1
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Wu J, Shen W, Fan Q, Zhang J, Zeng F. shRNA Targeting Lentiviral Vector Minus-Strand Product Improves the Viral Titer During Viral Packaging. Mol Biotechnol 2024:10.1007/s12033-023-01038-w. [PMID: 38300454 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-023-01038-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
Lentiviral vector (LVV) has been used as one of the common carriers for gene therapy in clinical trials. LVV-mediated clinical trials have being reported in successfully treating hundreds of β-thalassemia cases. These LVVs bear an inversely placed β-hemoglobin (HBB) gene expression cassette for preserving introns during the viral RNA packaging. Consequently, these LVVs often produce a small amount of negatively orientated transcript driven by its internal gene promoter and would lower the viral titer by the minus-strand complemented with the viral backbone. To overcome this problem, we designed shRNAs specifically target the minus-strand RNA driven by the LVV internal promoter that resulted in a notable increase in the viral titer. This report demonstrates a simple and positive mean for increasing the effectiveness for gene therapy with the LVV system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahui Wu
- Shanghai Institute of Medical Genetics, Shanghai Children's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200040, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Medical Embryogenesis and Developmental Molecular Biology & Shanghai Key Laboratory of Embryo and Reproduction Engineering, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Wenchen Shen
- Shanghai Institute of Medical Genetics, Shanghai Children's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200040, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Medical Embryogenesis and Developmental Molecular Biology & Shanghai Key Laboratory of Embryo and Reproduction Engineering, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Qianhai Fan
- Shanghai Institute of Medical Genetics, Shanghai Children's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200040, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Medical Embryogenesis and Developmental Molecular Biology & Shanghai Key Laboratory of Embryo and Reproduction Engineering, Shanghai, 200040, China
| | - Jingzhi Zhang
- Shanghai Institute of Medical Genetics, Shanghai Children's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200040, China.
- NHC Key Laboratory of Medical Embryogenesis and Developmental Molecular Biology & Shanghai Key Laboratory of Embryo and Reproduction Engineering, Shanghai, 200040, China.
| | - Fanyi Zeng
- Shanghai Institute of Medical Genetics, Shanghai Children's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200040, China.
- Department of Histo-Embryology, Genetics and Developmental Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, China.
- NHC Key Laboratory of Medical Embryogenesis and Developmental Molecular Biology & Shanghai Key Laboratory of Embryo and Reproduction Engineering, Shanghai, 200040, China.
- School of Pharmacy, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China.
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2
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Hollingsworth EW, Liu TA, Jacinto SH, Chen CX, Alcantara JA, Kvon EZ. Rapid and Quantitative Functional Interrogation of Human Enhancer Variant Activity in Live Mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.10.570890. [PMID: 38105996 PMCID: PMC10723448 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.10.570890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
Functional analysis of non-coding variants associated with human congenital disorders remains challenging due to the lack of efficient in vivo models. Here we introduce dual-enSERT, a robust Cas9-based two-color fluorescent reporter system which enables rapid, quantitative comparison of enhancer allele activities in live mice of any genetic background. We use this new technology to examine and measure the gain- and loss-of-function effects of enhancer variants linked to limb polydactyly, autism, and craniofacial malformation. By combining dual-enSERT with single-cell transcriptomics, we characterize variant enhancer alleles at cellular resolution, thereby implicating candidate molecular pathways in pathogenic enhancer misregulation. We further show that independent, polydactyly-linked enhancer variants lead to ectopic expression in the same cell populations, indicating shared genetic mechanisms underlying non-coding variant pathogenesis. Finally, we streamline dual-enSERT for analysis in F0 animals by placing both reporters on the same transgene separated by a synthetic insulator. Dual-enSERT allows researchers to go from identifying candidate enhancer variants to analysis of comparative enhancer activity in live embryos in under two weeks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ethan W. Hollingsworth
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Taryn A. Liu
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Sandra H. Jacinto
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Cindy X. Chen
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Joshua A. Alcantara
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - Evgeny Z. Kvon
- Department of Developmental and Cell Biology, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
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3
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Uchida N, Stasula U, Demirci S, Germino-Watnick P, Hinds M, Le A, Chu R, Berg A, Liu X, Su L, Wu X, Krouse AE, Linde NS, Bonifacino A, Hong SG, Dunbar CE, Lanieri L, Bhat A, Palchaudhuri R, Bennet B, Hoban M, Bertelsen K, Olson LM, Donahue RE, Tisdale JF. Fertility-preserving myeloablative conditioning using single-dose CD117 antibody-drug conjugate in a rhesus gene therapy model. Nat Commun 2023; 14:6291. [PMID: 37828021 PMCID: PMC10570335 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41153-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) gene therapy has curative potential; however, its use is limited by the morbidity and mortality associated with current chemotherapy-based conditioning. Targeted conditioning using antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) holds promise for reduced toxicity in HSC gene therapy. Here we test the ability of an antibody-drug conjugate targeting CD117 (CD117-ADC) to enable engraftment in a non-human primate lentiviral gene therapy model of hemoglobinopathies. Following single-dose CD117-ADC, a >99% depletion of bone marrow CD34 + CD90 + CD45RA- cells without lymphocyte reduction is observed, which results are not inferior to multi-day myeloablative busulfan conditioning. CD117-ADC, similarly to busulfan, allows efficient engraftment, gene marking, and vector-derived fetal hemoglobin induction. Importantly, ADC treatment is associated with minimal toxicity, and CD117-ADC-conditioned animals maintain fertility. In contrast, busulfan treatment commonly causes severe toxicities and infertility in humans. Thus, the myeloablative capacity of single-dose CD117-ADC is sufficient for efficient engraftment of gene-modified HSCs while preserving fertility and reducing adverse effects related to toxicity in non-human primates. This targeted conditioning approach thus provides the proof-of-principle to improve risk-benefit ratio in a variety of HSC-based gene therapy products in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoya Uchida
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) / National Institute of Diabetes, and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, MD, USA.
- Division of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Center for Gene and Cell Therapy, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
| | - Ulana Stasula
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) / National Institute of Diabetes, and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, MD, USA
| | - Selami Demirci
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) / National Institute of Diabetes, and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, MD, USA
| | - Paula Germino-Watnick
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) / National Institute of Diabetes, and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, MD, USA
| | - Malikiya Hinds
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) / National Institute of Diabetes, and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, MD, USA
| | - Anh Le
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) / National Institute of Diabetes, and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, MD, USA
| | - Rebecca Chu
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) / National Institute of Diabetes, and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, MD, USA
| | - Alexander Berg
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) / National Institute of Diabetes, and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, MD, USA
| | - Xiong Liu
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) / National Institute of Diabetes, and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, MD, USA
| | - Ling Su
- Genomics Technology Laboratory, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Xiaolin Wu
- Genomics Technology Laboratory, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Allen E Krouse
- Translational Stem Cell Biology Branch, NHLBI, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - N Seth Linde
- Translational Stem Cell Biology Branch, NHLBI, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Aylin Bonifacino
- Translational Stem Cell Biology Branch, NHLBI, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - So Gun Hong
- Translational Stem Cell Biology Branch, NHLBI, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Cynthia E Dunbar
- Translational Stem Cell Biology Branch, NHLBI, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Robert E Donahue
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) / National Institute of Diabetes, and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, MD, USA
| | - John F Tisdale
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) / National Institute of Diabetes, and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, MD, USA
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4
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Hematopoietic Stem Cell Gene-Addition/Editing Therapy in Sickle Cell Disease. Cells 2022; 11:cells11111843. [PMID: 35681538 PMCID: PMC9180595 DOI: 10.3390/cells11111843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Autologous hematopoietic stem cell (HSC)-targeted gene therapy provides a one-time cure for various genetic diseases including sickle cell disease (SCD) and β-thalassemia. SCD is caused by a point mutation (20A > T) in the β-globin gene. Since SCD is the most common single-gene disorder, curing SCD is a primary goal in HSC gene therapy. β-thalassemia results from either the absence or the reduction of β-globin expression, and it can be cured using similar strategies. In HSC gene-addition therapy, patient CD34+ HSCs are genetically modified by adding a therapeutic β-globin gene with lentiviral transduction, followed by autologous transplantation. Alternatively, novel gene-editing therapies allow for the correction of the mutated β-globin gene, instead of addition. Furthermore, these diseases can be cured by γ-globin induction based on gene addition/editing in HSCs. In this review, we discuss HSC-targeted gene therapy in SCD with gene addition as well as gene editing.
