1
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Comoli P, Pentheroudakis G, Ruggeri A, Koehl U, Lordick F, Mooyaart JE, Hoogenboom JD, Urbano-Ispizua A, Peters S, Kuball J, Kröger N, Sureda A, Chabannon C, Haanen J, Pedrazzoli P. Current strategies of cell and gene therapy for solid tumors: results of the joint international ESMO and CTIWP-EBMT survey. Ann Oncol 2024; 35:404-406. [PMID: 38145867 DOI: 10.1016/j.annonc.2023.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- P Comoli
- Cell Factory and Pediatric Hematology Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | | | - A Ruggeri
- Pediatric Hematology and BMT Unit, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - U Koehl
- Institute of Clinical Immunology and Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig
| | - F Lordick
- Medical Oncology, Universitätsklinikum Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | | | - A Urbano-Ispizua
- Hematology Department, Clinic University Hospital, Barcellona, Spain
| | - S Peters
- Multidisciplinary Oncology Center, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - J Kuball
- Department of Hematology and Center for Translational Immunology, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - N Kröger
- University Medical Center Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - A Sureda
- Institut Català d'Oncologia-Hospital Duran i Reynals, Barcelona, Spain
| | - C Chabannon
- Centre de Thérapie Cellulaire & Centre d'Investigations Cliniques en Biothérapies Inserm CBT-1409, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Marseille, Cedex, France
| | - J Haanen
- Medical Oncology, Netherlands Cancer Institute/Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - P Pedrazzoli
- Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Dept of Internal Medicine and Medical Therapy, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
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2
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Suerth JD, Morgan MA, Kloess S, Heckl D, Neudörfl C, Falk CS, Koehl U, Schambach A. Correction to: Efficient generation of gene-modified human natural killer cells via alpharetroviral vectors. J Mol Med (Berl) 2024; 102:143-145. [PMID: 38057608 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-023-02404-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Julia D Suerth
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625, Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael A Morgan
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625, Hannover, Germany
| | - Stephan Kloess
- Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, IFB-Tx, 30625, Hannover, Germany
| | - Dirk Heckl
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625, Hannover, Germany
| | - Christine Neudörfl
- Institute of Transplant Immunology, Hannover Medical School, IFB-Tx, 30625, Hannover, Germany
| | - Christine S Falk
- Institute of Transplant Immunology, Hannover Medical School, IFB-Tx, 30625, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, IFB-Tx, 30625, Hannover, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625, Hannover, Germany.
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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Kitte R, Rabel M, Geczy R, Park S, Fricke S, Koehl U, Tretbar US. Lipid nanoparticles outperform electroporation in mRNA-based CAR T cell engineering. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2023; 31:101139. [PMID: 38027056 PMCID: PMC10663670 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2023.101139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Engineered T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) have been proven as efficacious therapies against selected hematological malignancies. However, the approved CAR T cell therapeutics strictly rely on viral transduction, a time- and cost-intensive procedure with possible safety issues. Therefore, the direct transfer of in vitro transcribed CAR-mRNA into T cells is pursued as a promising strategy for CAR T cell engineering. Electroporation (EP) is currently used as mRNA delivery method for the generation of CAR T cells in clinical trials but achieving only poor anti-tumor responses. Here, lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) were examined for ex vivo CAR-mRNA delivery and compared with EP. LNP-CAR T cells showed a significantly prolonged efficacy in vitro in comparison with EP-CAR T cells as a result of extended CAR-mRNA persistence and CAR expression, attributed to a different delivery mechanism with less cytotoxicity and slower CAR T cell proliferation. Moreover, CAR expression and in vitro functionality of mRNA-LNP-derived CAR T cells were comparable to stably transduced CAR T cells but were less exhausted. These results show that LNPs outperform EP and underline the great potential of mRNA-LNP delivery for ex vivo CAR T cell modification as next-generation transient approach for clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reni Kitte
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Perlickstr. 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Martin Rabel
- Precision NanoSystems (now Part of Cytiva), 50 - 655 W Kent Avenue N, Vancouver, BC V6P6T7, Canada
| | - Reka Geczy
- Precision NanoSystems (now Part of Cytiva), 50 - 655 W Kent Avenue N, Vancouver, BC V6P6T7, Canada
| | - Stella Park
- Precision NanoSystems (now Part of Cytiva), 50 - 655 W Kent Avenue N, Vancouver, BC V6P6T7, Canada
| | - Stephan Fricke
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Perlickstr. 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Immune-Mediated Diseases CIMD, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Perlickstr. 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Immune-Mediated Diseases CIMD, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute for Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Johannisallee 30, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - U. Sandy Tretbar
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Perlickstr. 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Immune-Mediated Diseases CIMD, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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4
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Ammar D, Schapitz I, Luu M, Hudecek M, Meyer M, Taps T, Schröder B, Ivics Z, Sanges C, Franz P, Koehl U, Negre H, Johanna I, Awigena-Cook J. Accelerating development of engineered T cell therapies in the EU: current regulatory framework for studying multiple product versions and T2EVOLVE recommendations. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1280826. [PMID: 38077331 PMCID: PMC10704912 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1280826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
To accelerate the development of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) for patients suffering from life-threatening cancer with limited therapeutic options, regulatory approaches need to be constantly reviewed, evaluated and adjusted, as necessary. This includes utilizing science and risk-based approaches to mitigate and balance potential risks associated with early clinical research and a more flexible manufacturing paradigm. In this paper, T2EVOLVE an Innovative Medicine Initiative (IMI) consortium explores opportunities to expedite the development of CAR and TCR engineered T cell therapies in the EU by leveraging tools within the existing EU regulatory framework to facilitate an iterative and adaptive learning approach across different product versions with similar design elements or based on the same platform technology. As understanding of the linkage between product quality attributes, manufacturing processes, clinical efficacy and safety evolves through development and post licensure, opportunities are emerging to streamline regulatory submissions, optimize clinical studies and extrapolate data across product versions reducing the need to perform duplicative studies. It is worth noting that this paper is focusing on CAR- and TCR-engineered T cell therapies but the concepts may be applied more broadly to engineered cell therapy products (e.g., CAR NK cell therapy products).
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Affiliation(s)
- Delphine Ammar
- Regulatory Affairs, Astellas Pharma B.V., Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Inga Schapitz
- Regulatory Affairs, Bayer Vital GmbH, Leverkusen, Germany
| | - Maik Luu
- Lehrstuhl für Zelluläre Immuntherapie, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Michael Hudecek
- Lehrstuhl für Zelluläre Immuntherapie, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Miriam Meyer
- Regulatory Affairs, Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Timmothy Taps
- Regulatory Affairs, Century Therapeutics Inc., Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Bernd Schröder
- Regulatory Affairs, Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
| | - Zoltán Ivics
- Research/Division of Hematology, Gene and Cell Therapy, Paul Ehrlich Institute, Langen, Germany
| | - Carmen Sanges
- Lehrstuhl für Zelluläre Immuntherapie, Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik II, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Paul Franz
- Department of Cell and Gene Therapy Development, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Department of Cell and Gene Therapy Development, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Helene Negre
- Institut de Recherches Internationales Servier, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Inez Johanna
- Department of Hematology and Innovation Center for Advanced Therapy (ICAT), Universitair Medisch Centrum (UMC) Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
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5
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Blache U, Tretbar S, Koehl U, Mougiakakos D, Fricke S. CAR T cells for treating autoimmune diseases. RMD Open 2023; 9:e002907. [PMID: 37996128 PMCID: PMC10668249 DOI: 10.1136/rmdopen-2022-002907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Autoimmune disorders occur when immune cells go wrong and attack the body's own tissues. Currently, autoimmune disorders are largely treated by broad immunosuppressive agents and blocking antibodies, which can manage the diseases but often are not curative. Thus, there is an urgent need for advanced therapies for patients suffering from severe and refractory autoimmune diseases, and researchers have considered cell therapy as potentially curative approach for several decades. In the wake of its success in cancer therapy, adoptive transfer of engineered T cells modified with chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) for target recognition could now become a therapeutic option for some autoimmune diseases. Here, we review the ongoing developments with CAR T cells in the field of autoimmune disorders. We will cover first clinical results of applying anti-CD19 and anti-B cell maturation antigen CAR T cells for B cell elimination in systemic lupus erythematosus, refractory antisynthetase syndrome and myasthenia gravis, respectively. Furthermore, in preclinical models, researchers have also developed chimeric autoantibody receptor T cells that can eliminate individual B cell clones producing specific autoantibodies, and regulatory CAR T cells that do not eliminate autoreactive immune cells but dampen their wrong activation. Finally, we will address safety and manufacturing aspects for CAR T cells and discuss mRNA technologies and automation concepts for ensuring the future availability of safe and efficient CAR T cell products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Blache
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI, Leipzig, Germany
- Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence for Immune-Mediated Disease, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sandy Tretbar
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI, Leipzig, Germany
- Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence for Immune-Mediated Disease, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI, Leipzig, Germany
- Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence for Immune-Mediated Disease, Leipzig, Germany
- University of Leipzig Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Stephan Fricke
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI, Leipzig, Germany
- Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence for Immune-Mediated Disease, Leipzig, Germany
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6
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Ciulean IS, Fischer J, Quaiser A, Bach C, Abken H, Tretbar US, Fricke S, Koehl U, Schmiedel D, Grunwald T. CD44v6 specific CAR-NK cells for targeted immunotherapy of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1290488. [PMID: 38022580 PMCID: PMC10667728 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1290488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a major challenge for current therapies. CAR-T cells have shown promising results in blood cancers, however, their effectiveness against solid tumors remains a hurdle. Recently, CD44v6-directed CAR-T cells demonstrated efficacy in controlling tumor growth in multiple myeloma and solid tumors such as HNSCC, lung and ovarian adenocarcinomas. Apart from CAR-T cells, CAR-NK cells offer a safe and allogenic alternative to autologous CAR-T cell therapy. In this paper, we investigated the capacity of CAR-NK cells redirected against CD44v6 to execute cytotoxicity against HNSCC. Anti-CD44v6 CAR-NK cells were generated from healthy donor peripheral blood-derived NK cells using gamma retroviral vectors (gRVs). The NK cell transduction was optimized by exploring virus envelope proteins derived from the baboon endogenous virus envelope (BaEV), feline leukemia virus (FeLV, termed RD114-TR) and gibbon ape leukemia virus (GaLV), respectively. BaEV pseudotyped gRVs induced the highest transduction rate compared to RD114-TR and GaLV envelopes as measured by EGFP and surface CAR expression of transduced NK cells. CAR-NK cells showed a two- to threefold increase in killing efficacy against various HNSCC cell lines compared to unmodified, cytokine-expanded primary NK cells. Anti-CD44v6 CAR-NK cells were effective in eliminating tumor cell lines with high and low CD44v6 expression levels. Overall, the improved cytotoxicity of CAR-NK cells holds promise for a therapeutic option for the treatment of HNSCC. However, further preclinical trials are necessary to test in vivo efficacy and safety, as well to optimize the treatment regimen of anti-CD44v6 CAR-NK cells against solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioana Sonya Ciulean
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Joe Fischer
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Andrea Quaiser
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christoph Bach
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hinrich Abken
- Leibniz Institute for Immunotherapy, Division of Genetic Immunotherapy, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Uta Sandy Tretbar
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stephan Fricke
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
- Institute for Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Dominik Schmiedel
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
- Institute for Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Thomas Grunwald
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
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7
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von Auw N, Serfling R, Kitte R, Hilger N, Zhang C, Gebhardt C, Duenkel A, Franz P, Koehl U, Fricke S, Tretbar US. Comparison of two lab-scale protocols for enhanced mRNA-based CAR-T cell generation and functionality. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18160. [PMID: 37875523 PMCID: PMC10598065 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45197-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Process development for transferring lab-scale research workflows to automated manufacturing procedures is critical for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapies. Therefore, the key factor for cell viability, expansion, modification, and functionality is the optimal combination of medium and T cell activator as well as their regulatory compliance for later manufacturing under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP). In this study, we compared two protocols for CAR-mRNA-modified T cell generation using our current lab-scale process, analyzed all mentioned parameters, and evaluated the protocols' potential for upscaling and process development of mRNA-based CAR-T cell therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine von Auw
- Department for Cell and Gene Therapy Development, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Perlickstr. 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Robert Serfling
- Department for Cell and Gene Therapy Development, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Perlickstr. 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Reni Kitte
- Department for Cell and Gene Therapy Development, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Perlickstr. 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nadja Hilger
- Department for Cell and Gene Therapy Development, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Perlickstr. 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Clara Gebhardt
- Department for Cell and Gene Therapy Development, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Perlickstr. 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anna Duenkel
- Department for Cell and Gene Therapy Development, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Perlickstr. 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Paul Franz
- Department for Cell and Gene Therapy Development, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Perlickstr. 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Immune-Mediated Diseases CIMD, Leipzig, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Perlickstr. 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- Medical Faculty, Institute for Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Johannisallee 30, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stephan Fricke
- Department for Cell and Gene Therapy Development, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Perlickstr. 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Immune-Mediated Diseases CIMD, Leipzig, Germany
| | - U Sandy Tretbar
- Department for Cell and Gene Therapy Development, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Perlickstr. 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
- Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Immune-Mediated Diseases CIMD, Leipzig, Germany.
