in both the pathobiology of DRRD and fine particulate matter deposition. To characterize small airway epithelial cell epigenetic and transcriptional responses to Afghan desert particulate matter (APM) and investigate the functional interactions of transcription factors that mediate these responses, we applied two genomics assays, the assay for transposase accessible chromatin with sequencing (ATAC-seq) and Precision Run-on sequencing (PRO-seq). We identified activity changes in a series of transcriptional pathways as candidate regulators of susceptibility to subsequent insults, including signal-dependent pathways, such as loss of cytochrome P450 or P53/P63, and lineage-determining transcription factors, such as GRHL2 loss or TEAD3 activation. We further demonstrated that TEAD3 activation was unique to APM exposure despite similar inflammatory responses when compared with wood smoke particle exposure and that P53/P63 program loss was uniquely positioned at the intersection of signal-dependent and lineage-determining transcriptional programs. Our results establish the utility of an integrated genomics approach in characterizing responses to exposures and identifying genomic targets for the advanced investigation of the pathogenesis of DRRD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnav Gupta
- Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado
| | - Sarah K Sasse
- Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado
| | - Reena Berman
- Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado
| | - Margaret A Gruca
- Biofrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Robin D Dowell
- Biofrontiers Institute, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Hong Wei Chu
- Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado
| | - Gregory P Downey
- Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado
| | - Anthony N Gerber
- Department of Medicine, National Jewish Health, Denver, Colorado
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12
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Miyazaki M, Miyazaki K. The E-Id Axis Specifies Adaptive and Innate Lymphoid Lineage Cell Fates. J Biochem 2022; 172:259-264. [PMID: 36000775 DOI: 10.1093/jb/mvac068] [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: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Our bodies are constantly threatened with the invasion of pathogens, such as bacteria and virus. Immune responses against pathogens are evoked in collaboration with adaptive and innate immune systems. Adaptive immune cells including T and B cells recognize various antigens from pathogens through the antigen recognition receptors such as Immunoglobulin (Ig) and T cell receptor (TCR), and they evoke antigen-specific immune responses to eliminate the pathogens. This specific recognition of a variety of antigens relies on the V(D)J DNA recombination of Ig and TCR genes, which is generated by the Rag (recombination activation gene) 1/Rag2 protein complex. The expression of Rag1/2 genes are stringently controlled during the T and B cell development; Rag1/2 gene expression indicates the commitment towards adaptive lymphocyte lineages. In this review article, we will discuss the developmental bifurcation between adaptive and innate lymphoid cells, and the role of transcription factors, especially the E and Id proteins, upon the lineage commitment, and the regulation of Rag gene locus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masaki Miyazaki
- Laboratory of Immunology, Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Kazuko Miyazaki
- Laboratory of Immunology, Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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13
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Anderson MK. Shifting gears: Id3 enables recruitment of E proteins to new targets during T cell development and differentiation. Front Immunol 2022; 13:956156. [PMID: 35983064 PMCID: PMC9378783 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.956156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Shifting levels of E proteins and Id factors are pivotal in T cell commitment and differentiation, both in the thymus and in the periphery. Id2 and Id3 are two different factors that prevent E proteins from binding to their target gene cis-regulatory sequences and inducing gene expression. Although they use the same mechanism to suppress E protein activity, Id2 and Id3 play very different roles in T cell development and CD4 T cell differentiation. Id2 imposes an irreversible choice in early T cell precursors between innate and adaptive lineages, which can be thought of as a railway switch that directs T cells down one path or another. By contrast, Id3 acts in a transient fashion downstream of extracellular signals such as T cell receptor (TCR) signaling. TCR-dependent Id3 upregulation results in the dislodging of E proteins from their target sites while chromatin remodeling occurs. After the cessation of Id3 expression, E proteins can reassemble in the context of a new genomic landscape and molecular context that allows induction of different E protein target genes. To describe this mode of action, we have developed the “Clutch” model of differentiation. In this model, Id3 upregulation in response to TCR signaling acts as a clutch that stops E protein activity (“clutch in”) long enough to allow shifting of the genomic landscape into a different “gear”, resulting in accessibility to different E protein target genes once Id3 decreases (“clutch out”) and E proteins can form new complexes on the DNA. While TCR signal strength and cytokine signaling play a role in both peripheral and thymic lineage decisions, the remodeling of chromatin and E protein target genes appears to be more heavily influenced by the cytokine milieu in the periphery, whereas the outcome of Id3 activity during T cell development in the thymus appears to depend more on the TCR signal strength. Thus, while the Clutch model applies to both CD4 T cell differentiation and T cell developmental transitions within the thymus, changes in chromatin accessibility are modulated by biased inputs in these different environments. New emerging technologies should enable a better understanding of the molecular events that happen during these transitions, and how they fit into the gene regulatory networks that drive T cell development and differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele K. Anderson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- *Correspondence: Michele K. Anderson,