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5
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Yannaki E, Psatha N, Papadopoulou A, Athanasopoulos T, Gravanis A, Roubelakis MG, Tsirigotis P, Anagnostopoulos A, Anagnou NP, Vassilopoulos G. Success Stories and Challenges Ahead in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Gene Therapy: Hemoglobinopathies as Disease Models. Hum Gene Ther 2021; 32:1120-1137. [PMID: 34662232 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2021.196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Gene therapy is a relatively novel field that amounts to around four decades of continuous growth with its good and bad moments. Currently, the field has entered the clinical arena with the ambition to fulfil its promises for a permanent fix of incurable genetic disorders. Hemoglobinopathies as target diseases and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) as target cells of genetic interventions had a major share in the research effort toward efficiently implementing gene therapy. Dissection of HSC biology and improvements in gene transfer and gene expression technologies evolved in an almost synchronous manner to a point where the two fields seem to be functionally intercalated. In this review, we focus specifically on the development of gene therapy for hemoglobin disorders and look at both gene addition and gene correction strategies that may dominate the field of HSC-directed gene therapy in the near future and transform the therapeutic landscape for genetic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evangelia Yannaki
- Hematology Department-HCT Unit, Gene and Cell Therapy Center, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Nikoletta Psatha
- Altius Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Anastasia Papadopoulou
- Hematology Department-HCT Unit, Gene and Cell Therapy Center, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Takis Athanasopoulos
- Cell and Gene Therapy (CGT), Medicinal Science and Technology (MST), GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Medicines Research Centre, Stevenage, United Kingdom
| | - Achilleas Gravanis
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Maria G Roubelakis
- Laboratory of Biology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece and Centre of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens (BRFAA), Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Tsirigotis
- 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, ATTIKO General University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Achilles Anagnostopoulos
- Hematology Department-HCT Unit, Gene and Cell Therapy Center, George Papanikolaou Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | | | - George Vassilopoulos
- BRFAA, Cell and Gene Therapy Lab, Athens, Greece.,Department of Hematology, UHL, University of Thessaly Medical School, Athens, Greece
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6
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Papayanni PG, Psatha N, Christofi P, Li XG, Melo P, Volpin M, Montini E, Liu M, Kaltsounis G, Yiangou M, Emery DW, Anagnostopoulos A, Papayannopoulou T, Huang S, Stamatoyannopoulos G, Yannaki E. Investigating the Barrier Activity of Novel, Human Enhancer-Blocking Chromatin Insulators for Hematopoietic Stem Cell Gene Therapy. Hum Gene Ther 2021; 32:1186-1199. [PMID: 34477013 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2021.142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the unequivocal success of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell gene therapy, limitations still exist including genotoxicity and variegation/silencing of transgene expression. A class of DNA regulatory elements known as chromatin insulators (CIs) can mitigate both vector transcriptional silencing (barrier CIs) and vector-induced genotoxicity (enhancer-blocking CIs) and have been proposed as genetic modulators to minimize unwanted vector/genome interactions. Recently, a number of human, small-sized, and compact CIs bearing strong enhancer-blocking activity were identified. To ultimately uncover an ideal CI with a dual, enhancer-blocking and barrier activity, we interrogated these elements in vitro and in vivo. After initial screening of a series of these enhancer-blocking insulators for potential barrier activity, we identified three distinct categories with no, partial, or full protection against transgene silencing. Subsequently, the two CIs with full barrier activity (B4 and C1) were tested for their ability to protect against position effects in primary cells, after incorporation into lentiviral vectors (LVs) and transduction of human CD34+ cells. B4 and C1 did not adversely affect vector titers due to their small size, while they performed as strong barrier insulators in CD34+ cells, both in vitro and in vivo, shielding transgene's long-term expression, more robustly when placed in the forward orientation. Overall, the incorporation of these dual-functioning elements into therapeutic viral vectors will potentially provide a new generation of safer and more efficient LVs for all hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Penelope-Georgia Papayanni
- Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Hematology Department, Gene and Cell Therapy Center, "George Papanikolaou" Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.,Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Nikoletta Psatha
- Altius Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Panayota Christofi
- Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Hematology Department, Gene and Cell Therapy Center, "George Papanikolaou" Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.,Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Xing-Guo Li
- Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Pamela Melo
- Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Hematology Department, Gene and Cell Therapy Center, "George Papanikolaou" Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.,Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Monica Volpin
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy-IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Eugenio Montini
- San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy-IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Mingdong Liu
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Georgios Kaltsounis
- Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Hematology Department, Gene and Cell Therapy Center, "George Papanikolaou" Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Minas Yiangou
- Department of Genetics, Development and Molecular Biology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - David W Emery
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Achilles Anagnostopoulos
- Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Hematology Department, Gene and Cell Therapy Center, "George Papanikolaou" Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | | | - Suming Huang
- Department of Pediatrics, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Evangelia Yannaki
- Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Unit, Hematology Department, Gene and Cell Therapy Center, "George Papanikolaou" Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.,Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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7
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Drysdale CM, Nassehi T, Gamer J, Yapundich M, Tisdale JF, Uchida N. Hematopoietic-Stem-Cell-Targeted Gene-Addition and Gene-Editing Strategies for β-hemoglobinopathies. Cell Stem Cell 2021; 28:191-208. [PMID: 33545079 DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2021.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is caused by a well-defined point mutation in the β-globin gene and therefore is an optimal target for hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) gene-addition/editing therapy. In HSC gene-addition therapy, a therapeutic β-globin gene is integrated into patient HSCs via lentiviral transduction, resulting in long-term phenotypic correction. State-of-the-art gene-editing technology has made it possible to repair the β-globin mutation in patient HSCs or target genetic loci associated with reactivation of endogenous γ-globin expression. With both approaches showing signs of therapeutic efficacy in patients, we discuss current genetic treatments, challenges, and technical advances in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire M Drysdale
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Tina Nassehi
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jackson Gamer
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Morgan Yapundich
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - John F Tisdale
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| | - Naoya Uchida
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD 20892, USA; Division of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Center for Gene and Cell Therapy, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan.