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8
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Nowak J, Bentele M, Kutle I, Zimmermann K, Lühmann JL, Steinemann D, Kloess S, Koehl U, Roßberg W, Ahmed A, Schaudien D, Neubert L, Kamp JC, Kuehnel MP, Warnecke A, Schambach A, Morgan M. CAR-NK Cells Targeting HER1 (EGFR) Show Efficient Anti-Tumor Activity against Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC). Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3169. [PMID: 37370779 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15123169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: HNSCC is a highly heterogeneous and relapse-prone form of cancer. We aimed to expand the immunological tool kit against HNSCC by conducting a functional screen to generate chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-NK-92 cells that target HER1/epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). (2) Methods: Selected CAR-NK-92 cell candidates were tested for enhanced reduction of target cells, CD107a expression and IFNγ secretion in different co-culture models. For representative HNSCC models, patient-derived primary HNSCC (pHNSCC) cell lines were generated by employing an EpCAM-sorting approach to eliminate the high percentage of non-malignant cells found. (3) Results: 2D and 3D spheroid co-culture experiments showed that anti-HER1 CAR-NK-92 cells effectively eliminated SCC cell lines and primary HNSCC (pHNSCC) cells. Co-culture of tumor models with anti-HER1 CAR-NK-92 cells led to enhanced degranulation and IFNγ secretion of NK-92 cells and apoptosis of target cells. Furthermore, remaining pHNSCC cells showed upregulated expression of putative cancer stem cell marker CD44v6. (4) Conclusions: These results highlight the promising potential of CAR-NK cell therapy in HNSCC and the likely necessity to target multiple tumor-associated antigens to reduce currently high relapse rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliette Nowak
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Marco Bentele
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Ivana Kutle
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Katharina Zimmermann
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Doris Steinemann
- Department of Human Genetics, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Stephan Kloess
- Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, University Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, IZI, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Willi Roßberg
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Amed Ahmed
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Dirk Schaudien
- Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine, ITEM, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Lavinia Neubert
- Institute of Pathology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Jan-Christopher Kamp
- Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Mark P Kuehnel
- Institute of Pathology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH), German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Athanasia Warnecke
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Michael Morgan
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
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9
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Schmidt JR, Haupt J, Riemschneider S, Kämpf C, Löffler D, Blumert C, Reiche K, Koehl U, Kalkhof S, Lehmann J. Transcriptomic signatures reveal a shift towards an anti-inflammatory gene expression profile but also the induction of type I and type II interferon signaling networks through aryl hydrocarbon receptor activation in murine macrophages. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1156493. [PMID: 37287978 PMCID: PMC10242070 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1156493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that regulates a broad range of target genes involved in the xenobiotic response, cell cycle control and circadian rhythm. AhR is constitutively expressed in macrophages (Mϕ), acting as key regulator of cytokine production. While proinflammatory cytokines, i.e., IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, are suppressed through AhR activation, anti-inflammatory IL-10 is induced. However, the underlying mechanisms of those effects and the importance of the specific ligand structure are not yet completely understood. Methods Therefore, we have compared the global gene expression pattern in activated murine bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) subsequently to exposure with either benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) or indole-3-carbinol (I3C), representing high-affinity vs. low-affinity AhR ligands, respectively, by means of mRNA sequencing. AhR dependency of observed effects was proved using BMMs from AhR-knockout (Ahr-/-) mice. Results and discussion In total, more than 1,000 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) could be mapped, covering a plethora of AhR-modulated effects on basal cellular processes, i.e., transcription and translation, but also immune functions, i.e., antigen presentation, cytokine production, and phagocytosis. Among DEGs were genes that are already known to be regulated by AhR, i.e., Irf1, Ido2, and Cd84. However, we identified DEGs not yet described to be AhR-regulated in Mϕ so far, i.e., Slpi, Il12rb1, and Il21r. All six genes likely contribute to shifting the Mϕ phenotype from proinflammatory to anti-inflammatory. The majority of DEGs induced through BaP were not affected through I3C exposure, probably due to higher AhR affinity of BaP in comparison to I3C. Mapping of known aryl hydrocarbon response element (AHRE) sequence motifs in identified DEGs revealed more than 200 genes not possessing any AHRE, and therefore being not eligible for canonical regulation. Bioinformatic approaches modeled a central role of type I and type II interferons in the regulation of those genes. Additionally, RT-qPCR and ELISA confirmed a AhR-dependent expressional induction and AhR-dependent secretion of IFN-γ in response to BaP exposure, suggesting an auto- or paracrine activation pathway of Mϕ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes R. Schmidt
- Department of Preclinical Development and Validation, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
- Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Immune-Mediated Diseases (CIMD), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Janine Haupt
- Department of Preclinical Development and Validation, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
- Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Immune-Mediated Diseases (CIMD), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sina Riemschneider
- Department of Preclinical Development and Validation, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christoph Kämpf
- Department of Diagnostics, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Dennis Löffler
- Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Immune-Mediated Diseases (CIMD), Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Diagnostics, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Conny Blumert
- Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Immune-Mediated Diseases (CIMD), Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Diagnostics, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kristin Reiche
- Department of Diagnostics, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute for Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Immune-Mediated Diseases (CIMD), Leipzig, Germany
- Institute for Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stefan Kalkhof
- Department of Preclinical Development and Validation, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
- Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Immune-Mediated Diseases (CIMD), Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Applied Sciences, Institute for Bioanalysis, Coburg University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Coburg, Germany
| | - Jörg Lehmann
- Department of Preclinical Development and Validation, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
- Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Immune-Mediated Diseases (CIMD), Leipzig, Germany
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10
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Glatte B, Wenk K, Grahnert A, Friedrich M, Merz M, Vucinic V, Fischer L, Reiche K, Alb M, Hudecek M, Franz P, Fricke S, Platzbecker U, Koehl U, Sack U, Boldt A, Hauschildt S, Weiss R. Teclistamab impairs detection of BCMA CAR-T cells. Blood Adv 2023:495265. [PMID: 37026812 PMCID: PMC10393749 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2023009714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Maximilian Merz
- University Hospital Leipzig, Department of Hematology and Cell Therapy, Germany
| | - Vladan Vucinic
- University Hospital Leipzig, Department of Hematology and Cell Therapy, Germany
| | - Luise Fischer
- University Hospital Leipzig, Department of Hematology and Cell Therapy, Germany
| | - Kristin Reiche
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Miriam Alb
- University Hospital Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | | | | | - Stephan Fricke
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany, Leipzig, Sa, Germany
| | - Uwe Platzbecker
- University Hospital Leipzig, Department of Hematology and Cell Therapy, Leipzig, Germany
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11
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Loeffler-Wirth H, Rade M, Arakelyan A, Kreuz M, Loeffler M, Koehl U, Reiche K, Binder H. Transcriptional states of CAR-T infusion relate to neurotoxicity – lessons from high-resolution single-cell SOM expression portraying. Front Immunol 2022; 13:994885. [PMID: 36248848 PMCID: PMC9558919 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.994885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Anti-CD19 CAR-T cell immunotherapy is a hopeful treatment option for patients with B cell lymphomas, however it copes with partly severe adverse effects like neurotoxicity. Single-cell resolved molecular data sets in combination with clinical parametrization allow for comprehensive characterization of cellular subpopulations, their transcriptomic states, and their relation to the adverse effects. We here present a re-analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing data of 24 patients comprising more than 130,000 cells with focus on cellular states and their association to immune cell related neurotoxicity. For this, we developed a single-cell data portraying workflow to disentangle the transcriptional state space with single-cell resolution and its analysis in terms of modularly-composed cellular programs. We demonstrated capabilities of single-cell data portraying to disentangle transcriptional states using intuitive visualization, functional mining, molecular cell stratification, and variability analyses. Our analysis revealed that the T cell composition of the patient’s infusion product as well as the spectrum of their transcriptional states of cells derived from patients with low ICANS grade do not markedly differ from those of cells from high ICANS patients, while the relative abundancies, particularly that of cycling cells, of LAG3-mediated exhaustion and of CAR positive cells, vary. Our study provides molecular details of the transcriptomic landscape with possible impact to overcome neurotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry Loeffler-Wirth
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics (IZBI), Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- *Correspondence: Henry Loeffler-Wirth,
| | - Michael Rade
- Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Diagnostics, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Arsen Arakelyan
- Armenian Bioinformatics Institute (ABI), Yerevan, Armenia
- Research Group of Bioinformatics, Institute of Molecular Biology of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Armenia, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Markus Kreuz
- Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Diagnostics, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Markus Loeffler
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics (IZBI), Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Diagnostics, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kristin Reiche
- Bioinformatics Unit, Department of Diagnostics, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hans Binder
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics (IZBI), Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
- Armenian Bioinformatics Institute (ABI), Yerevan, Armenia
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12
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Blache U, Popp G, Dünkel A, Koehl U, Fricke S. Potential solutions for manufacture of CAR T cells in cancer immunotherapy. Nat Commun 2022; 13:5225. [PMID: 36064867 PMCID: PMC9445013 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32866-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Blache
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany. .,Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence for Immune-Mediated Disease, Frankfurt, Germany.
| | - Georg Popp
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anna Dünkel
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany.,Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence for Immune-Mediated Disease, Frankfurt, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stephan Fricke
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany.,Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence for Immune-Mediated Disease, Frankfurt, Germany
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13
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Seliger B, Koehl U. Underlying mechanisms of evasion from NK cells as rational for improvement of NK cell-based immunotherapies. Front Immunol 2022; 13:910595. [PMID: 36045670 PMCID: PMC9422402 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.910595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells belong to the family of innate immune cells with the capacity to recognize and kill tumor cells. Different phenotypes and functional properties of NK cells have been described in tumor patients, which could be shaped by the tumor microenvironment. The discovery of HLA class I-specific inhibitory receptors controlling NK cell activity paved the way to the fundamental concept of modulating immune responses that are regulated by an array of inhibitory receptors, and emphasized the importance to explore the potential of NK cells in cancer therapy. Although a whole range of NK cell-based approaches are currently being developed, there are still major challenges that need to be overcome for improved efficacy of these therapies. These include escape of tumor cells from NK cell recognition due to their expression of inhibitory molecules, immune suppressive signals of NK cells, reduced NK cell infiltration of tumors, an immune suppressive micromilieu and limited in vivo persistence of NK cells. Therefore, this review provides an overview about the NK cell biology, alterations of NK cell activities, changes in tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment contributing to immune escape or immune surveillance by NK cells and their underlying molecular mechanisms as well as the current status and novel aspects of NK cell-based therapeutic strategies including their genetic engineering and their combination with conventional treatment options to overcome tumor-mediated evasion strategies and improve therapy efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Seliger
- Institute of Medical Immunology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
- *Correspondence: Barbara Seliger,
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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14
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Wagner DL, Koehl U, Chmielewski M, Scheid C, Stripecke R. Review: Sustainable Clinical Development of CAR-T Cells – Switching From Viral Transduction Towards CRISPR-Cas Gene Editing. Front Immunol 2022; 13:865424. [PMID: 35784280 PMCID: PMC9248912 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.865424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
T cells modified for expression of Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CARs) were the first gene-modified cell products approved for use in cancer immunotherapy. CAR-T cells engineered with gammaretroviral or lentiviral vectors (RVs/LVs) targeting B-cell lymphomas and leukemias have shown excellent clinical efficacy and no malignant transformation due to insertional mutagenesis to date. Large-scale production of RVs/LVs under good-manufacturing practices for CAR-T cell manufacturing has soared in recent years. However, manufacturing of RVs/LVs remains complex and costly, representing a logistical bottleneck for CAR-T cell production. Emerging gene-editing technologies are fostering a new paradigm in synthetic biology for the engineering and production of CAR-T cells. Firstly, the generation of the modular reagents utilized for gene editing with the CRISPR-Cas systems can be scaled-up with high precision under good manufacturing practices, are interchangeable and can be more sustainable in the long-run through the lower material costs. Secondly, gene editing exploits the precise insertion of CARs into defined genomic loci and allows combinatorial gene knock-ins and knock-outs with exciting and dynamic perspectives for T cell engineering to improve their therapeutic efficacy. Thirdly, allogeneic edited CAR-effector cells could eventually become available as “off-the-shelf” products. This review addresses important points to consider regarding the status quo, pending needs and perspectives for the forthright evolution from the viral towards gene editing developments for CAR-T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios L. Wagner
- Berlin Center for Advanced Therapies (BeCAT), Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- BIH-Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Berlin Institute of Health (BIH) at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI) as well as Institute of Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Markus Chmielewski
- Clinic I for Internal Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Christoph Scheid
- Clinic I for Internal Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Renata Stripecke
- Clinic I for Internal Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, Cologne, Germany
- Laboratory of Regenerative Immune Therapies Applied, Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine (Rebirth), Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- German Centre for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner site Hannover, Hannover, Germany
- Cancer Research Center Cologne Essen (CCCE), Cologne, Germany
- *Correspondence: Renata Stripecke, ;
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15
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Friedrich M, Pfeifer G, Binder S, Aigner A, Vollmer Barbosa P, Makert GR, Fertey J, Ulbert S, Bodem J, König EM, Geiger N, Schambach A, Schilling E, Buschmann T, Hauschildt S, Koehl U, Sewald K. Selection and Validation of siRNAs Preventing Uptake and Replication of SARS-CoV-2. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:801870. [PMID: 35309990 PMCID: PMC8925020 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.801870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
