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Mody H, Sutaria DS, Miles D. Clinical Pharmacology Considerations for the "Off-the-Shelf" Allogeneic Cell Therapies. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2024; 115:1233-1250. [PMID: 38501153 DOI: 10.1002/cpt.3241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Autologous chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies have garnered unprecedented clinical success with multiple regulatory approvals for the treatment of various hematological malignancies. However, there are still several clinical challenges that limit their broad utilization for aggressive disease conditions. To address some of these challenges, allogeneic cell therapies are evaluated as an alternative approach. As compared with autologous products, they offer several advantages, such as a more standardized "off the shelf" product, reduced manufacturing complexity, and no requirement of bridging therapy. As with autologous CAR-T therapies, allogeneic cell therapies also present clinical pharmacology challenges due to their in vivo living nature, unique pharmacokinetics or cellular kinetics (CKs), and complex dose-exposure-response relationships that are impacted by various patient- and product-related factors. On top of that, allogeneic cell therapies present additional unique challenges, including attenuated in vivo persistence and graft-vs.-host disease risk as compared with autologous counterparts. This review draws comparison between autologous and allogeneic cell therapies, summarizing key engineering aspects unique to allogeneic cell therapy. Clinical pharmacology learnings from emerging clinical data of allogeneic cell therapy programs are also highlighted, with particular emphasis on CK, dose-exposure-response relationship, lymphodepletion regimen, repeat dosing, and patient- and product-related factors that can impact CK and patient outcomes. There are specific unique challenges and opportunities arising from the development of allogeneic cell therapies, especially in optimizing lymphodepletion and establishing a regimen for repeat dosing. This review highlights how clinical pharmacologists are well positioned to help address these challenges by leveraging novel clinical pharmacology and modeling and simulation approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hardik Mody
- Clinical Pharmacology, Genentech, South San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Dale Miles
- Clinical Pharmacology, Genentech, South San Francisco, California, USA
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2
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Yang L, Chen L, Zheng Y, Deng L, Bai R, Zhang T, Wang Z, Li S. Discovery and characterization of sgRNA-sequence-independent DNA cleavage from CRISPR/Cas9 in mouse embryos. Genomics 2024; 116:110836. [PMID: 38537809 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2024.110836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
The CRISPR/Cas9 system can induce off-target effects in programmed gene editing, but there have been few reports on cleavage detection and their affection in embryo development. To study these events, sgRNAs with different off-target rates were designed and compared after micro-injected into mouse zygotes, and γH2AX was used for DNA cleavage sites analysis by immunostaining and CUT&Tag. Although the low off-target sgRNA were usually selected for production gene editing animals, γH2AX immunofluorescence indicated that there was a relative DSB peak at 15 h after Cas9 system injection, and the number of γH2AX foci at the peak was significantly higher in the low off-target sgRNA-injected group than in the control group. Further, the result of CUT&Tag sequencing analysis showed more double-strand breaks (DSBs) related sequences were detected in low off-target sgRNA-injected group than control and the distribution of DSB related sequences had no chromosome specificity. Gene Ontology (GO) annotation analysis of the DSB related sequences showed that these sequences were mainly concentrated at genes associated with some important biological processes, molecular functions, and cell components. In a conclusion, there are many sgRNA-sequence-independent DSBs in early mouse embryos when the Cas9 system is used for gene editing and the DSB related sequence could be detected and characterized in the genome. These results and method should also be considered in using or optimizing the Cas9 system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liyun Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - Lijiao Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - Yang Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - Li Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - Raoxian Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - Ting Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China
| | - Zhengbo Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China.
| | - Shangang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Institute of Primate Translational Medicine, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China; Yunnan Key Laboratory of Primate Biomedical Research, Kunming, Yunnan 650500, China.