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8
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9
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Lu XB, Guo YH, Huang W. Characterization of the cHS4 insulator in mouse embryonic stem cells. FEBS Open Bio 2020; 10:644-656. [PMID: 32087050 PMCID: PMC7137798 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.12818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2019] [Revised: 02/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Synthetic biology circuits are often constructed with multiple gene expression units assembled in close proximity, and they can be used to perform complex functions in embryonic stem cells (ESCs). However, mutual interference between transcriptional units has not been well studied in mouse ESCs. To assess the efficiency of insulators at suppressing promoter interference in mouse ESCs, we used an evaluation scheme in which a tunable tetracycline response element promoter is connected to a constant Nanog promoter. The chicken hypersensitive site 4 (cHS4) insulator, widely used both for enhancer blocking and for barrier insulation in vitro and in vivo, was positioned between the two expression units for assessment. By inserting the cassette into various loci of the mouse ESC genome with PiggyBac transposon, we were able to quantitatively examine the protective effect of cHS4 by gradually increasing the transcriptional activity of the tetracycline response element promoter with doxycycline and then measuring the transcriptional activity of the Nanog promoter. Our results indicate that the cHS4 insulator has minimal insulating effects on promoter interference in mouse ESCs. Further studies show that the cHS4 insulation effect may be promoter specific and related to interaction with CCCTC‐binding factor‐mediated loop formation. In addition, we also compared DNA transposition and transgene expression with or without the cHS4 insulator using well‐established ESC reporters. The results indicate that cHS4 has no apparent effects on DNA transposition and transgene expression levels, but exerts modest protective effects on long‐term transgene silencing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi-Bin Lu
- Core Research Facilities, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yu-Han Guo
- Forward Pharmaceuticals Limited Co., Shenzhen, China
| | - Wei Huang
- Department of Biology, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
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10
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Uchida N, Hsieh MM, Raines L, Haro-Mora JJ, Demirci S, Bonifacino AC, Krouse AE, Metzger ME, Donahue RE, Tisdale JF. Development of a forward-oriented therapeutic lentiviral vector for hemoglobin disorders. Nat Commun 2019; 10:4479. [PMID: 31578323 PMCID: PMC6775231 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12456-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) gene therapy is being evaluated for hemoglobin disorders including sickle cell disease (SCD). Therapeutic globin vectors have demanding requirements including high-efficiency transduction at the HSC level and high-level, erythroid-specific expression with long-term persistence. The requirement of intron 2 for high-level β-globin expression dictates a reverse-oriented globin-expression cassette to prevent its loss from RNA splicing. Current reverse-oriented globin vectors can drive phenotypic correction, but they are limited by low vector titers and low transduction efficiencies. Here we report a clinically relevant forward-oriented β-globin-expressing vector, which has sixfold higher vector titers and four to tenfold higher transduction efficiency for long-term hematopoietic repopulating cells in humanized mice and rhesus macaques. Insertion of Rev response element (RRE) allows intron 2 to be retained, and β-globin production is observed in transplanted macaques and human SCD CD34+ cells. These findings bring us closer to a widely applicable gene therapy for hemoglobin disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoya Uchida
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
| | - Matthew M Hsieh
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Lydia Raines
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Juan J Haro-Mora
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Selami Demirci
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Aylin C Bonifacino
- Translational Stem Cell Biology Branch, NHLBI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Allen E Krouse
- Translational Stem Cell Biology Branch, NHLBI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Mark E Metzger
- Translational Stem Cell Biology Branch, NHLBI, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Robert E Donahue
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - John F Tisdale
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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11
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High-Efficiency Lentiviral Transduction of Human CD34 + Cells in High-Density Culture with Poloxamer and Prostaglandin E2. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2019; 13:187-196. [PMID: 30788387 PMCID: PMC6370599 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2019.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) gene therapy is curative for various hereditary diseases; however, high-efficiency transduction in HSCs remains crucial to improve the prospects for hemoglobinopathies. We previously optimized lentiviral transduction in human CD34+ cells with serum-free medium containing minimal cytokines, allowing efficient transduction (∼50%) and robust xenograft engraftment. In this study, we further improved lentiviral transduction in human CD34+ cells. High-density culture conditions (4e6/mL) resulted in ∼5-fold more efficient transduction in CD34+ cells (p < 0.01) compared with standard cell density (1e5/mL). After co-culturing vector-exposed CD34+ cells with non-transduced CD34+ cells, high-density culture conditions enhanced lentiviral gene marking in the non-transduced population (p < 0.01) compared with low-density conditions, suggesting that increasing cell-to-cell contact allows more efficient transduction. Two adjuvants, poloxamer 407 (100 μg/mL) and prostaglandin E2 (10 μM), were added to high-density CD34+ cells, resulting in ∼4-fold more efficient transduction (p < 0.01) without significant toxicity compared with no adjuvant control. In summary, we developed a highly efficient lentiviral transduction method in high-density CD34+ cell culture with poloxamer 407 and prostaglandin E2, allowing overall ∼10-fold improvement in transduction efficiency and consistently achieving more than 90% transduction and an average vector copy number of ∼10. Our optimized transduction method should improve gene therapy approaches using lentiviral vectors targeting HSCs.
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12
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Uchida N, Haro-Mora JJ, Demirci S, Fujita A, Raines L, Hsieh MM, Tisdale JF. High-level embryonic globin production with efficient erythroid differentiation from a K562 erythroleukemia cell line. Exp Hematol 2018; 62:7-16.e1. [PMID: 29524566 PMCID: PMC8541692 DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2018.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2017] [Revised: 02/16/2018] [Accepted: 02/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
A reliable cell line capable of robust in vitro erythroid differentiation would be useful to investigate red blood cell (RBC) biology and genetic strategies for RBC diseases. K562 cells are widely utilized for erythroid differentiation; however, current differentiation methods are insufficient to analyze globin proteins. In this study, we sought to improve erythroid differentiation from K562 cells to enable protein-level globin analysis. K562 cells were exposed to a variety of reagents, including hemin, rapamycin, imatinib, and/or decitabine (known erythroid inducers), and cultured in a basic culture medium or erythropoietin-based differentiation medium. All single reagents induced observable erythroid differentiation with higher glycophorin A (GPA) expression but were insufficient to produce detectable globin proteins. We then evaluated various combinations of these reagents and developed a method incorporating imatinib preexposure and an erythropoietin-based differentiation culture containing both rapamycin and decitabine capable of efficient erythroid differentiation, high-level GPA expression (>90%), and high-level globin production at protein levels detectable by hemoglobin electrophoresis and high performance liquid chromatography. In addition, β-globin gene transfer resulted in detectable adult hemoglobin. In summary, we developed an in vitro K562 erythroid differentiation model with high-level globin production. This model provides a practical evaluation tool for hemoglobin production in human erythroid cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoya Uchida
- Sickle Cell Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Juan J Haro-Mora
- Sickle Cell Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Selami Demirci
- Sickle Cell Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Atsushi Fujita
- Sickle Cell Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lydia Raines
- Sickle Cell Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Matthew M Hsieh
- Sickle Cell Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - John F Tisdale
- Sickle Cell Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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13