In 2019, the novel highly infectious severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak rapidly led to a global pandemic with more than 346 million confirmed cases worldwide, resulting in 5.5 million associated deaths (January 2022). Entry of all SARS-CoV-2 variants is mediated by the cellular angisin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The virus abundantly replicates in the epithelia of the upper respiratory tract. Beyond vaccines for immunization, there is an imminent need for novel treatment options in COVID-19 patients. So far, only a few drugs have found their way into the clinics, often with modest success. Specific gene silencing based on small interfering RNA (siRNA) has emerged as a promising strategy for therapeutic intervention, preventing/limiting SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells or interfering with viral replication. Here, we pursued both strategies. We designed and screened nine siRNAs (siA1-9) targeting the viral entry receptor ACE2. SiA1, (siRNA against exon1 of ACE2 mRNA) was most efficient, with up to 90% knockdown of the ACE2 mRNA and protein for at least six days. In vitro, siA1 application was found to protect Vero E6 and Huh-7 cells from infection with SARS-CoV-2 with an up to ∼92% reduction of the viral burden indicating that the treatment targets both the endosomal and the viral entry at the cytoplasmic membrane. Since the RNA-encoded genome makes SARS-CoV-2 vulnerable to RNA interference (RNAi), we designed and analysed eight siRNAs (siV1-8) directly targeting the Orf1a/b region of the SARS-CoV-2 RNA genome, encoding for non-structural proteins (nsp). As a significant hallmark of this study, we identified siV1 (siRNA against leader protein of SARS-CoV-2), which targets the nsp1-encoding sequence (a.k.a. ‘host shutoff factor’) as particularly efficient. SiV1 inhibited SARS-CoV-2 replication in Vero E6 or Huh-7 cells by more than 99% or 97%, respectively. It neither led to toxic effects nor induced type I or III interferon production. Of note, sequence analyses revealed the target sequence of siV1 to be highly conserved in SARS-CoV-2 variants. Thus, our results identify the direct targeting of the viral RNA genome (ORF1a/b) by siRNAs as highly efficient and introduce siV1 as a particularly promising drug candidate for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maik Friedrich
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Leipzig University of Leipzig, Max-Bürger-Forschungszentrum (MBFZ), Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Vaccines and Infection Models, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI, Leipzig, Germany
- *Correspondence: Maik Friedrich,
| | - Gabriele Pfeifer
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Leipzig University of Leipzig, Max-Bürger-Forschungszentrum (MBFZ), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stefanie Binder
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Leipzig University of Leipzig, Max-Bürger-Forschungszentrum (MBFZ), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Achim Aigner
- Rudolf Boehm Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Clinical Pharmacology, Leipzig University, Faculty of Medicine, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Gustavo R. Makert
- Department of Vaccines and Infection Models, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jasmin Fertey
- Department of Vaccines and Infection Models, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sebastian Ulbert
- Department of Vaccines and Infection Models, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jochen Bodem
- Institute of Virology, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Eva-Maria König
- Institute of Virology, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Nina Geiger
- Institute of Virology, Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- REBIRTH Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Erik Schilling
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Leipzig University of Leipzig, Max-Bürger-Forschungszentrum (MBFZ), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tilo Buschmann
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Leipzig University of Leipzig, Max-Bürger-Forschungszentrum (MBFZ), Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Ulrike Koehl
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Leipzig University of Leipzig, Max-Bürger-Forschungszentrum (MBFZ), Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Vaccines and Infection Models, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI, Leipzig, Germany
- REBIRTH Research Center for Translational Regenerative Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
- Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Katherina Sewald
- Fraunhofer Institute of Toxicology and Experimental Medicine, Biomedical Research in Endstage and Obstructive Lung Disease Hannover (BREATH) of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Hannover, Germany
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16
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Kaniowska D, Wenk K, Rademacher P, Weiss R, Fabian C, Schulz I, Guthardt M, Lange F, Greiser S, Schmidt M, Braumann UD, Emmrich F, Koehl U, Jaimes Y. Extracellular Vesicles of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Can be Taken Up by Microglial Cells and Partially Prevent the Stimulation Induced by β-amyloid. Stem Cell Rev Rep 2022; 18:1113-1126. [PMID: 35080744 PMCID: PMC8942956 DOI: 10.1007/s12015-021-10261-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) have great capacity for immune regulation. MSCs provide protective paracrine effects, which are partially exerted by extracellular vesicles (EVs). It has been reported that MSCs-derived EVs (MSC-EVs) contain soluble factors, such as cytokines, chemokines, growth factors and even microRNAs, which confer them similar anti-inflammatory and regenerative effects to MSCs. Moreover, MSCs modulate microglia activation through a dual mechanism of action that relies both on cell contact and secreted factors. Microglia cells are the central nervous system immune cells and the main mediators of the inflammation leading to neurodegenerative disorders. Here, we investigated whether MSC-EVs affect the activation of microglia cells by β-amyloid aggregates. We show that the presence of MSC-EVs can prevent the upregulation of pro-inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and nitric oxide (NO). Both are up-regulated in neurodegenerative diseases representing chronic inflammation, as in Alzheimer’s disease. We demonstrate that MSC-EVs are internalized by the microglia cells. Further, our study supports the use of MSC-EVs as a promising therapeutic tool to treat neuroinflammatory diseases. Significance Statement It has been reported that mesenchymal stromal/stem cells and MSC-derived small extracellular vesicles have therapeutic effects in the treatment of various degenerative and inflammatory diseases. Extracellular vesicles are loaded with proteins, lipids and RNA and act as intercellular communication mediators. Here we show that extracellular vesicles can be taken up by murine microglial cells. In addition, they partially reduce the activation of microglial cells against β-amyloid aggregates. This inhibition of microglia activation may present an effective strategy for the control/therapy of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorota Kaniowska
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Perlickstrasse 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany. .,Institute for Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Kerstin Wenk
- Institute for Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Phil Rademacher
- Institute for Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ronald Weiss
- Institute for Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Claire Fabian
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Perlickstrasse 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Isabell Schulz
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Perlickstrasse 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Max Guthardt
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Perlickstrasse 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Franziska Lange
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Perlickstrasse 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sebastian Greiser
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Perlickstrasse 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Matthias Schmidt
- Department of Isotope Biogeochemistry, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ulf-Dietrich Braumann
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Perlickstrasse 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Faculty of Engineering, Leipzig University of Applied Sciences (HTWK), Leipzig, Germany.,Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Frank Emmrich
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Perlickstrasse 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute for Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Perlickstrasse 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute for Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Yarúa Jaimes
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Perlickstrasse 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute for Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence for Immune-mediated Diseases CIMD, Frankfurt, Germany
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17
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Schilling E, Grahnert A, Pfeiffer L, Koehl U, Claus C, Hauschildt S. The Impact of Rubella Virus Infection on a Secondary Inflammatory Response in Polarized Human Macrophages. Front Immunol 2021; 12:772595. [PMID: 34975859 PMCID: PMC8716696 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.772595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Macrophages (MΦ) are known to exhibit distinct responses to viral and bacterial infection, but how they react when exposed to the pathogens in succession is less well understood. Accordingly, we determined the effect of a rubella virus (RV)-induced infection followed by an LPS-induced challenge on cytokine production, signal transduction and metabolic pathways in human GM (M1-like)- and M (M2-like)-MΦ. We found that infection of both subsets with RV resulted in a low TNF-α and a high interferon (IFN, type I and type III) release whereby M-MΦ produced far more IFNs than GM-MΦ. Thus, TNF-α production in contrast to IFN production is not a dominant feature of RV infection in these cells. Upon addition of LPS to RV-infected MΦ compared to the addition of LPS to the uninfected cells the TNF-α response only slightly increased, whereas the IFN-response of both subtypes was greatly enhanced. The subset specific cytokine expression pattern remained unchanged under these assay conditions. The priming effect of RV was also observed when replacing RV by IFN-β one putative priming stimulus induced by RV. Small amounts of IFN-β were sufficient for phosphorylation of Stat1 and to induce IFN-production in response to LPS. Analysis of signal transduction pathways activated by successive exposure of MΦ to RV and LPS revealed an increased phosphorylation of NFκB (M-MΦ), but different to uninfected MΦ a reduced phosphorylation of ERK1/2 (both subtypes). Furthermore, metabolic pathways were affected; the LPS-induced increase in glycolysis was dampened in both subtypes after RV infection. In conclusion, we show that RV infection and exogenously added IFN-β can prime MΦ to produce high amounts of IFNs in response to LPS and that changes in glycolysis and signal transduction are associated with the priming effect. These findings will help to understand to what extent MΦ defense to viral infection is modulated by a following exposure to a bacterial infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Schilling
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anja Grahnert
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lukas Pfeiffer
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Virology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cellular Therapeutics and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
- Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Claudia Claus
- Institute of Medical Microbiology and Virology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sunna Hauschildt
- Institute of Biology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- *Correspondence: Sunna Hauschildt,
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18
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Büning H, Fehse B, Ivics Z, Kochanek S, Koehl U, Kupatt C, Mussolino C, Nettelbeck DM, Schambach A, Uckert W, Wagner E, Cathomen T. Gene Therapy "Made in Germany": A Historical Perspective, Analysis of the Status Quo, and Recommendations for Action by the German Society for Gene Therapy. Hum Gene Ther 2021; 32:987-996. [PMID: 34662229 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2021.29178.hbu] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene therapies have been successfully applied to treat severe inherited and acquired disorders. Although research and development are sufficiently well funded in Germany and while the output of scientific publications and patents is comparable with the leading nations in gene therapy, the country lags noticeably behind with regard to the number of both clinical studies and commercialized gene therapy products. In this article, we give a historical perspective on the development of gene therapy in Germany, analyze the current situation from the standpoint of the German Society for Gene Therapy (DG-GT), and define recommendations for action that would enable our country to generate biomedical and economic advantages from innovations in this sector, instead of merely importing advanced therapy medicinal products. Inter alia, we propose (1) to harmonize and simplify regulatory licensing processes to enable faster access to advanced therapies, and (2) to establish novel coordination, support and funding structures that facilitate networking of the key players. Such a center would provide the necessary infrastructure and know-how to translate cell and gene therapies to patients on the one hand, and pave the way for commercialization of these promising and innovative technologies on the other. Hence, these courses of action would not only benefit the German biotech and pharma landscape but also the society and the patients in need of new treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hildegard Büning
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Boris Fehse
- Research Department Cell and Gene Therapy, Department of Stem Cell Transplantation, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Zoltán Ivics
- Division of Medical Biotechnology, Paul Ehrlich Institute, Langen, Germany
| | | | - Ulrike Koehl
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI) and Institute of Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Christian Kupatt
- Klinik und Poliklinik für Innere Medizin I, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Munich, Germany.,German Center for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK), Partner Site Munich Heart Alliance, Munich, Germany
| | - Claudio Mussolino
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Gene Therapy, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency (CCI), Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Dirk M Nettelbeck
- Clinical Cooperation Unit Virotherapy, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Uckert
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Gene Therapy, Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), Berlin, Germany
| | - Ernst Wagner
- Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Center for System-based Drug Research, Center for NanoScience (CeNS), Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Toni Cathomen
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Gene Therapy, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.,Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency (CCI), Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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19
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Vucinic V, Quaiser A, Lückemeier P, Fricke S, Platzbecker U, Koehl U. Production and Application of CAR T Cells: Current and Future Role of Europe. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:713401. [PMID: 34490302 PMCID: PMC8418055 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.713401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Rapid developments in the field of CAR T cells offer important new opportunities while at the same time increasing numbers of patients pose major challenges. This review is summarizing on the one hand the state of the art in CAR T cell trials with a unique perspective on the role that Europe is playing. On the other hand, an overview of reproducible processing techniques is presented, from manual or semi-automated up to fully automated manufacturing of clinical-grade CAR T cells. Besides regulatory requirements, an outlook is given in the direction of digitally controlled automated manufacturing in order to lower cost and complexity and to address CAR T cell products for a greater number of patients and a variety of malignant diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladan Vucinic
- University of Leipzig, Medical Clinic for Hematology, Cell Therapy and Hemostaseology, Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Andrea Quaiser
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Philipp Lückemeier
- University of Leipzig, Medical Clinic for Hematology, Cell Therapy and Hemostaseology, Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stephan Fricke
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Internal Medicine III Hematology, Oncology, Stem Cell Transplantation, Klinikum Chemnitz gGmbH, Chemnitz, Germany
| | - Uwe Platzbecker
- University of Leipzig, Medical Clinic for Hematology, Cell Therapy and Hemostaseology, Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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20
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Comoli P, Pentheroudakis G, Pedrazzoli P, Ruggeri A, Koehl U, Lordick F, Mauff K, Hoogenboom J, Urbano-Ispizua A, Peters S, Chabannon C, Haanen J. 1009P Current strategies of cell and gene therapy for solid tumors: Preliminary results of the joint international ESMO and EBMT Cell Therapy and Immunobiology Working Party questionnaire-based survey. Ann Oncol 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.annonc.2021.08.1393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
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21
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Meyer S, Handke D, Mueller A, Biehl K, Kreuz M, Bukur J, Koehl U, Lazaridou MF, Berneburg M, Steven A, Massa C, Seliger B. Distinct Molecular Mechanisms of Altered HLA Class II Expression in Malignant Melanoma. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13153907. [PMID: 34359808 PMCID: PMC8345549 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13153907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II molecules are constitutively expressed in some melanoma, but the underlying molecular mechanisms have not yet been characterized. METHODS The expression of HLA class II antigen processing machinery (APM) components was determined in melanoma samples by qPCR, Western blot, flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. Immunohistochemical and TCGA datasets were used for correlation of HLA class II expression to tumor grading, T-cell infiltration and patients' survival. RESULTS The heterogeneous HLA class II expression in melanoma samples allowed us to characterize four distinct phenotypes. Phenotype I totally lacks constitutive HLA class II surface expression, which is inducible by interferon-gamma (IFN-γ); phenotype II expresses low basal surface HLA class II that is further upregulated by IFN-γ; phenotype III lacks constitutive and IFN-γ controlled HLA class II expression, but could be induced by epigenetic drugs; and in phenotype IV, lack of HLA class II expression is not recovered by any drug tested. High levels of HLA class II APM component expression were associated with an increased intra-tumoral CD4+ T-cell density and increased patients' survival. CONCLUSIONS The heterogeneous basal expression of HLA class II antigens and/or APM components in melanoma cells is caused by distinct molecular mechanisms and has clinical relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Meyer
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany; (S.M.); (M.B.)
| | - Diana Handke
- Institute of Medical Immunology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Magdeburger Str. 2, 06112 Halle (Saale), Germany; (D.H.); (A.M.); (K.B.); (J.B.); (M.-F.L.); (A.S.); (C.M.)
| | - Anja Mueller
- Institute of Medical Immunology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Magdeburger Str. 2, 06112 Halle (Saale), Germany; (D.H.); (A.M.); (K.B.); (J.B.); (M.-F.L.); (A.S.); (C.M.)
| | - Katharina Biehl
- Institute of Medical Immunology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Magdeburger Str. 2, 06112 Halle (Saale), Germany; (D.H.); (A.M.); (K.B.); (J.B.); (M.-F.L.); (A.S.); (C.M.)
| | - Markus Kreuz
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Perlickstr. 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (M.K.); (U.K.)
| | - Jürgen Bukur
- Institute of Medical Immunology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Magdeburger Str. 2, 06112 Halle (Saale), Germany; (D.H.); (A.M.); (K.B.); (J.B.); (M.-F.L.); (A.S.); (C.M.)