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3
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Teixeira AP, Fussenegger M. Synthetic Gene Circuits for Regulation of Next-Generation Cell-Based Therapeutics. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2309088. [PMID: 38126677 PMCID: PMC10885662 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202309088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Arming human cells with synthetic gene circuits enables to expand their capacity to execute superior sensing and response actions, offering tremendous potential for innovative cellular therapeutics. This can be achieved by assembling components from an ever-expanding molecular toolkit, incorporating switches based on transcriptional, translational, or post-translational control mechanisms. This review provides examples from the three classes of switches, and discusses their advantages and limitations to regulate the activity of therapeutic cells in vivo. Genetic switches designed to recognize internal disease-associated signals often encode intricate actuation programs that orchestrate a reduction in the sensed signal, establishing a closed-loop architecture. Conversely, switches engineered to detect external molecular or physical cues operate in an open-loop fashion, switching on or off upon signal exposure. The integration of such synthetic gene circuits into the next generation of chimeric antigen receptor T-cells is already enabling precise calibration of immune responses in terms of magnitude and timing, thereby improving the potency and safety of therapeutic cells. Furthermore, pre-clinical engineered cells targeting other chronic diseases are gathering increasing attention, and this review discusses the path forward for achieving clinical success. With synthetic biology at the forefront, cellular therapeutics holds great promise for groundbreaking treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana P. Teixeira
- Department of Biosystems Science and EngineeringETH ZurichKlingelbergstrasse 48BaselCH‐4056Switzerland
| | - Martin Fussenegger
- Department of Biosystems Science and EngineeringETH ZurichKlingelbergstrasse 48BaselCH‐4056Switzerland
- Faculty of ScienceUniversity of BaselKlingelbergstrasse 48BaselCH‐4056Switzerland
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4
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Netsrithong R, Garcia-Perez L, Themeli M. Engineered T cells from induced pluripotent stem cells: from research towards clinical implementation. Front Immunol 2024; 14:1325209. [PMID: 38283344 PMCID: PMC10811463 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1325209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived T (iT) cells represent a groundbreaking frontier in adoptive cell therapies with engineered T cells, poised to overcome pivotal limitations associated with conventional manufacturing methods. iPSCs offer an off-the-shelf source of therapeutic T cells with the potential for infinite expansion and straightforward genetic manipulation to ensure hypo-immunogenicity and introduce specific therapeutic functions, such as antigen specificity through a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR). Importantly, genetic engineering of iPSC offers the benefit of generating fully modified clonal lines that are amenable to rigorous safety assessments. Critical to harnessing the potential of iT cells is the development of a robust and clinically compatible production process. Current protocols for genetic engineering as well as differentiation protocols designed to mirror human hematopoiesis and T cell development, vary in efficiency and often contain non-compliant components, thereby rendering them unsuitable for clinical implementation. This comprehensive review centers on the remarkable progress made over the last decade in generating functional engineered T cells from iPSCs. Emphasis is placed on alignment with good manufacturing practice (GMP) standards, scalability, safety measures and quality controls, which constitute the fundamental prerequisites for clinical application. In conclusion, the focus on iPSC as a source promises standardized, scalable, clinically relevant, and potentially safer production of engineered T cells. This groundbreaking approach holds the potential to extend hope to a broader spectrum of patients and diseases, leading in a new era in adoptive T cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ratchapong Netsrithong
- Department of Hematology, Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Biology and Immunology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Laura Garcia-Perez
- Department of Hematology, Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Biology and Immunology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Maria Themeli
- Department of Hematology, Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Cancer Biology and Immunology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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5