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Uchida N, Demirci S, Haro-Mora JJ, Fujita A, Raines LN, Hsieh MM, Tisdale JF. Serum-free Erythroid Differentiation for Efficient Genetic Modification and High-Level Adult Hemoglobin Production. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2018; 9:247-256. [PMID: 29766032 PMCID: PMC5948232 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2018.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
In vitro erythroid differentiation from primary human cells is valuable to develop genetic strategies for hemoglobin disorders. However, current erythroid differentiation methods are encumbered by modest transduction rates and high baseline fetal hemoglobin production. In this study, we sought to improve both genetic modification and hemoglobin production among human erythroid cells in vitro. To model therapeutic strategies, we transduced human CD34+ cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with lentiviral vectors and compared erythropoietin-based erythroid differentiation using fetal-bovine-serum-containing media and serum-free media. We observed more efficient transduction (85%-93%) in serum-free media than serum-containing media (20%-69%), whereas the addition of knockout serum replacement (KSR) was required for serum-free media to promote efficient erythroid differentiation (96%). High-level adult hemoglobin production detectable by electrophoresis was achieved using serum-free media similar to serum-containing media. Importantly, low fetal hemoglobin production was observed in the optimized serum-free media. Using KSR-containing, serum-free erythroid differentiation media, therapeutic adult hemoglobin production was detected at protein levels with β-globin lentiviral transduction in both CD34+ cells and PBMCs from sickle cell disease subjects. Our in vitro erythroid differentiation system provides a practical evaluation platform for adult hemoglobin production among human erythroid cells following genetic manipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoya Uchida
- Sickle Cell Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Selami Demirci
- Sickle Cell Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Juan J Haro-Mora
- Sickle Cell Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Atsushi Fujita
- Sickle Cell Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lydia N Raines
- Sickle Cell Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Matthew M Hsieh
- Sickle Cell Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - John F Tisdale
- Sickle Cell Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
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14
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Uchida N, Washington KN, Mozer B, Platner C, Ballantine J, Skala LP, Raines L, Shvygin A, Hsieh MM, Mitchell LG, Tisdale JF. RNA Trans-Splicing Targeting Endogenous β-Globin Pre-Messenger RNA in Human Erythroid Cells. Hum Gene Ther Methods 2017; 28:91-99. [PMID: 28267358 DOI: 10.1089/hgtb.2016.077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Sickle cell disease results from a point mutation in exon 1 of the β-globin gene (total 3 exons). Replacing sickle β-globin exon 1 (and exon 2) with a normal sequence by trans-splicing is a potential therapeutic strategy. Therefore, this study sought to develop trans-splicing targeting β-globin pre-messenger RNA among human erythroid cells. Binding domains from random β-globin sequences were comprehensively screened. Six candidates had optimal binding, and all targeted intron 2. Next, lentiviral vectors encoding RNA trans-splicing molecules were constructed incorporating a unique binding domain from these candidates, artificial 5' splice site, and γ-globin cDNA, and trans-splicing was evaluated in CD34+ cell-derived erythroid cells from healthy individuals. Lentiviral transduction was efficient, with vector copy numbers of 9.7 to 15.3. The intended trans-spliced RNA product, including exon 3 of endogenous β-globin and γ-globin, was detected at the molecular level. Trans-splicing efficiency was improved to 0.07-0.09% by longer binding domains, including the 5' splice site of intron 2. In summary, screening was performed to select efficient binding domains for trans-splicing. Detectable levels of trans-splicing were obtained for endogenous β-globin RNA in human erythroid cells. These methods provide the basis for future trans-splicing directed gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoya Uchida
- 1 Molecular and Clinical Hematology Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH) , Bethesda, Maryland
| | | | - Brian Mozer
- 3 Office of Research Integrity , Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Rockville, Maryland
| | - Charlotte Platner
- 1 Molecular and Clinical Hematology Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH) , Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Josiah Ballantine
- 1 Molecular and Clinical Hematology Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH) , Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Luke P Skala
- 1 Molecular and Clinical Hematology Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH) , Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Lydia Raines
- 1 Molecular and Clinical Hematology Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH) , Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Anna Shvygin
- 1 Molecular and Clinical Hematology Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH) , Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Matthew M Hsieh
- 1 Molecular and Clinical Hematology Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH) , Bethesda, Maryland
| | | | - John F Tisdale
- 1 Molecular and Clinical Hematology Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH) , Bethesda, Maryland
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15
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Negre O, Eggimann AV, Beuzard Y, Ribeil JA, Bourget P, Borwornpinyo S, Hongeng S, Hacein-Bey S, Cavazzana M, Leboulch P, Payen E. Gene Therapy of the β-Hemoglobinopathies by Lentiviral Transfer of the β(A(T87Q))-Globin Gene. Hum Gene Ther 2016; 27:148-65. [PMID: 26886832 PMCID: PMC4779296 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2016.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
β-globin gene disorders are the most prevalent inherited diseases worldwide and result from abnormal β-globin synthesis or structure. Novel therapeutic approaches are being developed in an effort to move beyond palliative management. Gene therapy, by ex vivo lentiviral transfer of a therapeutic β-globin gene derivative (β(AT87Q)-globin) to hematopoietic stem cells, driven by cis-regulatory elements that confer high, erythroid-specific expression, has been evaluated in human clinical trials over the past 8 years. β(AT87Q)-globin is used both as a strong inhibitor of HbS polymerization and as a biomarker. While long-term studies are underway in multiple centers in Europe and in the United States, proof-of-principle of efficacy and safety has already been obtained in multiple patients with β-thalassemia and sickle cell disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Negre
- 1 bluebird bio, Cambridge, Massachusetts.,2 CEA, Institute of Emerging Disease and Innovative Therapies (iMETI) , Fontenay aux Roses, France
| | | | - Yves Beuzard
- 2 CEA, Institute of Emerging Disease and Innovative Therapies (iMETI) , Fontenay aux Roses, France .,3 UMR 007, University of Paris 11 and CEA , CEA-iMETI, Fontenay aux Roses, France
| | | | - Philippe Bourget
- 4 Necker Hospital , Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | | | | | - Salima Hacein-Bey
- 6 Immunology Laboratory, Groupe Hospitalier Universitaire Paris-Sud , Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Marina Cavazzana
- 4 Necker Hospital , Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Philippe Leboulch
- 2 CEA, Institute of Emerging Disease and Innovative Therapies (iMETI) , Fontenay aux Roses, France .,3 UMR 007, University of Paris 11 and CEA , CEA-iMETI, Fontenay aux Roses, France .,5 Mahidol University , Bangkok, Thailand .,7 Harvard Medical School and Genetics Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women's Hospital , Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Emmanuel Payen
- 2 CEA, Institute of Emerging Disease and Innovative Therapies (iMETI) , Fontenay aux Roses, France .,3 UMR 007, University of Paris 11 and CEA , CEA-iMETI, Fontenay aux Roses, France .,8 INSERM , Paris, France
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16
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Park JE, Zhang XF, Choi SH, Okahara J, Sasaki E, Silva AC. Generation of transgenic marmosets expressing genetically encoded calcium indicators. Sci Rep 2016; 6:34931. [PMID: 27725685 PMCID: PMC5057151 DOI: 10.1038/srep34931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2016] [Accepted: 09/20/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic monitoring of neuronal activity in the living brain with optical imaging techniques became feasible owing to the continued development of genetically encoded calcium indicators (GECIs). Here we report for the first time the successful generation of transgenic marmosets (Callithrix jacchus), an important nonhuman primate model in neurophysiological research, which were engineered to express the green fluorescent protein (GFP)-based family of GECIs, GCaMP, under control of either the CMV or the hSyn promoter. High titer lentiviral vectors were produced, and injected into embryos collected from donor females. The infected embryos were then transferred to recipient females. Eight transgenic animals were born and shown to have stable and functional GCaMP expression in several different tissues. Germline transmission of the transgene was confirmed in embryos generated from two of the founder transgenic marmosets that reached sexual maturity. These embryos were implanted into six recipient females, three of which became pregnant and are in advanced stages of gestation. We believe these transgenic marmosets will be invaluable non-human primate models in neuroscience, allowing chronic in vivo monitoring of neural activity with functional confocal and multi-photon optical microscopy imaging of intracellular calcium dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung Eun Park