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Perlickstr. 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (M.K.); (U.K.)
| | - Maria-Filothei Lazaridou
- Institute of Medical Immunology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Magdeburger Str. 2, 06112 Halle (Saale), Germany; (D.H.); (A.M.); (K.B.); (J.B.); (M.-F.L.); (A.S.); (C.M.)
| | - Mark Berneburg
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauss-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany; (S.M.); (M.B.)
| | - André Steven
- Institute of Medical Immunology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Magdeburger Str. 2, 06112 Halle (Saale), Germany; (D.H.); (A.M.); (K.B.); (J.B.); (M.-F.L.); (A.S.); (C.M.)
| | - Chiara Massa
- Institute of Medical Immunology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Magdeburger Str. 2, 06112 Halle (Saale), Germany; (D.H.); (A.M.); (K.B.); (J.B.); (M.-F.L.); (A.S.); (C.M.)
| | - Barbara Seliger
- Institute of Medical Immunology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Magdeburger Str. 2, 06112 Halle (Saale), Germany; (D.H.); (A.M.); (K.B.); (J.B.); (M.-F.L.); (A.S.); (C.M.)
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Perlickstr. 1, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (M.K.); (U.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-(0)-345-557-4054
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22
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Blache U, Weiss R, Boldt A, Kapinsky M, Blaudszun AR, Quaiser A, Pohl A, Miloud T, Burgaud M, Vucinic V, Platzbecker U, Sack U, Fricke S, Koehl U. Advanced Flow Cytometry Assays for Immune Monitoring of CAR-T Cell Applications. Front Immunol 2021; 12:658314. [PMID: 34012442 PMCID: PMC8127837 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.658314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Adoptive immunotherapy using chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells has achieved successful remissions in refractory B-cell leukemia and B-cell lymphomas. In order to estimate both success and severe side effects of CAR-T cell therapies, longitudinal monitoring of the patient's immune system including CAR-T cells is desirable to accompany clinical staging. To conduct research on the fate and immunological impact of infused CAR-T cells, we established standardized 13-colour/15-parameter flow cytometry assays that are suitable to characterize immune cell subpopulations in the peripheral blood during CAR-T cell treatment. The respective staining technology is based on pre-formulated dry antibody panels in a uniform format. Additionally, further antibodies of choice can be added to address specific clinical or research questions. We designed panels for the anti-CD19 CAR-T therapy and, as a proof of concept, we assessed a healthy individual and three B-cell lymphoma patients treated with anti-CD19 CAR-T cells. We analyzed the presence of anti-CD19 CAR-T cells as well as residual CD19+ B cells, the activation status of the T-cell compartment, the expression of co-stimulatory signaling molecules and cytotoxic agents such as perforin and granzyme B. In summary, this work introduces standardized and modular flow cytometry assays for CAR-T cell clinical research, which could also be adapted in the future as quality controls during the CAR-T cell manufacturing process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Blache
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ronald Weiss
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Andreas Boldt
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Michael Kapinsky
- Beckman Coulter Life Sciences GmbH, Flow Cytometry Business Unit, Krefeld, Germany
| | | | - Andrea Quaiser
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Annabelle Pohl
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tewfik Miloud
- Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, Flow Cytometry R&D, Marseille, France
| | - Mégane Burgaud
- Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, Flow Cytometry R&D, Marseille, France
| | - Vladan Vucinic
- Medical Faculty, Department of Hematology and Cell Therapy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Uwe Platzbecker
- Medical Faculty, Department of Hematology and Cell Therapy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ulrich Sack
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stephan Fricke
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Immunology, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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23
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Saidu NEB, Bonini C, Dickinson A, Grce M, Inngjerdingen M, Koehl U, Toubert A, Zeiser R, Galimberti S. New Approaches for the Treatment of Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease: Current Status and Future Directions. Front Immunol 2020; 11:578314. [PMID: 33162993 PMCID: PMC7583636 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.578314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGvHD) is a severe complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation that affects various organs leading to a reduced quality of life. The condition often requires enduring immunosuppressive therapy, which can also lead to the development of severe side effects. Several approaches including small molecule inhibitors, antibodies, cytokines, and cellular therapies are now being developed for the treatment of cGvHD, and some of these therapies have been or are currently tested in clinical trials. In this review, we discuss these emerging therapies with particular emphasis on tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). TKIs are a class of compounds that inhibits tyrosine kinases, thereby preventing the dissemination of growth signals and activation of key cellular proteins that are involved in cell growth and division. Because they have been shown to inhibit key kinases in both B cells and T cells that are involved in the pathophysiology of cGvHD, TKIs present new promising therapeutic approaches. Ibrutinib, a Bruton tyrosine kinase (Btk) inhibitor, has recently been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States for the treatment of adult patients with cGvHD after failure of first-line of systemic therapy. Also, Janus Associated Kinases (JAK1 and JAK2) inhibitors, such as itacitinib (JAK1) and ruxolitinib (JAK1 and 2), are promising in the treatment of cGvHD. Herein, we present the current status and future directions of the use of these new drugs with particular spotlight on their targeting of specific intracellular signal transduction cascades important for cGvHD, in order to shed some light on their possible mode of actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel Edward Bennett Saidu
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Chiara Bonini
- Experimental Hematology Unit, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milano, Italy
| | - Anne Dickinson
- Haematological Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Magdalena Grce
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Marit Inngjerdingen
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Clinical Immunology, University Leipzig and Fraunhofer IZI, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Antoine Toubert
- Université de Paris, Institut de Recherche Saint Louis, EMiLy, Inserm U1160, Paris, France
- Laboratoire d'Immunologie et d`Histocompatibilité, AP-HP, Hopital Saint-Louis, Paris, France
| | - Robert Zeiser
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Freiburg University Medical Center, Faculty of Medicine, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Sara Galimberti
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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24
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Heilig CE, Badoglio M, Labopin M, Fröhling S, Secondino S, Heinz J, Nicolas-Virelizier E, Blaise D, Korenbaum C, Santoro A, Verbeek M, Krüger W, Siena S, Passweg JR, Di Nicola M, Rifón J, Dreger P, Koehl U, Chabannon C, Pedrazzoli P. Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation in adult soft-tissue sarcoma: an analysis from the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation. ESMO Open 2020; 5:e000860. [PMID: 33097652 PMCID: PMC7590345 DOI: 10.1136/esmoopen-2020-000860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 08/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The role of high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) in the treatment of soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) remains an unsettled issue. Prospective clinical trials failed to prove a benefit of the procedure but were limited by small and heterogeneous patient cohorts. Thus, it is unknown if ASCT may be a valuable treatment option in specific patient subgroups. METHODS The purpose of this study was to investigate the value of ASCT according to histological subtype in STS patients who were registered in the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation database between 1996 and 2016. RESULTS Median progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in the entire cohort of 338 patients were 8.3 and 19.8 months, respectively, and PFS and OS at 5 years were 13% and 25%, respectively. Analysis of outcomes in different subgroups showed that younger age, better remission status before transplantation and melphalan-based preparative regimen were predictive of benefit from ASCT, whereas histology and grading had no statistically significant impact. CONCLUSIONS Outcomes after ASCT compared favorably to those of recent trials on conventional chemotherapies and targeted therapies in STS, including histology-tailored approaches. ASCT, thus, should be reinvestigated in clinical trials focusing on defined patient subgroups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph E Heilig
- Department of Translational Medical Oncology (TMO), National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany; Department of Medicine V, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
| | - Manuela Badoglio
- EBMT Paris study office, Department of Haematology, Hospital Saint-Antoine, Paris, Île-de-France, France
| | - Myriam Labopin
- Saint Antoine Hospital, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, Île-de-France, France
| | - Stefan Fröhling
- Department of Translational Medical Oncology (TMO), National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Simona Secondino
- Medical Oncology, I.R.C.C.S. San Matteo University Hospital Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Jürgen Heinz
- Medicine I, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | | | - Didier Blaise
- Institut Paoli Calmettes, Departement D'Hematologie, Centre de Recherche en Cancerologie de Marseille, Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azu, France
| | - Clément Korenbaum
- Medical Oncology and Cellular Therapy, Hospital Tenon Medical Oncology, Paris, Île-de-France, France
| | - Armando Santoro
- Department of Oncology-Haematology, Humanitas Cancer Center, IRCCS, Milan, Italy
| | - Mareike Verbeek
- Internal Medicine III, Technical University of Munich, Munchen, Bayern, Germany
| | - William Krüger
- Haematology/Oncology, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany
| | - Salvatore Siena
- Niguarda Cancer Center, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano Niguarda, Milan, Italy; Oncology and Hemato-Oncology, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Jakob R Passweg
- Division of Hematology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, BS, Switzerland
| | - Massimo Di Nicola
- Unit of Immunotherapy and Innovative Therapeutics, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Jose Rifón
- Hematology Service and Cell Therapy Area, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Navarra, Spain
| | - Peter Dreger
- Department of Medicine V, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI, Leipzig, Sachsen, Germany; Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Niedersachsen, Germany
| | - Christian Chabannon
- Centre de Thérapie Cellulaire, Département de Biologie du Cancer, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Inserm CBT-1409, Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azu, France
| | - Paolo Pedrazzoli
- Internal Medicine and Medical Therapy, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Pavia, Lombardia, Italy
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Chauhan SKS, Koehl U, Kloess S. Harnessing NK Cell Checkpoint-Modulating Immunotherapies. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E1807. [PMID: 32640575 PMCID: PMC7408278 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12071807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Revised: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
During the host immune response, the precise balance of the immune system, regulated by immune checkpoint, is required to avoid infection and cancer. These immune checkpoints are the mainstream regulator of the immune response and are crucial for self-tolerance. During the last decade, various new immune checkpoint molecules have been studied, providing an attractive path to evaluate their potential role as targets for effective therapeutic interventions. Checkpoint inhibitors have mainly been explored in T cells until now, but natural killer (NK) cells are a newly emerging target for the determination of checkpoint molecules. Simultaneously, an increasing number of therapeutic dimensions have been explored, including modulatory and inhibitory checkpoint molecules, either causing dysfunction or promoting effector functions. Furthermore, the combination of the immune checkpoint with other NK cell-based therapeutic strategies could also strengthen its efficacy as an antitumor therapy. In this review, we have undertaken a comprehensive review of the literature to date regarding underlying mechanisms of modulatory and inhibitory checkpoint molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Institute of cellular therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (U.K.); (S.K.)
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stephan Kloess
- Institute of cellular therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany; (U.K.); (S.K.)
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26
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Cohnen J, Kornstädt L, Hahnefeld L, Ferreiros N, Pierre S, Koehl U, Deller T, Geisslinger G, Scholich K. Tumors Provoke Inflammation and Perineural Microlesions at Adjacent Peripheral Nerves. Cells 2020; 9:cells9020320. [PMID: 32013137 PMCID: PMC7072456 DOI: 10.3390/cells9020320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Revised: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer-induced pain occurs frequently in patients when tumors or their metastases grow in the proximity of nerves. Although this cancer-induced pain states poses an important therapeutical problem, the underlying pathomechanisms are not understood. Here, we implanted adenocarcinoma, fibrosarcoma and melanoma tumor cells in proximity of the sciatic nerve. All three tumor types caused mechanical hypersensitivity, thermal hyposensitivity and neuronal damage. Surprisingly the onset of the hypersensitivity was independent of physical contact of the nerve with the tumors and did not depend on infiltration of cancer cells in the sciatic nerve. However, macrophages and dendritic cells appeared on the outside of the sciatic nerves with the onset of the hypersensitivity. At the same time point downregulation of perineural tight junction proteins was observed, which was later followed by the appearance of microlesions. Fitting to the changes in the epi-/perineurium, a dramatic decrease of triglycerides and acylcarnitines in the sciatic nerves as well as an altered localization and appearance of epineural adipocytes was seen. In summary, the data show an inflammation at the sciatic nerves as well as an increased perineural and epineural permeability. Thus, interventions aiming to suppress inflammatory processes at the sciatic nerve or preserving peri- and epineural integrity may present new approaches for the treatment of tumor-induced pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Cohnen
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Goethe University Frankfurt, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany; (J.C.); (L.K.); (L.H.); (N.F.); (S.P.); (G.G.)
| | - Lisa Kornstädt
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Goethe University Frankfurt, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany; (J.C.); (L.K.); (L.H.); (N.F.); (S.P.); (G.G.)
| | - Lisa Hahnefeld
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Goethe University Frankfurt, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany; (J.C.); (L.K.); (L.H.); (N.F.); (S.P.); (G.G.)
| | - Nerea Ferreiros
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Goethe University Frankfurt, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany; (J.C.); (L.K.); (L.H.); (N.F.); (S.P.); (G.G.)
| | - Sandra Pierre
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Goethe University Frankfurt, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany; (J.C.); (L.K.); (L.H.); (N.F.); (S.P.); (G.G.)
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence for Immune-Mediated Diseases (CIMD), 60596 Frankfurt/Main, Germany;
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig City, Germany
| | - Thomas Deller
- Institute of Clinical Neuroanatomy, Dr. Senckenberg Anatomy, Neuroscience Center, Goethe-University Frankfurt, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany;
| | - Gerd Geisslinger
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Goethe University Frankfurt, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany; (J.C.); (L.K.); (L.H.); (N.F.); (S.P.); (G.G.)
- Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence for Immune-Mediated Diseases (CIMD), 60596 Frankfurt/Main, Germany;
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Project Group Translational Medicine and Pharmacology, 60596 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Klaus Scholich
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, University Hospital Goethe University Frankfurt, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany; (J.C.); (L.K.); (L.H.); (N.F.); (S.P.); (G.G.)
- Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence for Immune-Mediated Diseases (CIMD), 60596 Frankfurt/Main, Germany;
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Project Group Translational Medicine and Pharmacology, 60596 Frankfurt/Main, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-69-6301-83103
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27
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Müller S, Bexte T, Gebel V, Kalensee F, Stolzenberg E, Hartmann J, Koehl U, Schambach A, Wels WS, Modlich U, Ullrich E. High Cytotoxic Efficiency of Lentivirally and Alpharetrovirally Engineered CD19-Specific Chimeric Antigen Receptor Natural Killer Cells Against Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Front Immunol 2020; 10:3123. [PMID: 32117200 PMCID: PMC7025537 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.03123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Autologous chimeric antigen receptor-modified (CAR) T cells with specificity for CD19 showed potent antitumor efficacy in clinical trials against relapsed and refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). Contrary to T cells, natural killer (NK) cells kill their targets in a non-antigen-specific manner and do not carry the risk of inducing graft vs. host disease (GvHD), allowing application of donor-derived cells in an allogenic setting. Hence, unlike autologous CAR-T cells, therapeutic CD19-CAR-NK cells can be generated as an off-the-shelf product from healthy donors. Nevertheless, genetic engineering of peripheral blood (PB) derived NK cells remains challenging and optimized protocols are needed. In our study, we aimed to optimize the generation of CD19-CAR-NK cells by retroviral transduction to improve the high antileukemic capacity of NK cells. We compared two different retroviral vector platforms, the lentiviral and alpharetroviral, both in combination with two different transduction enhancers (Retronectin and Vectofusin-1). We further explored different NK cell isolation techniques (NK cell enrichment and CD3/CD19 depletion) to identify the most efficacious methods for genetic engineering of NK cells. Our results demonstrated that transduction of NK cells with RD114-TR pseudotyped retroviral vectors, in combination with Vectofusin-1 was the most efficient method to generate CD19-CAR-NK cells. Retronectin was potent in enhancing lentiviral/VSV-G gene delivery to NK cells but not alpharetroviral/RD114-TR. Furthermore, the Vectofusin-based transduction of NK cells with CD19-CARs delivered by alpharetroviral/RD114-TR and lentiviral/RD114-TR vectors outperformed lentiviral/VSV-G vectors. The final generated CD19-CAR-NK cells displayed superior cytotoxic activity against CD19-expressing target cells when compared to non-transduced NK cells achieving up to 90% specific killing activity. In summary, our findings present the use of RD114-TR pseudotyped retroviral particles in combination with Vectofusin-1 as a successful strategy to genetically modify PB-derived NK cells to achieve highly cytotoxic CD19-CAR-NK cells at high yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Müller
- Experimental Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Division of Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Tobias Bexte
- Experimental Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Division of Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Partner Site Frankfurt/Mainz, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Veronika Gebel
- Experimental Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Division of Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Franziska Kalensee
- Experimental Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Division of Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Eva Stolzenberg
- Experimental Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Division of Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jessica Hartmann
- Division of Medical Biotechnology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institut, Langen, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany.,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Winfried S Wels
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Partner Site Frankfurt/Mainz, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ute Modlich
- Research Group for Gene Modification in Stem Cells, Division of Veterinary Medicine, Paul-Ehrlich Institute, Langen, Germany
| | - Evelyn Ullrich
- Experimental Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Division of Pediatric Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Partner Site Frankfurt/Mainz, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Frankfurt Cancer Institute, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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28
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Comoli P, Chabannon C, Koehl U, Lanza F, Urbano-Ispizua A, Hudecek M, Ruggeri A, Secondino S, Bonini C, Pedrazzoli P. Development of adaptive immune effector therapies in solid tumors. Ann Oncol 2019; 30:1740-1750. [PMID: 31435646 DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdz285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
State-of-the-art treatment strategies have drastically ameliorated the outcome of patients affected by cancer. However, resistant and recurrent solid tumors are generally nonresponsive to conventional therapies. A central factor in the sequence of events that lead to cancer is an alteration in antitumor immune surveillance, which results in failure to recognize and eliminate the transformed tumor cell. A greater understanding of the dysregulation and evasion of the immune system in the evolution and progression of cancer provides the basis for improved therapies. Targeted strategies, such as T-cell therapy, not only generally spare normal tissues, but also use alternative antineoplastic mechanisms that synergize with other therapeutics. Despite encouraging success in hematologic malignancies, adaptive cellular therapies for solid tumors face unique challenges because of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, and the hurdle of T-cell trafficking within scarcely accessible tumor sites. This review provides a brief overview of current cellular therapeutic strategies for solid tumors, research carried out to increase efficacy and safety, and results from ongoing clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Comoli
- Cell Factory and Pediatric Hematology Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - C Chabannon
- Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Aix-Marseille University, INSERM CBT 1409, Centre for Clinical Investigation in Biotherapy, Marseille, France
| | - U Koehl
- Institute of Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig and Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig; Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - F Lanza
- Hematology and Stem Cell Transplant, Romagna Transplant Network, Ravenna, Italy
| | - A Urbano-Ispizua
- Department of Hematology, IDIBAPS, Institute of Research Josep Carreras, Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - M Hudecek
- Department of Medicine II, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - A Ruggeri
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Rome
| | - S Secondino
- Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Therapy, University of Pavia, Pavia
| | - C Bonini
- Experimental Hematology Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele and Ospedale San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - P Pedrazzoli
- Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Department of Internal Medicine and Medical Therapy, University of Pavia, Pavia.
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29
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Oberschmidt O, Morgan M, Huppert V, Kessler J, Gardlowski T, Matthies N, Aleksandrova K, Arseniev L, Schambach A, Koehl U, Kloess S. Development of Automated Separation, Expansion, and Quality Control Protocols for Clinical-Scale Manufacturing of Primary Human NK Cells and Alpharetroviral Chimeric Antigen Receptor Engineering. Hum Gene Ther Methods 2019; 30:102-120. [PMID: 30997855 PMCID: PMC6590729 DOI: 10.1089/hgtb.2019.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In cellular immunotherapies, natural killer (NK) cells often demonstrate potent antitumor effects in high-risk cancer patients. But Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)-compliant manufacturing of clinical-grade NK cells in high numbers for patient treatment is still a challenge. Therefore, new protocols for isolation and expansion of NK cells are required. In order to attack resistant tumor entities, NK cell killing can be improved by genetic engineering using alpharetroviral vectors that encode for chimeric antigen receptors (CARs). The aim of this work was to demonstrate GMP-grade manufacturing of NK cells using the CliniMACS® Prodigy device (Prodigy) with implemented applicable quality controls. Additionally, the study aimed to define the best time point to transduce expanding NK cells with alpharetroviral CAR vectors. Manufacturing and clinical-scale expansion of primary human NK cells were performed with the Prodigy starting with 8-15.0 × 109 leukocytes (including 1.1–2.3 × 109 NK cells) collected by small-scale lymphapheresis (n = 3). Positive fraction after immunoselection, in-process controls (IPCs), and end product were quantified by flow cytometric no-wash, single-platform assessment, and gating strategy using positive (CD56/CD16/CD45), negative (CD14/CD19/CD3), and dead cell (7-aminoactinomycine [7-AAD]) discriminators. The three runs on the fully integrated manufacturing platform included immunomagnetic separation (CD3 depletion/CD56 enrichment) followed by NK cell expansion over 14 days. This process led to high NK cell purities (median 99.1%) and adequate NK cell viabilities (median 86.9%) and achieved a median CD3+ cell depletion of log −3.6 after CD3 depletion and log −3.7 after immunomagnetic CD3 depletion and consecutive CD56 selection. Subsequent cultivation of separated NK cells in the CentriCult® chamber of Prodigy resulted in approximately 4.2–8.5-fold NK cell expansion rates by adding of NK MACS® basal medium containing NK MACS® supplement, interleukin (IL)-2/IL-15 and initial IL-21. NK cells expanded for 14 days revealed higher expression of natural cytotoxicity receptors (NKp30, NKp44, NKp46, and NKG2D) and degranulation/apoptotic markers and stronger cytolytic properties against K562 compared to non-activated NK cells before automated cultivation. Moreover, expanded NK cells had robust growth and killing activities even after cryopreservation. As a crucial result, it was possible to determine the appropriate time period for optimal CAR transduction of cultivated NK cells between days 8 and 14, with the highest anti-CD123 CAR expression levels on day 14. The anti-CD123 CAR NK cells showed retargeted killing and degranulation properties against CD123-expressing KG1a target cells, while basal cytotoxicity of non-transduced NK cells was determined using the CD123-negative cell line K562. Time-lapse imaging to monitor redirected effector-to-target contacts between anti-CD123 CAR NK and KG1a showed long-term effector–target interaction. In conclusion, the integration of the clinical-scale expansion procedure in the automated and closed Prodigy system, including IPC samples and quality controls and optimal time frames for NK cell transduction with CAR vectors, was established on 48-well plates and resulted in a standardized GMP-compliant overall process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olaf Oberschmidt
- 1 Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, ATMP-GMP Development Unit, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael Morgan
- 2 Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,3 REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | | | - Tanja Gardlowski
- 6 Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nadine Matthies
- 1 Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, ATMP-GMP Development Unit, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Krasimira Aleksandrova
- 7 Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, Cellular Therapy Centre, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Lubomir Arseniev
- 7 Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, Cellular Therapy Centre, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- 2 Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,3 REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,8 Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- 1 Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, ATMP-GMP Development Unit, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,6 Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany.,9 Institute of Clinical Immunology, Universitätsklinikum Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stephan Kloess
- 1 Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, ATMP-GMP Development Unit, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,6 Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
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30
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Kloess S, Oberschmidt O, Dahlke J, Vu XK, Neudoerfl C, Kloos A, Gardlowski T, Matthies N, Heuser M, Meyer J, Sauer M, Falk C, Koehl U, Schambach A, Morgan MA. Preclinical Assessment of Suitable Natural Killer Cell Sources for Chimeric Antigen Receptor Natural Killer-Based "Off-the-Shelf" Acute Myeloid Leukemia Immunotherapies. Hum Gene Ther 2019; 30:381-401. [PMID: 30734584 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2018.247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The introduction of chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) to augment the anticancer activity of immune cells represents one of the major clinical advances in recent years. This work demonstrates that sorted CAR natural killer (NK) cells have improved antileukemia activity compared to control NK cells that lack a functional CAR. However, in terms of viability, effectiveness, risk of side effects, and clinical practicality and applicability, an important question is whether gene-modified NK cell lines represent better CAR effector cells than primary human donor CAR-NK (CAR-dNK) cells. Comparison of the functional activities of sorted CAR-NK cells generated using the NK-92 cell line with those generated from primary human dNK cells demonstrated that CAR-NK-92 cells had stronger cytotoxic activity against leukemia cells compared to CAR-dNK cells. CAR-NK-92 and CAR-dNK cells had similar CD107a surface expression upon co-incubation with leukemia cells. However, CAR-NK-92 cells secreted higher granzyme A and interleukin-17A levels, while CAR-dNK cells secreted more tumor necrosis factor alpha, interferon gamma, and granulysin. In addition, CAR-NK-92 cells revealed a significantly higher potential for adverse side effects against nonmalignant cells. In short, this work shows the feasibility for further development of CAR-NK strategies to treat leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Kloess
- 1 Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,2 Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Olaf Oberschmidt
- 1 Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Julia Dahlke
- 3 Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,4 REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Xuan-Khang Vu
- 3 Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Christine Neudoerfl
- 5 Institute of Transplant Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Arnold Kloos
- 6 Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Tanja Gardlowski
- 1 Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,2 Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nadine Matthies
- 1 Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael Heuser
- 6 Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Johann Meyer
- 3 Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Martin Sauer
- 8 Integrated Research and Treatment Center Transplantation, IFB-Tx, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,7 Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Christine Falk
- 5 Institute of Transplant Immunology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- 1 Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,2 Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany.,9 Institute of Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Axel Schambach
- 3 Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,4 REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,10 Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Michael A Morgan
- 3 Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,4 REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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31
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Kloess S, Kretschmer A, Stahl L, Fricke S, Koehl U. CAR-Expressing Natural Killer Cells for Cancer Retargeting. Transfus Med Hemother 2019; 46:4-13. [PMID: 31244577 DOI: 10.1159/000495771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the approval in 2017 and the outstanding success of Kymriah® and Yescarta®, the number of clinical trials investigating the safety and efficacy of chimeric antigen receptor-modified autologous T cells has been constantly rising. Currently, more than 200 clinical trials are listed on clinicaltrial.gov. In contrast to CAR-T cells, natural killer (NK) cells can be used from allogeneic donors as an "off the shelf product" and provide alternative candidates for cancer retargeting. This review summarises preclinical results of CAR-engineered NK cells using both primary human NK cells and the cell line NK-92, and provides an overview about the first clinical CAR-NK cell studies targeting haematological malignancies and solid tumours, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Kloess
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany.,Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, ATMP-GMPDU, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Anna Kretschmer
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lilly Stahl
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stephan Fricke
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Leipzig, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, ATMP-GMPDU, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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32