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Han J, Zhang B, Zheng S, Jiang Y, Zhang X, Mao K. The Progress and Prospects of Immune Cell Therapy for the Treatment of Cancer. Cell Transplant 2024; 33:9636897241231892. [PMID: 38433349 PMCID: PMC10913519 DOI: 10.1177/09636897241231892] [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: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Immune cell therapy as a revolutionary treatment modality, significantly transformed cancer care. It is a specialized form of immunotherapy that utilizes living immune cells as therapeutic reagents for the treatment of cancer. Unlike traditional drugs, cell therapies are considered "living drugs," and these products are currently customized and require advanced manufacturing techniques. Although chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapies have received tremendous attention in the industry regarding the treatment of hematologic malignancies, their effectiveness in treating solid tumors is often restricted, leading to the emergence of alternative immune cell therapies. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) cell therapy, cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cell therapy, dendritic cell (DC) vaccines, and DC/CIK cell therapy are designed to use the body's natural defense mechanisms to target and eliminate cancer cells, and usually have fewer side effects or risks. On the other hand, cell therapies, such as chimeric antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) cell, T cell receptor (TCR)-T, chimeric antigen receptor-natural killer (CAR-NK), or CAR-macrophages (CAR-M) typically utilize either autologous stem cells, allogeneic or xenogeneic cells, or genetically modified cells, which require higher levels of manipulation and are considered high risk. These high-risk cell therapies typically hold special characteristics in tumor targeting and signal transduction, triggering new anti-tumor immune responses. Recently, significant advances have been achieved in both basic and clinical researches on anti-tumor mechanisms, cell therapy product designs, and technological innovations. With swift technological integration and a high innovation landscape, key future development directions have emerged. To meet the demands of cell therapy technological advancements in treating cancer, we comprehensively and systematically investigate the technological innovation and clinical progress of immune cell therapies in this study. Based on the therapeutic mechanisms and methodological features of immune cell therapies, we analyzed the main technical advantages and clinical transformation risks associated with these therapies. We also analyzed and forecasted the application prospects, providing references for relevant enterprises with the necessary information to make informed decisions regarding their R&D direction selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Han
- Shanghai Information Center for Life Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Bowen Zhang
- Shanghai Information Center for Life Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Senyu Zheng
- Shanghai Information Center for Life Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- School of Natural and Computing Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Yuan Jiang
- Shanghai Information Center for Life Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaopeng Zhang
- Shanghai World Trade Organization Affairs Consultation Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Kaiyun Mao
- Shanghai Information Center for Life Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
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6
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Takayanagi SI, Wang B, Hasegawa S, Nishikawa S, Fukumoto K, Nakano K, Chuganji S, Kato Y, Kamibayashi S, Minagawa A, Kunisato A, Nozawa H, Kaneko S. Mini-TCRs: Truncated T cell receptors to generate T cells from induced pluripotent stem cells. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2023; 31:101109. [PMID: 37822720 PMCID: PMC10562677 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2023.101109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Allogeneic T cell platforms utilizing induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology exhibit significant promise for the facilitation of adoptive immunotherapies. While mature T cell receptor (TCR) signaling plays a crucial role in generating T cells from iPSCs, the introduction of exogenous mature TCR genes carries a potential risk of causing graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). In this study, we present the development of truncated TCRα and TCRβ chains, termed mini-TCRs, which lack variable domains responsible for recognizing human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-peptide complexes. We successfully induced cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) from iPSCs by employing mini-TCRs. Combinations of TCRα and TCRβ fragments were screened from mini-TCR libraries based on the surface localization of CD3 proteins and their ability to transduce T cell signaling. Consequently, mini-TCR-expressing iPSCs underwent physiological T cell development, progressing from the CD4 and CD8 double-positive stage to the CD8 single-positive stage. The resulting iPSC-derived CTLs exhibited comparable cytokine production and cytotoxicity in comparison to that of full-length TCR-expressing T lymphocytes when chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) were expressed. These findings demonstrate the potential of mini-TCR-carrying iPSCs as a versatile platform for CAR T cell therapy, offering a promising avenue for advancing adoptive immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shin-ichiro Takayanagi
- Kirin Central Research Institute, Kirin Holdings Company, Ltd., 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2, Fujisawa-shi, Kanagawa 251-8555, Japan
- Shin Kaneko Laboratory, Department of Cell Growth and Differentiation, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Bo Wang
- Shin Kaneko Laboratory, Department of Cell Growth and Differentiation, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
- Shinobi Therapeutics, Inc., 46-29 Yoshida-Shimo-Adachi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Saki Hasegawa