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14
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Aubrey M, Warburg ZJ, Murre C. Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins in Adaptive Immune Development. Front Immunol 2022; 13:881656. [PMID: 35634342 PMCID: PMC9134016 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.881656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The E/ID protein axis is instrumental for defining the developmental progression and functions of hematopoietic cells. The E proteins are dimeric transcription factors that activate gene expression programs and coordinate changes in chromatin organization. Id proteins are antagonists of E protein activity. Relative levels of E/Id proteins are modulated throughout hematopoietic development to enable the progression of hematopoietic stem cells into multiple adaptive and innate immune lineages including natural killer cells, B cells and T cells. In early progenitors, the E proteins promote commitment to the T and B cell lineages by orchestrating lineage specific programs of gene expression and regulating VDJ recombination of antigen receptor loci. In mature B cells, the E/Id protein axis functions to promote class switch recombination and somatic hypermutation. E protein activity further regulates differentiation into distinct CD4+ and CD8+ T cells subsets and instructs mature T cell immune responses. In this review, we discuss how the E/Id proteins define the adaptive immune system lineages, focusing on their role in directing developmental gene programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Aubrey
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Molecular Biology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Zachary J Warburg
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Molecular Biology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Cornelis Murre
- Division of Biological Sciences, Section of Molecular Biology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
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15
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Hidaka R, Miyazaki K, Miyazaki M. The E-Id Axis Instructs Adaptive Versus Innate Lineage Cell Fate Choice and Instructs Regulatory T Cell Differentiation. Front Immunol 2022; 13:890056. [PMID: 35603170 PMCID: PMC9120639 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.890056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Immune responses are primarily mediated by adaptive and innate immune cells. Adaptive immune cells, such as T and B cells, evoke antigen-specific responses through the recognition of specific antigens. This antigen-specific recognition relies on the V(D)J recombination of immunoglobulin (Ig) and T cell receptor (TCR) genes mediated by recombination-activating gene (Rag)1 and Rag2 (Rag1/2). In addition, T and B cells employ cell type-specific developmental pathways during their activation processes, and the regulation of these processes is strictly regulated by the transcription factor network. Among these factors, members of the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor mammalian E protein family, including E12, E47, E2-2, and HEB, orchestrate multiple adaptive immune cell development, while their antagonists, Id proteins (Id1-4), function as negative regulators. It is well established that a majority of T and B cell developmental trajectories are regulated by the transcriptional balance between E and Id proteins (the E-Id axis). E2A is critically required not only for B cell but also for T cell lineage commitment, whereas Id2 and Id3 enforce the maintenance of naïve T cells and naïve regulatory T (Treg) cells. Here, we review the current knowledge of E- and Id-protein function in T cell lineage commitment and Treg cell differentiation.
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Yoshikawa G, Miyazaki K, Ogata H, Miyazaki M. The Evolution of Rag Gene Enhancers and Transcription Factor E and Id Proteins in the Adaptive Immune System. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22115888. [PMID: 34072618 PMCID: PMC8199221 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22115888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Adaptive immunity relies on the V(D)J DNA recombination of immunoglobulin (Ig) and T cell receptor (TCR) genes, which enables the recognition of highly diverse antigens and the elicitation of antigen-specific immune responses. This process is mediated by recombination-activating gene (Rag) 1 and Rag2 (Rag1/2), whose expression is strictly controlled in a cell type-specific manner; the expression of Rag1/2 genes represents a hallmark of lymphoid lineage commitment. Although Rag genes are known to be evolutionally conserved among jawed vertebrates, how Rag genes are regulated by lineage-specific transcription factors (TFs) and how their regulatory system evolved among vertebrates have not been fully elucidated. Here, we reviewed the current body of knowledge concerning the cis-regulatory elements (CREs) of Rag genes and the evolution of the basic helix-loop-helix TF E protein regulating Rag gene CREs, as well as the evolution of the antagonist of this protein, the Id protein. This may help to understand how the adaptive immune system develops along with the evolution of responsible TFs and enhancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genki Yoshikawa
- Bioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji 611-0011, Japan;
| | - Kazuko Miyazaki
- Laboratory of Immunology, Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan;
| | - Hiroyuki Ogata
- Bioinformatics Center, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji 611-0011, Japan;
- Correspondence: (H.O.); (M.M.)
| | - Masaki Miyazaki
- Laboratory of Immunology, Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan;
- Correspondence: (H.O.); (M.M.)
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