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Salzmann-Manrique E, Bremm M, Huenecke S, Stech M, Orth A, Eyrich M, Schulz A, Esser R, Klingebiel T, Bader P, Herrmann E, Koehl U. Joint Modeling of Immune Reconstitution Post Haploidentical Stem Cell Transplantation in Pediatric Patients With Acute Leukemia Comparing CD34 +-Selected to CD3/CD19-Depleted Grafts in a Retrospective Multicenter Study. Front Immunol 2018; 9:1841. [PMID: 30154788 PMCID: PMC6102342 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid immune reconstitution (IR) following stem cell transplantation (SCT) is essential for a favorable outcome. The optimization of graft composition should not only enable a sufficient IR but also improve graft vs. leukemia/tumor effects, overcome infectious complications and, finally, improve patient survival. Especially in haploidentical SCT, the optimization of graft composition is controversial. Therefore, we analyzed the influence of graft manipulation on IR in 40 patients with acute leukemia in remission. We examined the cell recovery post haploidentical SCT in patients receiving a CD34+-selected or CD3/CD19-depleted graft, considering the applied conditioning regimen. We used joint model analysis for overall survival (OS) and analyzed the dynamics of age-adjusted leukocytes; lymphocytes; monocytes; CD3+, CD3+CD4+, and CD3+CD8+ T cells; natural killer (NK) cells; and B cells over the course of time after SCT. Lymphocytes, NK cells, and B cells expanded more rapidly after SCT with CD34+-selected grafts (P = 0.036, P = 0.002, and P < 0.001, respectively). Contrarily, CD3+CD4+ helper T cells recovered delayer in the CD34 selected group (P = 0.026). Furthermore, reduced intensity conditioning facilitated faster immune recovery of lymphocytes and T cells and their subsets (P < 0.001). However, the immune recovery for NK cells and B cells was comparable for patients who received reduced-intensity or full preparative regimens. Dynamics of all cell types had a significant influence on OS, which did not differ between patients receiving CD34+-selected and those receiving CD3/CD19-depleted grafts. In conclusion, cell reconstitution dynamics showed complex diversity with regard to the graft manufacturing procedure and conditioning regimen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilia Salzmann-Manrique
- Department of Medicine, Institute of Biostatistics and Mathematical Modeling, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany.,Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Melanie Bremm
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Sabine Huenecke
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Milena Stech
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Andreas Orth
- University of Applied Sciences Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Matthias Eyrich
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University of Wuerzburg, Wuerzburg, Germany
| | - Ansgar Schulz
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Ruth Esser
- Institute of Cellular Therapeutics Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Thomas Klingebiel
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Peter Bader
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Eva Herrmann
- Department of Medicine, Institute of Biostatistics and Mathematical Modeling, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Institute of Cellular Therapeutics Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Immunology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Fraunhofer Institute of Cellular Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
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33
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Schultze-Florey RE, Tischer S, Kuhlmann L, Hundsdoerfer P, Koch A, Anagnostopoulos I, Ravens S, Goudeva L, Schultze-Florey C, Koenecke C, Blasczyk R, Koehl U, Heuft HG, Prinz I, Eiz-Vesper B, Maecker-Kolhoff B. Dissecting Epstein-Barr Virus-Specific T-Cell Responses After Allogeneic EBV-Specific T-Cell Transfer for Central Nervous System Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disease. Front Immunol 2018; 9:1475. [PMID: 29997626 PMCID: PMC6030255 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.01475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2017] [Accepted: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) with central nervous system (CNS) involvement is a severe complication after solid organ transplantation. Standard treatment with reduction of immunosuppression and anti-CD20 antibody application often fails leading to poor outcome. Here, we report the case of an 11-year-old boy with multilocular EBV-positive CNS PTLD 10 years after liver transplantation. Complete remission was achieved by repeated intravenous and intrathecal anti-CD20 antibody rituximab administration combined with intrathecal chemotherapy (methotrexate, cytarabine, prednisone) over a time period of 3 months. Due to the poor prognosis of CNS PTLD and lack of EBV-specific T-cells (EBV-CTLs) in patient's blood, we decided to perform EBV-directed T-cell immunotherapy as a consolidating treatment. The patient received five infusions of allogeneic EBV-CTLs from a 5/10 HLA-matched unrelated third-party donor. No relevant acute toxicity was observed. EBV-CTLs became detectable after first injection and increased during the treatment course. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) TCR-profiling verified the persistence and expansion of donor-derived EBV-specific clones. After two transfers, epitope spreading to unrelated EBV antigens occurred suggesting onset of endogenous T-cell production, which was supported by detection of recipient-derived clones in NGS TCR-profiling. Continuous complete remission was confirmed 27 months after initial diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca E Schultze-Florey
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Integrated Research and Treatment Center Transplantation (IFB-Tx), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Sabine Tischer
- Integrated Research and Treatment Center Transplantation (IFB-Tx), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Hannover Medical School, Institute for Transfusion Medicine, Hannover, Germany
| | - Leonie Kuhlmann
- Hannover Medical School, Institute of Immunology, Hannover, Germany
| | - Patrick Hundsdoerfer
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Berlin Institute of Health, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Arend Koch
- Department of Neuropathology, Berlin Institute of Health, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ioannis Anagnostopoulos
- Department of Pathology, Berlin Institute of Health, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Sarina Ravens
- Hannover Medical School, Institute of Immunology, Hannover, Germany
| | - Lilia Goudeva
- Hannover Medical School, Institute for Transfusion Medicine, Hannover, Germany
| | - Christian Schultze-Florey
- Hannover Medical School, Institute of Immunology, Hannover, Germany.,Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Christian Koenecke
- Hannover Medical School, Institute of Immunology, Hannover, Germany.,Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Rainer Blasczyk
- Hannover Medical School, Institute for Transfusion Medicine, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Integrated Research and Treatment Center Transplantation (IFB-Tx), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Hannover Medical School, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover, Germany
| | - Hans-Gert Heuft
- Hannover Medical School, Institute for Transfusion Medicine, Hannover, Germany
| | - Immo Prinz
- Hannover Medical School, Institute of Immunology, Hannover, Germany
| | - Britta Eiz-Vesper
- Integrated Research and Treatment Center Transplantation (IFB-Tx), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Hannover Medical School, Institute for Transfusion Medicine, Hannover, Germany
| | - Britta Maecker-Kolhoff
- Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,Integrated Research and Treatment Center Transplantation (IFB-Tx), Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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34
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike Koehl
- Hannover Medical School, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover, Germany.,Institute of Clinical Immunology, University Hospital and Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Antoine Toubert
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U1160; Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.,Laboratoire d'Immunologie et Histocompatibilité, Hópital Saint-Louis, Paris, France
| | - Gianfranco Pittari
- Department of Medical Oncology, National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
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35
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Priesner C, Aleksandrova K, Esser R, Mockel-Tenbrinck N, Leise J, Drechsel K, Marburger M, Quaiser A, Goudeva L, Arseniev L, Kaiser AD, Glienke W, Koehl U. Automated Enrichment, Transduction, and Expansion of Clinical-Scale CD62L + T Cells for Manufacturing of Gene Therapy Medicinal Products. Hum Gene Ther 2018; 27:860-869. [PMID: 27562135 PMCID: PMC5035932 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2016.091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple clinical studies have demonstrated that adaptive immunotherapy using redirected T cells against advanced cancer has led to promising results with improved patient survival. The continuously increasing interest in those advanced gene therapy medicinal products (GTMPs) leads to a manufacturing challenge regarding automation, process robustness, and cell storage. Therefore, this study addresses the proof of principle in clinical-scale selection, stimulation, transduction, and expansion of T cells using the automated closed CliniMACS® Prodigy system. Naïve and central memory T cells from apheresis products were first immunomagnetically enriched using anti-CD62L magnetic beads and further processed freshly (n = 3) or split for cryopreservation and processed after thawing (n = 1). Starting with 0.5 × 108 purified CD3+ T cells, three mock runs and one run including transduction with green fluorescent protein (GFP)-containing vector resulted in a median final cell product of 16 × 108 T cells (32-fold expansion) up to harvesting after 2 weeks. Expression of CD62L was downregulated on T cells after thawing, which led to the decision to purify CD62L+CD3+ T cells freshly with cryopreservation thereafter. Most important in the split product, a very similar expansion curve was reached comparing the overall freshly CD62L selected cells with those after thawing, which could be demonstrated in the T cell subpopulations as well by showing a nearly identical conversion of the CD4/CD8 ratio. In the GFP run, the transduction efficacy was 83%. In-process control also demonstrated sufficient glucose levels during automated feeding and medium removal. The robustness of the process and the constant quality of the final product in a closed and automated system give rise to improve harmonized manufacturing protocols for engineered T cells in future gene therapy studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Priesner
- 1 Cellular Therapy Center, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics , Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Krasimira Aleksandrova
- 1 Cellular Therapy Center, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics , Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ruth Esser
- 2 GMP Development Unit, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics , Integrated Research and Treatment Center for Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Jana Leise
- 1 Cellular Therapy Center, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics , Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Michael Marburger
- 2 GMP Development Unit, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics , Integrated Research and Treatment Center for Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Andrea Quaiser
- 2 GMP Development Unit, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics , Integrated Research and Treatment Center for Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Lilia Goudeva
- 4 Institute of Transfusion Medicine , Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Lubomir Arseniev
- 1 Cellular Therapy Center, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics , Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Wolfgang Glienke
- 2 GMP Development Unit, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics , Integrated Research and Treatment Center for Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- 1 Cellular Therapy Center, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics , Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.,2 GMP Development Unit, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics , Integrated Research and Treatment Center for Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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Königs C, Schultze-Strasser S, Quaiser A, Bochennek K, Schwabe D, Klingebiel TE, Koehl U, Cappel C, Rolle U, Bader P, Bremm M, Huenecke S, Bakhtiar S. An Exponential Regression Model Reveals the Continuous Development of B Cell Subpopulations Used as Reference Values in Children. Front Pediatr 2018; 6:121. [PMID: 29780793 PMCID: PMC5945839 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2018.00121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2018] [Accepted: 04/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
B lymphocytes are key players in humoral immunity, expressing diverse surface immunoglobulin receptors directed against specific antigenic epitopes. The development and profile of distinct subpopulations have gained awareness in the setting of primary immunodeficiency disorders, primary or secondary autoimmunity and as therapeutic targets of specific antibodies in various diseases. The major B cell subpopulations in peripheral blood include naïve (CD19+ or CD20+IgD+CD27-), non-switched memory (CD19+ or CD20+IgD+CD27+) and switched memory B cells (CD19+ or CD20+IgD-CD27+). Furthermore, less common B cell subpopulations have also been described as having a role in the suppressive capacity of B cells to maintain self-tolerance. Data on reference values for B cell subpopulations are limited and only available for older age groups, neglecting the continuous process of human B cell development in children and adolescents. This study was designed to establish an exponential regression model to produce continuous reference values for main B cell subpopulations to reflect the dynamic maturation of the human immune system in healthy children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Königs
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | | | - Andrea Quaiser
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Konrad Bochennek
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Dirk Schwabe
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Thomas E Klingebiel
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- GMP Development, Integriertes Forschungs- und Behandlungszentrum Transplantation (IFB-TX), Hannover Medical School, Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover, Germany
| | - Claudia Cappel
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Udo Rolle
- Department of Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Peter Bader
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Melanie Bremm
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Sabine Huenecke
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Shahrzad Bakhtiar
- Department of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
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37
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Volk V, Reppas AI, Robert PA, Spineli LM, Sundarasetty BS, Theobald SJ, Schneider A, Gerasch L, Deves Roth C, Klöss S, Koehl U, von Kaisenberg C, Figueiredo C, Hatzikirou H, Meyer-Hermann M, Stripecke R. Multidimensional Analysis Integrating Human T-Cell Signatures in Lymphatic Tissues with Sex of Humanized Mice for Prediction of Responses after Dendritic Cell Immunization. Front Immunol 2017; 8:1709. [PMID: 29276513 PMCID: PMC5727047 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.01709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Mice transplanted with human cord blood-derived hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) became a powerful experimental tool for studying the heterogeneity of human immune reconstitution and immune responses in vivo. Yet, analyses of human T cell maturation in humanized models have been hampered by an overall low immune reactivity and lack of methods to define predictive markers of responsiveness. Long-lived human lentiviral induced dendritic cells expressing the cytomegalovirus pp65 protein (iDCpp65) promoted the development of pp65-specific human CD8+ T cell responses in NOD.Cg-Rag1tm1Mom-Il2rγtm1Wj humanized mice through the presentation of immune-dominant antigenic epitopes (signal 1), expression of co-stimulatory molecules (signal 2), and inflammatory cytokines (signal 3). We exploited this validated system to evaluate the effects of mouse sex in the dynamics of T cell homing and maturation status in thymus, blood, bone marrow, spleen, and lymph nodes. Statistical analyses of cell relative frequencies and absolute numbers demonstrated higher CD8+ memory T cell reactivity in spleen and lymph nodes of immunized female mice. In order to understand to which extent the multidimensional relation between organ-specific markers predicted the immunization status, the immunophenotypic profiles of individual mice were used to train an artificial neural network designed to discriminate immunized and non-immunized mice. The highest accuracy of immune reactivity prediction could be obtained from lymph node markers of female mice (77.3%). Principal component analyses further identified clusters of markers best suited to describe the heterogeneity of immunization responses in vivo. A correlation analysis of these markers reflected a tissue-specific impact of immunization. This allowed for an organ-resolved characterization of the immunization status of individual mice based on the identified set of markers. This new modality of multidimensional analyses can be used as a framework for defining minimal but predictive signatures of human immune responses in mice and suggests critical markers to characterize responses to immunization after HSC transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valery Volk
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Andreas I Reppas
- Department of Systems Immunology, Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Philippe A Robert
- Department of Systems Immunology, Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Loukia M Spineli
- Institute of Biostatistics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Bala Sai Sundarasetty
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Sebastian J Theobald
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Andreas Schneider
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Laura Gerasch
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Candida Deves Roth
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Stephan Klöss
- Institute of Cellular Therapeutics and GMP Core Facility IFB-Tx, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Institute of Cellular Therapeutics and GMP Core Facility IFB-Tx, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | | | - Haralampos Hatzikirou
- Department of Systems Immunology, Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Michael Meyer-Hermann
- Department of Systems Immunology, Braunschweig Integrated Centre of Systems Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Renata Stripecke