- Kirin Central Research Institute, Kirin Holdings Company, Ltd., 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2, Fujisawa-shi, Kanagawa 251-8555, Japan
- Shin Kaneko Laboratory, Department of Cell Growth and Differentiation, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Satoshi Nishikawa
- R&D Division, Kyowa Kirin Co. Ltd, 3-6-6 Asahi-machi, Machida-shi, Tokyo 194-8533, Japan
| | - Ken Fukumoto
- Kirin Central Research Institute, Kirin Holdings Company, Ltd., 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2, Fujisawa-shi, Kanagawa 251-8555, Japan
- Shin Kaneko Laboratory, Department of Cell Growth and Differentiation, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Kohei Nakano
- Shinobi Therapeutics, Inc., 46-29 Yoshida-Shimo-Adachi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Sayaka Chuganji
- Kirin Central Research Institute, Kirin Holdings Company, Ltd., 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2, Fujisawa-shi, Kanagawa 251-8555, Japan
- Shin Kaneko Laboratory, Department of Cell Growth and Differentiation, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Yuya Kato
- Kirin Central Research Institute, Kirin Holdings Company, Ltd., 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2, Fujisawa-shi, Kanagawa 251-8555, Japan
| | - Sanae Kamibayashi
- Shin Kaneko Laboratory, Department of Cell Growth and Differentiation, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Atsutaka Minagawa
- Shin Kaneko Laboratory, Department of Cell Growth and Differentiation, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
| | - Atsushi Kunisato
- Kirin Central Research Institute, Kirin Holdings Company, Ltd., 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2, Fujisawa-shi, Kanagawa 251-8555, Japan
| | - Hajime Nozawa
- Kirin Central Research Institute, Kirin Holdings Company, Ltd., 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2, Fujisawa-shi, Kanagawa 251-8555, Japan
| | - Shin Kaneko
- Shin Kaneko Laboratory, Department of Cell Growth and Differentiation, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, 53 Kawahara-cho, Shogoin, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan
- Shinobi Therapeutics, Inc., 46-29 Yoshida-Shimo-Adachi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
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7
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Webber BR, Johnson MJ, Skeate JG, Slipek NJ, Lahr WS, DeFeo AP, Mills LJ, Qiu X, Rathmann B, Diers MD, Wick B, Henley T, Choudhry M, Starr TK, McIvor RS, Moriarity BS. Cas9-induced targeted integration of large DNA payloads in primary human T cells via homology-mediated end-joining DNA repair. Nat Biomed Eng 2023:10.1038/s41551-023-01157-4. [PMID: 38092857 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-023-01157-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
The reliance on viral vectors for the production of genetically engineered immune cells for adoptive cellular therapies remains a translational bottleneck. Here we report a method leveraging the DNA repair pathway homology-mediated end joining, as well as optimized reagent composition and delivery, for the Cas9-induced targeted integration of large DNA payloads into primary human T cells with low toxicity and at efficiencies nearing those of viral vectors (targeted knock-in of 1-6.7 kb payloads at rates of up to 70% at multiple targeted genomic loci and with cell viabilities of over 80%). We used the method to produce T cells with an engineered T-cell receptor or a chimaeric antigen receptor and show that the cells maintained low levels of exhaustion markers and excellent capacities for proliferation and cytokine production and that they elicited potent antitumour cytotoxicity in vitro and in mice. The method is readily adaptable to current good manufacturing practices and scale-up processes, and hence may be used as an alternative to viral vectors for the production of genetically engineered T cells for cancer immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beau R Webber
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
| | - Matthew J Johnson
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Joseph G Skeate
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Nicholas J Slipek
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Walker S Lahr
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Anthony P DeFeo
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Lauren J Mills
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Xiaohong Qiu
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Blaine Rathmann
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Miechaleen D Diers
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Bryce Wick
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | | | | | - Timothy K Starr
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Department of Ob-Gyn and Women's Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - R Scott McIvor
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Branden S Moriarity
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
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8