- Cerebral Microcirculation Section, Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Imaging, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Xian Feng Zhang
- Cerebral Microcirculation Section, Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Imaging, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sang-Ho Choi
- Cerebral Microcirculation Section, Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Imaging, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Junko Okahara
- Department of Applied Developmental Biology, Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Tonomachi, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 210-0821, Japan
| | - Erika Sasaki
- Department of Applied Developmental Biology, Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Tonomachi, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 210-0821, Japan.,Keio advanced Research Center, Keio University, Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
| | - Afonso C Silva
- Cerebral Microcirculation Section, Laboratory of Functional and Molecular Imaging, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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17
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Lee MS, Kim YH, Park WS, Park OK, Kwon SH, Hong KS, Rhim H, Shim I, Morita K, Wong DL, Patel PD, Lyons DM, Schatzberg AF, Her S. Temporal variability of glucocorticoid receptor activity is functionally important for the therapeutic action of fluoxetine in the hippocampus. Mol Psychiatry 2016; 21:252-60. [PMID: 25330740 PMCID: PMC5189925 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2014.137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2014] [Revised: 08/11/2014] [Accepted: 09/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies have shown inconsistent results regarding the actions of antidepressants on glucocorticoid receptor (GR) signalling. To resolve these inconsistencies, we used a lentiviral-based reporter system to directly monitor rat hippocampal GR activity during stress adaptation. Temporal GR activation was induced significantly by acute stress, as demonstrated by an increase in the intra-individual variability of the acute stress group compared with the variability of the non-stress group. However, the increased intra-individual variability was dampened by exposure to chronic stress, which was partly restored by fluoxetine treatment without affecting glucocorticoid secretion. Immobility in the forced-swim test was negatively correlated with the intra-individual variability, but was not correlated with the quantitative GR activity during fluoxetine therapy; this highlights the temporal variability in the neurobiological links between GR signalling and the therapeutic action of fluoxetine. Furthermore, we demonstrated sequential phosphorylation between GR (S224) and (S232) following fluoxetine treatment, showing a molecular basis for hormone-independent nuclear translocation and transcriptional enhancement. Collectively, these results suggest a neurobiological mechanism by which fluoxetine treatment confers resilience to the chronic stress-mediated attenuation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- M-S Lee
- Bio-Imaging Centre, Korea Basic Science Institute, Chuncheon, South Korea
| | - Y-H Kim
- Bio-Imaging Centre, Korea Basic Science Institute, Chuncheon, South Korea
| | - W-S Park
- Bio-Imaging Centre, Korea Basic Science Institute, Chuncheon, South Korea
| | - O-K Park
- Bio-Imaging Centre, Korea Basic Science Institute, Chuncheon, South Korea
| | - S-H Kwon
- Bio-Imaging Centre, Korea Basic Science Institute, Chuncheon, South Korea
| | - K S Hong
- Division of MR Research, Korea Basic Science Institute, Cheongwon, South Korea
| | - H Rhim
- Neuroscience Centre, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, South Korea
| | - I Shim
- Acupuncture and Meridian Science Research Centre, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - K Morita
- Department of Nursing, Shikoku University, School of Health Sciences, Tokushima, Japan
| | - D L Wong
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School and Laboratory of Molecular and Developmental Neurobiology, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
| | - P D Patel
- Department of Psychiatry, Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan Medical Centre, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - D M Lyons
- Departments of Psychiatry, Stanford University Medical Centre, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - A F Schatzberg
- Departments of Psychiatry, Stanford University Medical Centre, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - S Her
- Bio-Imaging Centre, Korea Basic Science Institute, Chuncheon, South Korea,Bio-Imaging Centre, Korea Basic Science Institute, 192-1 Hyoja 2-Dong, Chuncheon, Gangwon-Do 200-701, South Korea. E-mail:
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18
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Uchida N, Green R, Ballantine J, Skala LP, Hsieh MM, Tisdale JF. Kinetics of lentiviral vector transduction in human CD34(+) cells. Exp Hematol 2015; 44:106-15. [PMID: 26499040 DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2015.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2015] [Revised: 10/05/2015] [Accepted: 10/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Unlike cell lines, human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are less efficiently transduced with HIV-1 vectors, potentially limiting this approach. To investigate which step (internalization, reverse transcription, nuclear transport, and integration) limits lentiviral transduction, we evaluated the kinetics of lentiviral transduction in human CD34(+) cells. We transduced HeLa and CD34(+) cells with self-inactivating HIV-1 vector at low and tenfold higher multiplicity of infection (MOI) and evaluated vector amounts at various time points based on the rationale that if a given step was not limiting, tenfold greater vector amounts would be obtained at the tenfold higher MOI. We observed slower internalization (>60 min), a peak in reverse transcription at 24 hours, and completion of integration at 3 days in CD34(+) cells. In HeLa cells, there were approximately tenfold greater amounts at high MOI at all time points. When compared with HeLa cells, CD34(+) cells exhibited larger differences in vector amounts between high and low MOIs at 2-6 hours and a smaller difference at 12 hours to 10 days, revealing a limitation in human CD34(+) cell transduction around 12 hours, which corresponds to reverse transcription. In serial measurements of reverse transcription at 24 hours, vector amounts did not decrease once detected among CD34(+) cells. When using an HSC expansion medium, we observed less limitation for starting reverse transcription and more efficient transduction among CD34(+) cells in vitro and in xenografted mice. These data suggest that it is the initiation of reverse transcription that limits lentiviral transduction of human CD34(+) cells. Our findings provide an avenue for optimizing human CD34(+) cell transduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoya Uchida
- Molecular and Clinical Hematology Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD.
| | - Rashidah Green
- Molecular and Clinical Hematology Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD
| | - Josiah Ballantine
- Molecular and Clinical Hematology Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD
| | - Luke P Skala
- Molecular and Clinical Hematology Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD
| | - Matthew M Hsieh
- Molecular and Clinical Hematology Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD
| | - John F Tisdale
- Molecular and Clinical Hematology Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, MD
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19
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Uchida N, Hsieh MM, Platner C, Saunthararajah Y, Tisdale JF. Decitabine suspends human CD34+ cell differentiation and proliferation during lentiviral transduction. PLoS One 2014; 9:e104022. [PMID: 25089909 PMCID: PMC4121241 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0104022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2014] [Accepted: 07/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Efficient ex vivo transduction of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) is encumbered by differentiation which reduces engraftment. We hypothesized that inhibiting DNA methyltransferase with decitabine would block differentiation of transduced CD34+ cells under cytokine stimulation and thus improve transduction efficiency for engrafting HSCs. Human CD34+ cells in cytokine-containing media were treated with or without decitabine for 24 or 48 hours, and then these cells were transduced with a GFP-expressing lentiviral vector. Utilizing decitabine pre-treatment for 48 hours, we observed an equivalent percentage of successfully transduced cells (GFP-positivity) and a higher percentage of cells that retained CD34 positivity, compared to no decitabine exposure. Cell proliferation was inhibited after decitabine exposure. Similar results were observed among CD34+ cells from six different donors. Repopulating activity was evaluated by transplantation into NOD/SCID/IL2Rγnull mice and demonstrated an equivalent percentage of GFP-positivity in human cells from decitabine-treated samples and a trend for higher human cell engraftment (measured 20-24 weeks after transplantation), compared to no decitabine exposure. In conclusion, ex vivo decitabine exposure inhibits both differentiation and proliferation in transduced human CD34+ cells and modestly increases the engraftment ability in xenograft mice, while the transduction efficiency is equivalent in decitabine exposure, suggesting improvement of lentiviral transduction for HSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoya Uchida