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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Penna-Martinez M, Filmann N, Bogdanou D, Shoghi F, Huenecke S, Schubert R, Herrmann E, Koehl U, Husebye ES, Badenhoop K. High-dose vitamin D in Addison's disease regulates T-cells and monocytes: A pilot trial. Nutrition 2017. [PMID: 29522979 DOI: 10.1016/j.nut.2017.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES On the basis of the immunomodulatory actions of vitamin D (VD), we investigated the effects of high-dose VD therapy over a 3 mo period on the immune response in patients with Addison's disease (AD). METHODS This randomized, controlled, crossover trial included 13 patients with AD who received either cholecalciferol (4000 IU/d) for 3 mo followed by 3 mo placebo oil or the sequential alternative placebo followed by verum. Glucocorticoid replacement doses remained stable. The primary outcome measures were changes in 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3) levels and immune cells including T helper cells (Th; CD3+CD4+), late-activated Th cells (CD3+CD4+HLA-DR+), regulatory T cells (CD3+CD4+CD25brightCD127dim/neg), cytotoxic T cells (Tc; CD3+CD8+), late-activated Tc cells (CD3+CD8+HLA-DR+), and monocytes. The explorative analysis included the correlation of changes with VD-related gene polymorphisms and 21-hydroxylase antibody titers. RESULTS Ten of 13 patients (77%) were VD deficient. Median 25(OH)D3 concentrations increased significantly to 41.5 ng/ml (median changes: 19.95 ng/ml; P = 0.0005) after 3 mo of cholecalciferol treatment. Within the T-cells, only the late-activated Th (median changes: 1.6%; P = 0.02) and late-activated Tc cells (median changes: 4.05%; P = 0.03) decreased, whereas monocytes (median changes: 1.05%; P = 0.008) increased after VD therapy. T-cell changes were associated with two polymorphisms (CYP27B1-rs108770012 and VDR-rs10735810), but no changes in the 21-hydroxylase antibody titers were observed. CONCLUSIONS Three months of treatment with cholecalciferol achieved sufficient 25(OH)D3 levels and can regulate late-activated T-cells and monocytes in patients with AD. Explorative analysis revealed potential genetic contributions. This pilot trial provides novel insights about immunomodulation in AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marissa Penna-Martinez
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | - Natalie Filmann
- Institute of Biostatistics and Mathematical Modeling, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Dimitra Bogdanou
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Firouzeh Shoghi
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sabine Huenecke
- Laboratory for Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunotherapy, Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ralf Schubert
- Department for Children and Adolescents, Division for Allergology, Pneumology and Cystic Fibrosis, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Eva Herrmann
- Institute of Biostatistics and Mathematical Modeling, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hanover, Germany
| | - Eystein S Husebye
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen and Department of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | - Klaus Badenhoop
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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Klöß S, Oberschmidt O, Morgan M, Dahlke J, Arseniev L, Huppert V, Granzin M, Gardlowski T, Matthies N, Soltenborn S, Schambach A, Koehl U. Optimization of Human NK Cell Manufacturing: Fully Automated Separation, Improved Ex Vivo Expansion Using IL-21 with Autologous Feeder Cells, and Generation of Anti-CD123-CAR-Expressing Effector Cells. Hum Gene Ther 2017; 28:897-913. [PMID: 28810809 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2017.157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The administration of ex vivo expanded natural killer (NK) cells as potential antitumor effector cells appears to be suitable for effector cell-based immunotherapies in high-risk cancer patients. However, good manufacturing practice (GMP)-compliant manufacturing of clinical-grade NK cells at sufficiently high numbers represents a great challenge. Therefore, previous expansion protocols for those effector cells were improved and optimized by using newly developed culture medium, interleukin (IL)-21, and autologous feeder cells (FCs). Separation of primary human NK cells (CD56+CD3-) was carried out with the CliniMACS Prodigy® in a single process, starting with approximately 1.2 × 109 leukocytes collected by small-scale lymphapheresis or from buffy coats. Enriched NK cells were adjusted to starting cell concentrations within approximately 1 × 106 effector cells/mL and cultured in comparative expansion experiments for 14 days with IL-2 (1,000 IU/mL) in different GMP-compliant media (X-VIVO™10, CellGro®, TexMACS™, and NK MACS®). After medium optimization, beneficial effects for functionality and phenotype were investigated at the beginning of cell expansion with irradiated (25 Gy) autologous FCs at a ratio of 20:1 (feeder: NK) in the presence or absence of IL-21 (100 ng/mL). Additionally, expanded NK cells were gene modified to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) against CD123, a common marker for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Cytotoxicity, degranulation, and cytokine release of transduced NK cells were determined against KG1a cells in flow cytometric analysis and fluorescent imaging. The Prodigy manufacturing process revealed high target cell viabilities (median 95.4%), adequate NK cell recovery (median 60.4%), and purity of 95.4% in regard to CD56+CD3- target cells. The process in its early phase of development led to a median T-cell depletion of log 3.5 after CD3 depletion and log 3.6 after the whole process, including CD3 depletion and CD56 enrichment steps. Manually performed experiments to test different culture media demonstrated significantly higher NK cell expansion rates and an approximately equal distribution of CD56dimCD16pos and CD56brightCD16dim&neg NK subsets on day 14 with cells cultivated in NK MACS® media. Moreover, effector cell expansion in manually performed experiments with NK MACS® containing IL-2 and irradiated autologous FCs and IL-21, both added at the initiation of the culture, induced an 85-fold NK cell expansion. Compared to freshly isolated NK cells, expanded NK cells expressed significantly higher levels of NKp30, NKp44, NKG2D, TRAIL, FasL, CD69, and CD137, and showed comparable cell viabilities and killing/degranulation activities against tumor and leukemic cell lines in vitro. NK cells used for CAR transduction showed the highest anti-CD123 CAR expression on day 3 after gene modification. These anti-CD123 CAR-engineered NK cells demonstrated improved cytotoxicity against the CD123pos AML cell line KG1a and primary AML blasts. In addition, CAR NK cells showed higher degranulation and enhanced secretion of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interferon gamma, and granzyme A and B. In fluorescence imaging, specific interactions that initiated apoptotic processes in the AML target cells were detected between CAR NK cells and KG1a. After the fully automated NK cell separation process on Prodigy, a new NK cell expansion protocol was generated that resulted in high numbers of NK cells with potent antitumor activity, which could be modified efficiently by novel third-generation, alpha-retroviral SIN vector constructs. Next steps are the integration of the manual expansion procedure in the fully integrated platform for a standardized GMP-compliant overall process in this closed system that also may include gene modification of NK cells to optimize target-specific antitumor activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephan Klöß
- 1 Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, GMPDU, IFB-Tx, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany
| | - Olaf Oberschmidt
- 1 Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, GMPDU, IFB-Tx, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael Morgan
- 2 Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany.,3 REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany
| | - Julia Dahlke
- 2 Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany.,3 REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany
| | - Lubomir Arseniev
- 1 Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, GMPDU, IFB-Tx, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany
| | | | | | - Tanja Gardlowski
- 1 Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, GMPDU, IFB-Tx, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany
| | - Nadine Matthies
- 1 Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, GMPDU, IFB-Tx, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Axel Schambach
- 2 Institute of Experimental Hematology, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany.,3 REBIRTH Cluster of Excellence, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany.,5 Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School , Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- 1 Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, GMPDU, IFB-Tx, Hannover Medical School , Hannover, Germany
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Delso-Vallejo M, Kollet J, Koehl U, Huppert V. Influence of Irradiated Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells on Both Ex Vivo Proliferation of Human Natural Killer Cells and Change in Cellular Property. Front Immunol 2017; 8:854. [PMID: 28791015 PMCID: PMC5522833 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2017] [Accepted: 07/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical studies with adoptive immunotherapy using allogeneic natural killer (NK) cells showed feasibility, but also limitation regarding the transfused absolute cell numbers. First promising results with peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) as feeder cells to improve the final cell number need further optimization and investigation of the unknown controlling mechanism in the cross-talk to NK cells. We investigated the influence of irradiated autologous PBMCs to boost NK cell proliferation in the presence of OKT3 and IL-2. Our findings demonstrate a requirement for receptor-ligand interactions between feeders and NK cells to produce soluble factors that can sustain NK cell proliferation. Thus, both physical contact between feeder and NK cells, and soluble factors produced in consequence, are required to fully enhance NK cell ex vivo proliferation. This occurred with an indispensable role of the cross-talk between T cells, monocytes, and NK cells, while B cells had no further influence in supporting NK cell proliferation under these co-culture conditions. Moreover, gene expression analysis of highly proliferating and non-proliferating NK cells revealed important phenotypic changes on 5-day cultured NK cells. Actively proliferating NK cells have reduced Siglec-7 and -9 expression compared with non-proliferating and resting NK cells (day 0), independently of the presence of feeder cells. Interestingly, proliferating NK cells cultured with feeder cells contained increased frequencies of cells expressing RANKL, B7-H3, and HLA class II molecules, particularly HLA-DR, compared with resting NK cells or expanded with IL-2 only. A subset of HLA-DR expressing NK cells, co-expressing RANKL, and B7-H3 corresponded to the most proliferative population under the established co-culture conditions. Our results highlight the importance of the crosstalk between T cells, monocytes, and NK cells in autologous feeder cell-based ex vivo NK cell expansion protocols, and reveal the appearance of a highly proliferative subpopulation of NK cells (HLA-DR+RANKL+B7-H3+) with promising characteristics to extend the therapeutic potential of NK cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jutta Kollet
- Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Bergisch-Gladbach, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Hannover Medical School, Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, IFB-Tx, Hannover, Germany
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Hofer E, Koehl U. Natural Killer Cell-Based Cancer Immunotherapies: From Immune Evasion to Promising Targeted Cellular Therapies. Front Immunol 2017; 8:745. [PMID: 28747910 PMCID: PMC5506076 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapies based on natural killer (NK) cells are among the most promising therapies under development for the treatment of so far incurable forms of leukemia and other types of cancer. The importance of NK cells for the control of viral infections and cancer is supported among others by the findings that viruses and tumors use a multitude of mechanisms to subvert and evade the NK cell system. Infections and malignant diseases can further lead to the shaping of NK cell populations with altered reactivity. Counter measures of potential therapeutic impact include the blocking of inhibitory interactions between NK cell receptors and their cellular ligands, the enhancement of activating receptor signals, and the infusion of large numbers of ex vivo generated and selected NK cells. Moreover, the specific cross-linking of NK cells to their target cells using chimeric antigen receptors or therapeutic bi-/trispecific antibody reagents is a promising approach. In this context, NK cells stand out by their positive effects and safety demonstrated in most clinical trials so far. Based in part on results of the recent EC-sponsored project “NATURIMMUN” and considering additional published work in the field, we discuss below new developments and future directions that have the potential to further advance and establish NK cell-based therapies at the clinics on a broader scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erhard Hofer
- Department of Vascular Biology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, IFB-Tx, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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42
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Ogonek J, Verma K, Schultze-Florey C, Varanasi P, Luther S, Schweier P, Kühnau W, Göhring G, Dammann E, Stadler M, Ganser A, Koehl U, Koenecke C, Weissinger EM, Hambach L. Characterization of High-Avidity Cytomegalovirus-Specific T Cells with Differential Tetramer Binding Coappearing after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation. J I 2017. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1601992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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43
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Oberschmidt O, Kloess S, Koehl U. Redirected Primary Human Chimeric Antigen Receptor Natural Killer Cells As an "Off-the-Shelf Immunotherapy" for Improvement in Cancer Treatment. Front Immunol 2017. [PMID: 28649246 PMCID: PMC5465249 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary human natural killer (NK) cells recognize and subsequently eliminate virus infected cells, tumor cells, or other aberrant cells. However, cancer cells are able to develop tumor immune escape mechanisms to undermine this immune control. To overcome this obstacle, NK cells can be genetically modified to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) in order to improve specific recognition of cancer surface markers (e.g., CD19, CD20, and ErbB2). After target recognition, intracellular CAR domain signaling (CD3ζ, CD28, 4-1BB, and 2B4) leads to activation of PI3K or DNAX proteins (DAP10, DAP12) and finally to enhanced cytotoxicity, proliferation, and/or interferon γ release. This mini-review summarizes both the first preclinical trials with CAR-engineered primary human NK cells and the translational implications for “off-the-shelf immunotherapy” in cancer treatment. Signal transduction in NK cells as well as optimization of CAR signaling will be described, becoming more and more a focal point of interest in addition to redirected T cells. Finally, strategies to overcome off-target effects will be discussed in order to improve future clinical trials and to avoid attacking healthy tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olaf Oberschmidt
- Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Stephan Kloess
- Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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44
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Weil S, Memmer S, Lechner A, Huppert V, Giannattasio A, Becker T, Müller-Runte A, Lampe K, Beutner D, Quaas A, Schubert R, Herrmann E, Steinle A, Koehl U, Walter L, von Bergwelt-Baildon MS, Koch J. Natural Killer Group 2D Ligand Depletion Reconstitutes Natural Killer Cell Immunosurveillance of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Front Immunol 2017; 8:387. [PMID: 28443091 PMCID: PMC5385630 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2017] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a highly heterogeneous and aggressive tumor originating from the epithelial lining of the upper aero-digestive tract accounting for 300,000 annual deaths worldwide due to failure of current therapies. The natural killer group 2D (NKG2D) receptors on natural killer (NK) cells and several T cell subsets play an important role for immunosurveillance of HNSCC and are thus targeted by tumor immune evasion strategies in particular by shedding of various NKG2D ligands (NKG2DLs). Based on plasma and tumor samples of 44 HNSCC patients, we found that despite compositional heterogeneity the total plasma level of NKG2DLs correlates with NK cell inhibition and disease progression. Strikingly, based on tumor spheroids and primary tumors of HNSCC patients, we found that NK cells failed to infiltrate HNSCC tumors in the presence of high levels of NKG2DLs, demonstrating a novel mechanism of NKG2DL-dependent tumor immune escape. Therefore, the diagnostic acquisition of the plasma level of all NKG2DLs might be instrumental for prognosis and to decipher a patient cohort, which could benefit from restoration of NKG2D-dependent tumor immunosurveillance. Along these lines, we could show that removal of shed NKG2DLs (sNKG2DLs) from HNSCC patients’ plasma restored NK cell function in vitro and in individual patients following surgical removal of the primary tumor. In order to translate these findings into a therapeutic setting, we performed a proof-of-concept study to test the efficacy of adsorption apheresis of sNKG2DLs from plasma after infusion of human MICA in rhesus monkeys. Complete removal of MICA was achieved after three plasma volume exchanges. Therefore, we propose adsorption apheresis of sNKG2DLs as a future preconditioning strategy to improve the efficacy of autologous and adoptively transferred immune cells in cellular cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Weil
- NK Cell Biology, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University of Mainz Medical Center, Mainz, Germany
| | - Stefanie Memmer
- NK Cell Biology, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University of Mainz Medical Center, Mainz, Germany
| | - Axel Lechner
- Medical Faculty, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Cologne, Center for Integrated Oncology Köln Bonn, Cologne, Germany
| | | | - Ariane Giannattasio
- NK Cell Biology, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Tamara Becker