- Molecular and Clinical Hematology Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Matthew M. Hsieh
- Molecular and Clinical Hematology Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Charlotte Platner
- Molecular and Clinical Hematology Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Yogen Saunthararajah
- Translational Hematology and Oncology Research, Taussig Cancer Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America
| | - John F. Tisdale
- Molecular and Clinical Hematology Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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20
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Benabdellah K, Gutierrez-Guerrero A, Cobo M, Muñoz P, Martín F. A chimeric HS4-SAR insulator (IS2) that prevents silencing and enhances expression of lentiviral vectors in pluripotent stem cells. PLoS One 2014; 9:e84268. [PMID: 24400083 PMCID: PMC3882226 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2013] [Accepted: 11/21/2013] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Chromatin insulators, such as the chicken β-globin locus control region hypersensitive site 4 (HS4), and scaffold/matrix attachment regions (SARs/MARs) have been incorporated separately or in combination into retroviral vectors (RVs) in order to increase transgene expression levels, avoid silencing and reduce expression variability. However, their incorporation into RVs either produces a reduction on titer and/or expression levels or do not have sufficient effect on stem cells. In order to develop an improved insulator we decided to combine SAR elements with HS4 insulators. We designed several synthetic shorter SAR elements containing 4 or 5 MAR/SARs recognition signatures (MRS) and studied their effects on a lentiviral vector (LV) expressing eGFP through the SFFV promoter (SE). A 388 bp SAR element containing 5 MRS, named SAR2, was as efficient or superior to the other SARs analyzed. SAR2 enhanced transgene expression and reduced silencing and variability on human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). We next compared the effect of different HS4-based insulators, the HS4-Core (250 bp), the HS4-Ext (400 bp) and the HS4-650 (650 bp). All HS4 elements reduced silencing and expression variability but they also had a negative effect on transgene expression levels and titer. In general, the HS4-650 element had a better overall effect. Based on these data we developed a chimeric insulator, IS2, combining the SAR2 and the HS4-650. When incorporated into the 3′ LTR of the SE LV, the IS2 element was able to enhance expression, avoid silencing and reduce variability of expression on hESCs. Importantly, these effects were maintained after differentiation of the transduced hESCs toward the hematopoietic linage. Neither the HS4-650 nor the SAR2 elements had these effects. The IS2 element is therefore a novel insulator that confers expression stability and enhances expression of LVs on stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karim Benabdellah
- Human DNA Variability Department, GENYO - Centre for Genomic and Oncological Research (Pfizer/University of Granada/Andalusian Regional Government), PTS Granada, Granada, Spain
- * E-mail: (FM); (KB)
| | - Alejandra Gutierrez-Guerrero
- Human DNA Variability Department, GENYO - Centre for Genomic and Oncological Research (Pfizer/University of Granada/Andalusian Regional Government), PTS Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Marién Cobo
- Human DNA Variability Department, GENYO - Centre for Genomic and Oncological Research (Pfizer/University of Granada/Andalusian Regional Government), PTS Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Pilar Muñoz
- Human DNA Variability Department, GENYO - Centre for Genomic and Oncological Research (Pfizer/University of Granada/Andalusian Regional Government), PTS Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Francisco Martín
- Human DNA Variability Department, GENYO - Centre for Genomic and Oncological Research (Pfizer/University of Granada/Andalusian Regional Government), PTS Granada, Granada, Spain
- * E-mail: (FM); (KB)
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Evaluation of engraftment and immunological tolerance after reduced intensity conditioning in a rhesus hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy model. Gene Ther 2013; 21:148-57. [PMID: 24257347 DOI: 10.1038/gt.2013.67] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2013] [Revised: 08/21/2013] [Accepted: 10/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) is desirable for hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) targeted gene therapy; however, RIC may be insufficient for efficient engraftment and inducing immunological tolerance to transgenes. We previously established long-term gene marking in our rhesus macaque autologous HSC transplantation model following 10 Gy total body irradiation (TBI). In this study, we evaluated RIC transplantation with 4 Gy TBI in two rhesus macaques that received equal parts of CD34(+) cells transduced with green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing lentiviral vector and empty vector not expressing transgenes. In both animals, equivalently low gene marking between GFP and empty vectors was observed 6 months post-transplantation, even with efficient transduction of CD34(+) cells in vitro. Autologous lymphocyte infusion with GFP marking resulted in an increase of gene marking in lymphocytes in a control animal with GFP tolerance, but not in the two RIC-transplanted animals. In vitro assays revealed strong cellular and humoral immune responses to GFP protein in the two RIC-transplanted animals, but this was not observed in controls. In summary, 4 Gy TBI is insufficient to permit engraftment of genetically modified HSCs and induce immunological tolerance to transgenes. Our findings should help in the design of conditioning regimens in gene therapy trials.
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TRIM5α variations influence transduction efficiency with lentiviral vectors in both human and rhesus CD34(+) cells in vitro and in vivo. Mol Ther 2013; 22:348-358. [PMID: 24153115 DOI: 10.1038/mt.2013.256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2013] [Accepted: 10/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) vectors can transduce human hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), but transduction efficiency varies among individuals. The innate immune factor tripartite motif-containing protein 5α (TRIM5α) plays an important role for restriction of retroviral infection. In this study, we examined whether TRIM5α could account for variations in transduction efficiency using both an established rhesus gene therapy model and human CD34(+) cell culture. Evaluation of TRIM5α genotypes (Mamu-1, -2, -3, -4, -5, and TrimCyp) in 16 rhesus macaques that were transplanted with transduced CD34(+) cells showed a significant correlation between TRIM5α Mamu-4 and high gene marking in both lymphocytes and granulocytes 6 months after transplantation. Since significant human TRIM5α coding polymorphisms were not known, we evaluated TRIM5α expression levels in human CD34(+) cells from 14 donors. Three days after HIV-1 vector transduction, measured transduction efficiency varied significantly among donors and was negatively correlated with TRIM5α expression levels. In summary, transduction efficiency in both rhesus and human CD34(+) cells was influenced by TRIM5α variations (genotypes and expression levels). Our findings are important for both understanding and mitigating the variability of transduction efficiency for rhesus and human CD34(+) cells.
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23
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Uchida N, Hanawa H, Yamamoto M, Shimada T. The chicken hypersensitivity site 4 core insulator blocks promoter interference in lentiviral vectors. Hum Gene Ther Methods 2013; 24:117-24. [PMID: 23448496 DOI: 10.1089/hgtb.2012.152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Lentiviral vectors, including double internal promoters, can be used to express two transgenes in a single vector construct; however, transcriptional activities from double internal promoters are often inhibited by promoter interference. To determine whether the chicken hypersensitivity site 4 insulator (cHS4) could block promoter interference, lentiviral vectors including an MSCV-U3 promoter (Mp) and an EF1α promoter (Ep) were generated, and transgene expression was evaluated among transduced cells. In the Ep-Mp configuration, transcriptional activity from Mp was much lower, while Mp-Ep had similar transcription levels from both promoters. The cHS4 core insulator increased expression levels from Mp in HeLa cells, hematopoietic cell lines, and mouse peripheral blood cells following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation transduced with the Mp-Ep configured vector. This blocking function was mainly mediated by barrier activity regions in the insulator but not by CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) binding sites. Cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) methylation did not contribute to this barrier activity. In summary, combining the cHS4 insulator in double promoter vectors can improve transgene expression levels in various cell lines and mouse hematopoietic repopulating cells. These findings are useful for developing hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoya Uchida
- Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, 113-8602 Japan.