- Primate Husbandry, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Karen Lampe
- Infectious Pathology Unit, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dirk Beutner
- Medical Faculty, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Cologne, Center for Integrated Oncology Köln Bonn, Cologne, Germany
| | - Alexander Quaas
- Institute of Pathology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Ralf Schubert
- Allergy, Pulmonology, and Cystic Fibrosis, Children's Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Eva Herrmann
- Institute for Biostatistics and Mathematical Modelling, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Alexander Steinle
- Institute for Molecular Medicine, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Hannover Medical School, Institute for Cellular Therapeutics, IFB-Tx, Hannover, Germany
| | - Lutz Walter
- Primate Genetics Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Joachim Koch
- NK Cell Biology, Georg-Speyer-Haus, Institute for Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapy, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University of Mainz Medical Center, Mainz, Germany
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45
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Ogonek J, Varanasi P, Luther S, Schweier P, Kühnau W, Göhring G, Dammann E, Stadler M, Ganser A, Borchers S, Koehl U, Weissinger EM, Hambach L. Possible Impact of Cytomegalovirus-Specific CD8 + T Cells on Immune Reconstitution and Conversion to Complete Donor Chimerism after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 2017; 23:1046-1053. [PMID: 28344058 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbmt.2017.03.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Accepted: 03/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Complete donor chimerism is strongly associated with complete remission after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) in patients with hematologic malignancies. Donor-derived allo-immune responses eliminate the residual host hematopoiesis and thereby mediate the conversion to complete donor chimerism. Recently, cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation was described to enhance overall T cell reconstitution, to increase graft-versus-host disease incidence, and to reduce the leukemia relapse risk. However, the link between CMV and allo-immune responses is still unclear. Here, we studied the relationship between CMV-specific immunity, overall T cell reconstitution, and residual host chimerism in 106 CMV-seropositive patients transplanted after reduced-intensity conditioning including antithymocyte globulin. In accordance with previous reports, the recovery of CMV-specific cytotoxic T cells (CMV-CTLs) was more frequent in CMV-seropositive recipients (R) transplanted from CMV-seropositive than from seronegative donors (D). However, once CMV-CTLs were detectable, the reconstitution of CMV-specific CTLs was comparable in CMV R+/D- and R+/D+ patients. CD3+ and CD8+ T cell reconstitution was significantly faster in patients with CMV-CTLs than in patients without CMV-CTLs both in the CMV R+/D- and R+/D+ setting. Moreover, CMV-CTL numbers correlated with CD3+ and CD8+ T cell numbers in both settings. Finally, presence of CMV-CTLs was associated with low host chimerism levels 3 months after allo-SCT. In conclusion, our data provide a first indication that CMV-CTLs in CMV-seropositive patients might trigger the reconstitution of T cells and allo-immune responses reflected by the conversion to complete donor chimerism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justyna Ogonek
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Pavankumar Varanasi
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Susanne Luther
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Patrick Schweier
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Kühnau
- Department Human Genetics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Gudrun Göhring
- Department Human Genetics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Elke Dammann
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Michael Stadler
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Arnold Ganser
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | | | - Ulrike Koehl
- Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Eva M Weissinger
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Hannover-Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Lothar Hambach
- Department of Hematology, Hemostasis, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
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46
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Bogdanou D, Penna-Martinez M, Filmann N, Chung TL, Moran-Auth Y, Wehrle J, Cappel C, Huenecke S, Herrmann E, Koehl U, Badenhoop K. T-lymphocyte and glycemic status after vitamin D treatment in type 1 diabetes: A randomized controlled trial with sequential crossover. Diabetes Metab Res Rev 2017; 33. [PMID: 27764529 DOI: 10.1002/dmrr.2865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2016] [Revised: 09/19/2016] [Accepted: 10/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D) is mediated by autoaggressive T effector cells with an underlying regulatory T-cell (Treg) defect. Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent in T1D, which can aggravate immune dysfunction. High-dose vitamin D treatment may enhance Tregs and improve metabolism in T1D patients. METHODS In a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial with crossover design, patients received either for 3 months cholecalciferol 4000 IU/d followed by 3 months placebo or the sequential alternative. Thirty-nine T1D patients (19 women and 20 men) completed the trial. RESULTS Primary outcome was a change of Tregs, secondary HbA1C, and insulin demand. Effects were evaluated based on intra-individual changes between treatment and placebo periods for outcome measures. Exploratory analyses included vitamin D system variant genotyping and C-peptide measurements. Median 25(OH)D3 increased to 38.8 ng/ml with males showing a significantly stronger increase (p = .003). T-lymphocyte profiles did not change significantly (p > 2); however, the intra-individual change of Tregs between males and females was different with a significantly stronger increase in men (p = .017), as well as between genotypes of the vitamin D receptor (Apa, Taq, and Bsm: genotypes aa, TT, and bb; p = .004-0.015). Insulin demands declined significantly (p = .003-.039) and HbA1C improved (p < .001). Random C-peptide levels were low but rising (median, 0.125 ng/ml; range, 0.02-0.3) in 6 patients. No toxicity was observed. CONCLUSION A daily vitamin D dose of 4000 IU for 3 months was well tolerated and enhanced Tregs in males. Glucometabolic control improved in all. Subsequent larger trials need to address ß-cell function and genotyping for individualized vitamin D doses.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Bogdanou
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Medical Department 1, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - M Penna-Martinez
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Medical Department 1, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - N Filmann
- Institute of Biostatistics and Mathematical Modeling, Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany
| | - T L Chung
- Institute of Biostatistics and Mathematical Modeling, Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Y Moran-Auth
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Medical Department 1, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - J Wehrle
- Pharmacy of the Goethe University Hospital, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - C Cappel
- Laboratory for Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunotherapy, Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Germany
| | - S Huenecke
- Laboratory for Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunotherapy, Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Germany
| | - E Herrmann
- Institute of Biostatistics and Mathematical Modeling, Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany
| | - U Koehl
- Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Hanover Medical School, Germany
| | - K Badenhoop
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Medical Department 1, University Hospital, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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47
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Huenecke S, Fryns E, Wittekindt B, Buxmann H, Königs C, Quaiser A, Fischer D, Bremm M, Klingebiel T, Koehl U, Schloesser R, Bochennek K. Percentiles of Lymphocyte Subsets in Preterm Infants According to Gestational Age Compared to Children and Adolescents. Scand J Immunol 2016; 84:291-298. [DOI: 10.1111/sji.12474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2016] [Accepted: 08/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S. Huenecke
- Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital; Frankfurt Germany
| | - E. Fryns
- Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital; Frankfurt Germany
| | - B. Wittekindt
- Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital; Frankfurt Germany
| | - H. Buxmann
- Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital; Frankfurt Germany
| | - C. Königs
- Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital; Frankfurt Germany
| | - A. Quaiser
- Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital; Frankfurt Germany
| | - D. Fischer
- Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital; Frankfurt Germany
| | - M. Bremm
- Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital; Frankfurt Germany
| | - T. Klingebiel
- Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital; Frankfurt Germany
| | - U. Koehl
- Institute of Cellular Therapeutics; GMP Development Unit, IFB-TX; Hannover Medical School; Hannover Germany
| | - R. Schloesser
- Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital; Frankfurt Germany
| | - K. Bochennek
- Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, University Hospital; Frankfurt Germany
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48
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Gerstner S, Köhler W, Heidkamp G, Purbojo A, Uchida S, Ekici AB, Heger L, Luetke-Eversloh M, Schubert R, Bader P, Klingebiel T, Koehl U, Mackensen A, Romagnani C, Cesnjevar R, Dudziak D, Ullrich E. Specific phenotype and function of CD56-expressing innate immune cell subsets in human thymus. J Leukoc Biol 2016; 100:1297-1310. [PMID: 27354408 DOI: 10.1189/jlb.1a0116-038r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2016] [Revised: 05/22/2016] [Accepted: 06/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Whereas innate immune cells, such as NK and innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), have been characterized in different human tissues, knowledge on the thymic CD56-expressing cell subsets is limited. In this study, the rare subpopulations of thymic CD56+CD3- cells from samples of >100 patients have been successfully analyzed. The results revealed fundamental differences between thymic and peripheral blood (PB) CD56+CD3- cells. Thymic tissues lacked immunoregulatory CD56highCD16dim NK cells but showed two Eomes+CD56dim subsets on which common NK cell markers were significantly altered. CD56dimCD16high cells expressed high amounts of NKG2A, NKG2D, and CD27 with low CD57. Conversely, CD56dimCD16dim cells displayed high CD127 but low expression of KIR, NKG2D, and natural cytotoxicity receptors (NCRs). Thymic CD56+CD3- cells were able to gain cytotoxicity but were especially immunoregulatory cells, producing a broad range of cytokines. Finally, one population of thymic CD56+ cells resembled conventional NK cells, whereas the other represented a novel, noncanonical NK subset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Gerstner
- Department of Internal Medicine 5, Hematology and Oncology, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.,Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany.,Laboratory for Cellular Immunology, LOEWE Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Köhler
- Department of Internal Medicine 5, Hematology and Oncology, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Gordon Heidkamp
- Laboratory of Dendritic Cell Biology, Department of Dermatology, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Ariawan Purbojo
- Department of Pediatric Heart Surgery, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Shizuka Uchida
- Laboratory for Cellular Immunology, LOEWE Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany.,Institute of Cardiovascular Regeneration, Centre for Molecular Medicine, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Arif B Ekici
- Institute of Human Genetics, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Lukas Heger
- Laboratory of Dendritic Cell Biology, Department of Dermatology, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Merlin Luetke-Eversloh
- Innate Immunity, Deutsches Rheuma-Forschungszentrum-Leibniz-Gemeinschaft, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ralf Schubert
- University Hospital Frankfurt/Main, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, Pulmonology, Allergy and Cystic Fibrosis, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany; and
| | - Peter Bader
- Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany.,Laboratory for Cellular Immunology, LOEWE Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Thomas Klingebiel
- Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany.,Laboratory for Cellular Immunology, LOEWE Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Institute of Cellular Therapeutics, Integrated Research and Treatment Center Transplantation, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Andreas Mackensen
- Department of Internal Medicine 5, Hematology and Oncology, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Chiara Romagnani
- Innate Immunity, Deutsches Rheuma-Forschungszentrum-Leibniz-Gemeinschaft, Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert Cesnjevar
- Department of Pediatric Heart Surgery, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Diana Dudziak
- Laboratory of Dendritic Cell Biology, Department of Dermatology, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Evelyn Ullrich
- Department of Internal Medicine 5, Hematology and Oncology, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany; .,Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunology, Department for Children and Adolescents Medicine, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany.,Laboratory for Cellular Immunology, LOEWE Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
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49
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Huenecke S, Bremm M, Cappel C, Esser R, Quaiser A, Bonig H, Jarisch A, Soerensen J, Klingebiel T, Bader P, Koehl U. Optimization of individualized graft composition: CD3/CD19 depletion combined with CD34 selection for haploidentical transplantation. Transfusion 2016; 56:2336-45. [DOI: 10.1111/trf.13694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2016] [Revised: 05/04/2016] [Accepted: 05/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Huenecke
- Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent MedicineUniversity HospitalFrankfurt Germany
| | - Melanie Bremm
- Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent MedicineUniversity HospitalFrankfurt Germany
| | - Claudia Cappel
- Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent MedicineUniversity HospitalFrankfurt Germany
| | - Ruth Esser
- GMP Development UnitInstitute of Cellular Therapeutics, IFB‐TX, Hannover Medical SchoolHannover Germany
| | - Andrea Quaiser
- Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent MedicineUniversity HospitalFrankfurt Germany
| | - Halvard Bonig
- Division for Cell ProcessingInstitute for Transfusion Medicine and Immunohematology, Goethe‐University Frankfurt/Main
- German Red Cross Blood Donor Service, Baden‐Württemberg‐HessenFrankfurt/Main, Germany
| | - Andrea Jarisch
- Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent MedicineUniversity HospitalFrankfurt Germany
| | - Jan Soerensen
- Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent MedicineUniversity HospitalFrankfurt Germany
| | - Thomas Klingebiel
- Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent MedicineUniversity HospitalFrankfurt Germany
| | - Peter Bader
- Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent MedicineUniversity HospitalFrankfurt Germany
| | - Ulrike Koehl
- Clinic for Pediatric and Adolescent MedicineUniversity HospitalFrankfurt Germany
- GMP Development UnitInstitute of Cellular Therapeutics, IFB‐TX, Hannover Medical SchoolHannover Germany
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50
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Siler U, Paruzynski A, Holtgreve-Grez H, Kuzmenko E, Koehl U, Renner ED, Alhan C, de Loosdrecht AAV, Schwäble J, Pfluger T, Tchinda J, Schmugge M, Jauch A, Naundorf S, Kühlcke K, Notheis G, Güngor T, Kalle CV, Schmidt M, Grez M, Seger R, Reichenbach J. Successful Combination of Sequential Gene Therapy and Rescue Allo-HSCT in Two Children with X-CGD - Importance of Timing. Curr Gene Ther 2016; 15:416-27. [PMID: 25981636 DOI: 10.2174/1566523215666150515145255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2014] [Revised: 01/09/2015] [Accepted: 01/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
We report on a series of sequential events leading to long-term survival and cure of pediatric X-linked chronic granulomatous disease (X-CGD) patients after gamma-retroviral gene therapy (GT) and rescue HSCT. Due to therapyrefractory life-threatening infections requiring hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) but absence of HLAidentical donors, we treated 2 boys with X-CGD by GT. Following GT both children completely resolved invasive Aspergillus nidulans infections. However, one child developed dual insertional activation of ecotropic viral integration site 1 (EVI1) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) genes, leading to myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with monosomy 7. Despite resistance to mismatched allo-HSCT with standard myeloablative conditioning, secondary intensified rescue allo-HSCT resulted in 100 % donor chimerism and disappearance of MDS. The other child did not develop MDS despite expansion of a clone with a single insertion in the myelodysplasia syndrome 1 (MDS1) gene and was cured by early standard allo-HSCT. The slowly developing dominance of clones harboring integrations in MDS1-EVI1 may guide clinical intervention strategies, i.e. early rescue allo-HSCT, prior to malignant transformation. GT was essential for both children to survive and to clear therapy-refractory infections, and future GT with safer lentiviral self-inactivated (SIN) vectors may offer a therapeutic alternative for X-CGD patients suffering from life-threatening infections and lacking HLA-identical HSC donors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Janine Reichenbach
- University Children's Hospital Zurich, Div. of Immunology, Steinwiesstr. 75, CH-8032 Zurich.
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