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24
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Uchida N, Evans ME, Hsieh MM, Bonifacino AC, Krouse AE, Metzger ME, Sellers SE, Dunbar CE, Donahue RE, Tisdale JF. Integration-specific In Vitro Evaluation of Lentivirally Transduced Rhesus CD34(+) Cells Correlates With In Vivo Vector Copy Number. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2013; 2:e122. [PMID: 24045711 PMCID: PMC4098567 DOI: 10.1038/mtna.2013.49] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2013] [Accepted: 07/10/2013] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) gene therapy using integrating vectors has a potential leukemogenic risk due to insertional mutagenesis. To reduce this risk, a limitation of ≤2 average vector copy number (VCN) per cell is generally accepted. We developed an assay for VCN among transduced CD34(+) cells that reliably predicts in vivo VCN in 16 rhesus recipients of CD34(+) cells transduced with a green fluorescent protein (GFP) (or yellow fluorescent protein (YFP))-encoding lentiviral vector. Using GFP (or YFP)-specific probe/primers by real-time PCR, VCN among transduced CD34(+) cells had no correlation with VCN among granulocytes or lymphocytes in vivo assayed 6 months post-transplantation. This was a likely result of residual plasmids present in the vector preparation. We then designed self-inactivating long terminal repeat (SIN-LTR)-specific probe/primers, which detect only integrated provirus. Evaluation with SIN-LTR probe/primers resulted in a positive correlation of VCN among transduced CD34(+) cells with granulocytes and lymphocytes in vivo. The transduced CD34(+) cells had higher VCN (25.1 ± 5.6) as compared with granulocytes (2.8 ± 1) and lymphocytes (2.4 ± 0.7). In summary, an integrated provirus-specific real-time PCR system demonstrated nine- to tenfold higher VCN in transduced CD34(+) cells in vitro, as compared with VCN in vivo. Therefore, the restriction of ≤2 VCN before infusion might unnecessarily limit gene transfer efficacy.Molecular Therapy-Nucleic Acids (2013) 2, e122; doi:10.1038/mtna.2013.49; published online 17 September 2013.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoya Uchida
- Molecular and Clinical Hematology Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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25
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Koldej RM, Carney G, Wielgosz MM, Zhou S, Zhan J, Sorrentino BP, Nienhuis AW. Comparison of insulators and promoters for expression of the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein using lentiviral vectors. HUM GENE THER CL DEV 2013; 24:77-85. [PMID: 23786330 DOI: 10.1089/humc.2012.244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene therapy for the treatment of Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) presents an alternative to the current use of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. We describe the development of a self-inactivating lentiviral vector containing chromatin insulators for treatment of WAS and compare a gammaretroviral (MND), human cellular (EF1α), and the human WASp gene promoter for expression patterns in vivo during murine hematopoiesis using the green fluorescent protein (GFP) marker. Compared with the EF1α and the WASp promoters, expression from the MND promoter in mouse transplant recipients was much higher in all lineages examined. Importantly, there was sustained expression in the platelets of secondary recipient animals, necessary to correct the thrombocytopenia defect in WAS patients. Analysis of WAS protein expression in transduced human EBV-immortalized B-cells and transduced patient peripheral blood mononuclear cells also demonstrated stronger expression per copy from the MND promoter compared with the other promoters. In addition, when analyzed in an LM02 activation assay, the addition of an insulator to MND-promoter-containing constructs reduced transactivation of the LM02 gene. We propose a clinical trial design in which cytokine-mobilized, autologous, transduced CD34(+) cells are administered after myelosuppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel M Koldej
- Department of Hematology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN 38105, USA
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26
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Uchida N, Hsieh MM, Washington KN, Tisdale JF. Efficient transduction of human hematopoietic repopulating cells with a chimeric HIV1-based vector including SIV capsid. Exp Hematol 2013; 41:779-788.e1. [PMID: 23665451 DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2013.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2012] [Revised: 03/05/2013] [Accepted: 04/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Innate immune factors, such as TRIM5α and cyclophilin A (CypA), act as a major restriction factor of retroviral infection among species. When HIV1 infects human cells, HIV1 capsid binds to human CypA to escape from human TRIM5α restriction. However, in rhesus cells, the mismatch between HIV1 capsid and rhesus CypA is recognized by rhesus TRIM5α to reduce HIV1 infectivity through proteasomal degradation. To circumvent this block, we previously developed a chimeric HIV1 vector (χHIV) that substituted HIV1 capsid with SIV capsid, and it significantly increased transduction efficiency for nonhuman primate cells. In this study, we evaluated whether the χHIV vector efficiently transduces human cells, and the transduction efficiency might increase by a CypA inhibitor (cyclosporine) and a proteasome inhibitor (MG132). The χHIV vector could transduce human CD34⁺ cells, as efficiently as the HIV1 vector, in vitro and in xenograft mice, even in the mismatch between SIV capsid and human CypA. Cyclosporine decreased transduction efficiency with the HIV1 vector, whereas it slightly increased transduction efficiency with the χHIV vector in human CD34⁺ cells. MG132 increased transduction efficiency with both χHIV and HIV1 vectors in the same manner. However, MG132 was toxic to human CD34⁺ cells at high concentrations, and both drugs had a small range of effective dosage. These findings demonstrate that both χHIV and HIV1 vectors have similar transduction efficiency for human hematopoietic repopulating cells, suggesting that the χHIV vector escapes from TRIM5α restriction, which is independent of human CypA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoya Uchida
- Molecular and Clinical Hematology Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute-National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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27
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Romano G. Development of safer gene delivery systems to minimize the risk of insertional mutagenesis-related malignancies: a critical issue for the field of gene therapy. ISRN ONCOLOGY 2012; 2012:616310. [PMID: 23209944 PMCID: PMC3512301 DOI: 10.5402/2012/616310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2012] [Accepted: 10/23/2012] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Integrating gene delivery systems allow for a more stable transgene expression in mammalian cells than the episomal ones. However, the integration of the shuttle vector within the cellular chromosomal DNA is associated with the risk of insertional mutagenesis, which, in turn, may cause malignant cell transformation. The use of a retroviral-derived vector system was responsible for the development of leukemia in five children, who participated in various clinical trials for the treatment of severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID-X1) in France and in the United Kingdom. Unfortunately, the hematological malignancy claimed the life of one patient in 2004, who was enrolled in the French clinical trial. In addition, adeno-associated-viral-(AAV-) mediated gene transfer induced tumors in animal models, whereas the Sleeping Beauty (SB) DNA transposon system was associated with insertional mutagenesis events in cell culture systems. On these grounds, it is necessary to develop safer gene delivery systems for the genetic manipulation of mammalian cells. This paper discusses the latest achievements that have been reported in the field of vector design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaetano Romano
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Bio-Life Science Building, Suite 456, 1900 N. 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
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28
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Uchida N, Hargrove PW, Lap CJ, Evans ME, Phang O, Bonifacino AC, Krouse AE, Metzger ME, Nguyen AD, Hsieh MM, Wolfsberg TG, Donahue RE, Persons DA, Tisdale JF. High-efficiency transduction of rhesus hematopoietic repopulating cells by a modified HIV1-based lentiviral vector. Mol Ther 2012; 20:1882-92. [PMID: 22871664 DOI: 10.1038/mt.2012.159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV1) vectors poorly transduce rhesus hematopoietic cells due to species-specific restriction factors, including the tripartite motif-containing 5 isoformα (TRIM5α) which targets the HIV1 capsid. We previously developed a chimeric HIV1 (χHIV) vector system wherein the vector genome is packaged with the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) capsid for efficient transduction of both rhesus and human CD34(+) cells. To evaluate whether χHIV vectors could efficiently transduce rhesus hematopoietic repopulating cells, we performed a competitive repopulation assay in rhesus macaques, in which half of the CD34(+) cells were transduced with standard SIV vectors and the other half with χHIV vectors. As compared with SIV vectors, χHIV vectors achieved higher vector integration, and the transgene expression rates were two- to threefold higher in granulocytes and red blood cells and equivalent in lymphocytes and platelets for 2 years. A recipient of χHIV vector-only transduced cells reached up to 40% of transgene expression rates in granulocytes and lymphocytes and 20% in red blood cells. Similar to HIV1 and SIV vectors, χHIV vector frequently integrated into gene regions, especially into introns. In summary, our χHIV vector demonstrated efficient transduction for rhesus long-term repopulating cells, comparable with SIV vectors. This χHIV vector should allow preclinical testing of HIV1-based therapeutic vectors in large animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoya Uchida
- Molecular and Clinical Hematology Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institutes (NHLBI)/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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29
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Abstract
More than two decades have passed since genetically modified HIV was used for gene delivery. Through continuous improvements these early marker gene-carrying HIVs have evolved into safer and more effective lentiviral vectors. Lentiviral vectors offer several attractive properties as gene-delivery vehicles, including: (i) sustained gene delivery through stable vector integration into host genome; (ii) the capability of infecting both dividing and non-dividing cells; (iii) broad tissue tropisms, including important gene- and cell-therapy-target cell types; (iv) no expression of viral proteins after vector transduction; (v) the ability to deliver complex genetic elements, such as polycistronic or intron-containing sequences; (vi) potentially safer integration site profile; and (vii) a relatively easy system for vector manipulation and production. Accordingly, lentivector technologies now have widespread use in basic biology and translational studies for stable transgene overexpression, persistent gene silencing, immunization, in vivo imaging, generating transgenic animals, induction of pluripotent cells, stem cell modification and lineage tracking, or site-directed gene editing. Moreover, in the present high-throughput '-omics' era, the commercial availability of premade lentiviral vectors, which are engineered to express or silence genome-wide genes, accelerates the rapid expansion of this vector technology. In the present review, we assess the advances in lentiviral vector technology, including basic lentivirology, vector designs for improved efficiency and biosafety, protocols for vector production and infection, targeted gene delivery, advanced lentiviral applications and issues associated with the vector system.
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Arens A, Appelt JU, Bartholomae CC, Gabriel R, Paruzynski A, Gustafson D, Cartier N, Aubourg P, Deichmann A, Glimm H, von Kalle C, Schmidt M. Bioinformatic clonality analysis of next-generation sequencing-derived viral vector integration sites. Hum Gene Ther Methods 2012; 23:111-8. [PMID: 22559057 DOI: 10.1089/hgtb.2011.219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Clonality analysis of viral vector-transduced cell populations represents a convincing approach to dissect the physiology of tissue and organ regeneration, to monitor the fate of individual gene-corrected cells in vivo, and to assess vector biosafety. With the decoding of mammalian genomes and the introduction of next-generation sequencing technologies, the demand for automated bioinformatic analysis tools that can rapidly process and annotate vector integration sites is rising. Here, we provide a publicly accessible, graphical user interface-guided automated bioinformatic high-throughput integration site analysis pipeline. Its performance and key features are illustrated on pyrosequenced linear amplification-mediated PCR products derived from one patient previously enrolled in the first lentiviral vector clinical gene therapy study. Analysis includes trimming of vector genome junctions, alignment of genomic sequence fragments to the host genome for the identification of integration sites, and the annotation of nearby genomic elements. Most importantly, clinically relevant features comprise the determination of identical integration sites with respect to different time points or cell lineages, as well as the retrieval of the most prominent cell clones and common integration sites. The resulting output is summarized in tables within a convenient spreadsheet and can be further processed by researchers without profound bioinformatic knowledge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Arens
- Department of Translational Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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Manic G, Maurin-Marlin A, Galluzzi L, Subra F, Mouscadet JF, Bury-Moné S. 3' self-inactivating long terminal repeat inserts for the modulation of transgene expression from lentiviral vectors. Hum Gene Ther Methods 2012; 23:84-97. [PMID: 22456436 DOI: 10.1089/hgtb.2011.154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Gene transfer for research or gene therapy requires the design of vectors that allow for adequate and safe transgene expression. Current methods to modulate the safety and expression profile of retroviral vectors can involve the insertion of insulators or scaffold/matrix-attachment regions in self-inactivating long terminal repeats (SIN-LTRs). Here, we generated a set of lentiviral vectors (with internal CMV or PGK promoter) in which we inserted (at the level of SIN-LTRs) sequences of avian (i.e., chicken hypersensitive site-4, cHS4), human (i.e., putative insulator and desert sequence), or bacterial origin. We characterized them with respect to viral titer, integration, transduction efficiency and transgene expression levels, in both integrase-proficient and -deficient contexts. We found that the cHS4 insulator enhanced transgene expression by a factor of 1.5 only when cloned in the antisense orientation. On the other hand, cHS4 in the sense orientation as well as all other inserts decreased transgene expression. This attenuation phenomenon persisted over long periods of time and did not correspond to extinction or variegation. Decreased transgene expression was associated with lower mRNA levels, yet RNA stability was not affected. Insertions within the SIN-LTRs may negatively affect transgene transcription in a direct fashion through topological rearrangements. The lentiviral vectors that we generated constitute valuable genetic tools for manipulating the level of transgene expression. Moreover, this study demonstrates that SIN-LTR inserts can decrease transgene expression, a phenomenon that might be overcome by modifying insert orientation, thereby highlighting the importance of careful vector design for gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwenola Manic
- Laboratoire de Biologie et de Pharmacologie Appliquée, UMR 8113 CNRS, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Cachan, FR-94230 Cachan, France
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Di Nunzio F, Félix T, Arhel N, Nisole S, Charneau P, Beignon AS. HIV-derived vectors for therapy and vaccination against HIV. Vaccine 2012; 30:2499-509. [DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2012.01.089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2011] [Revised: 01/26/2012] [Accepted: 01/31/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Dropulić B. Lentiviral vectors: their molecular design, safety, and use in laboratory and preclinical research. Hum Gene Ther 2011; 22:649-57. [PMID: 21486177 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2011.058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Lentiviral vectors have been successfully used in the clinic and they are increasingly being used for nonclinical applications. They are capable of stably transducing a broad range of mammalian cell types, including nondividing cells, with high efficiency. This review summarizes the evolving molecular design of lentiviral vectors, describing how they have improved since their first description. Lentiviral vector safety and issues surrounding genotoxicity are discussed. Examples of successful application of lentiviral vectors in laboratory and preclinical research are described. These include functional genomics, target validation, protein manufacturing, in vivo imaging, transgenic animals, and stem cell research.
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Uchida N, Bonifacino A, Krouse AE, Metzger ME, Csako G, Lee-Stroka A, Fasano RM, Leitman SF, Mattapallil JJ, Hsieh MM, Tisdale JF, Donahue RE. Accelerated lymphocyte reconstitution and long-term recovery after transplantation of lentiviral-transduced rhesus CD34+ cells mobilized by G-CSF and plerixafor. Exp Hematol 2011; 39:795-805. [PMID: 21549175 DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2011.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2011] [Revised: 04/06/2011] [Accepted: 04/07/2011] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in combination with plerixafor produces significant mobilization of CD34(+) cells in rhesus macaques. We sought to evaluate whether these CD34(+) cells can stably reconstitute blood cells with lentiviral gene marking. MATERIALS AND METHODS We performed hematopoietic stem cell transplantation using G-CSF and plerixafor-mobilized rhesus CD34(+) cells transduced with a lentiviral vector, and these data were compared with those of G-CSF and stem cell factor mobilization. RESULTS G-CSF and plerixafor mobilization resulted in CD34(+) cell yields that were twofold higher than yields with G-CSF and stem cell factor. CD123 (interleukin-3 receptor) expression was greater in G-CSF and plerixafor-mobilized CD34(+) cells when compared to G-CSF alone. Animals transplanted with G-CSF and plerixafor-mobilized cells showed engraftment of all lineages, similar to animals who received G-CSF and stem cell factor-mobilized grafts. Lymphocyte engraftment was accelerated in animals receiving the G-CSF and plerixafor-mobilized CD34(+) cells. One animal in the G-CSF and plerixafor group developed cold agglutinin-associated skin rash during the first 3 months of rapid lymphocyte recovery. One year after transplantation, all animals had 2% to 10% transgene expression in all blood cell lineages. CONCLUSIONS G-CSF and plerixafor-mobilized CD34(+) cells accelerate lymphocyte engraftment and contain hematopoietic stem cell capable of reconstituting multilineage blood cells. These findings indicate important differences to consider in plerixafor-based hematopoietic stem cell mobilization protocols in rhesus macaques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoya Uchida
- Molecular and Clinical Hematology Branch, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute/National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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