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Rossi M, Steklov M, Huberty F, Nguyen T, Marijsse J, Jacques-Hespel C, Najm P, Lonez C, Breman E. Efficient shRNA-based knockdown of multiple target genes for cell therapy using a chimeric miRNA cluster platform. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2023; 34:102038. [PMID: 37799328 PMCID: PMC10548280 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2023.102038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Genome engineering technologies are powerful tools in cell-based immunotherapy to optimize or fine-tune cell functionalities. However, their use for multiple gene edits poses relevant biological and technical challenges. Short hairpin RNA (shRNA)-based cell engineering bypasses these criticalities and represents a valid alternative to CRISPR-based gene editing. Here, we describe a microRNA (miRNA)-based multiplex shRNA platform obtained by combining highly efficient miRNA scaffolds into a chimeric cluster, to deliver up to four shRNA-like sequences. Thanks to its limited size, our cassette could be deployed in a one-step process along with all the CAR components, streamlining the generation of engineered CAR T cells. The plug-and-play design of the shRNA platform allowed us to swap each shRNA-derived guide sequence without affecting the system performance. Appropriately choosing the target sequences, we were able to either achieve a functional KO, or fine-tune the expression levels of the target genes, all without the need for gene editing. Through our strategy we achieved easy, safe, efficient, and tunable modulation of multiple target genes simultaneously. This approach allows for the effective introduction of multiple functionally relevant tweaks in the transcriptome of the engineered cells, which may lead to increased performance in challenging environments, e.g., solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Rossi
- Celyad Oncology, 1435 Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium
| | | | | | - Thuy Nguyen
- Celyad Oncology, 1435 Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium
| | | | | | - Paul Najm
- Celyad Oncology, 1435 Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium
| | | | - Eytan Breman
- Celyad Oncology, 1435 Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium
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9
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Pang Z, Lu MM, Zhang Y, Gao Y, Bai JJ, Gu JY, Xie L, Wu WZ. Neoantigen-targeted TCR-engineered T cell immunotherapy: current advances and challenges. Biomark Res 2023; 11:104. [PMID: 38037114 PMCID: PMC10690996 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-023-00534-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Adoptive cell therapy using T cell receptor-engineered T cells (TCR-T) is a promising approach for cancer therapy with an expectation of no significant side effects. In the human body, mature T cells are armed with an incredible diversity of T cell receptors (TCRs) that theoretically react to the variety of random mutations generated by tumor cells. The outcomes, however, of current clinical trials using TCR-T cell therapies are not very successful especially involving solid tumors. The therapy still faces numerous challenges in the efficient screening of tumor-specific antigens and their cognate TCRs. In this review, we first introduce TCR structure-based antigen recognition and signaling, then describe recent advances in neoantigens and their specific TCR screening technologies, and finally summarize ongoing clinical trials of TCR-T therapies against neoantigens. More importantly, we also present the current challenges of TCR-T cell-based immunotherapies, e.g., the safety of viral vectors, the mismatch of T cell receptor, the impediment of suppressive tumor microenvironment. Finally, we highlight new insights and directions for personalized TCR-T therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi Pang
- Liver Cancer Institute, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Clinical Center for Biotherapy, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Man-Man Lu
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Yuan Gao
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai, 200237, China
| | - Jin-Jin Bai
- Liver Cancer Institute, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
- Clinical Center for Biotherapy, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Jian-Ying Gu
- Clinical Center for Biotherapy, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China
| | - Lu Xie
- Shanghai-MOST Key Laboratory of Health and Disease Genomics, Shanghai Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Technologies, Shanghai, 200237, China.
| | - Wei-Zhong Wu
- Liver Cancer Institute, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
- Clinical Center for Biotherapy, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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10
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Abdelhady AM, Phillips JA, Xu Y, Stroh M. Clinical Pharmacology and Translational Considerations in the Development of CRISPR-Based Therapies. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2023; 114:591-603. [PMID: 37429825 DOI: 10.1002/cpt.3000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Genome editing holds the potential for curative treatments of human disease, however, clinical realization has proven to be a challenging journey with incremental progress made up until recently. Over the last decade, advances in clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein (Cas) systems have provided the necessary breakthrough for genome editing in the clinic. The progress of investigational CRISPR therapies from bench to bedside reflects the culmination of multiple advances occurring in parallel, several of which intersect with clinical pharmacology and translation. Directing the CRISPR therapy to the intended site of action has necessitated novel delivery platforms, and this has resulted in special considerations for the complete characterization of distribution, metabolism, and excretion, as well as immunogenicity. Once at the site of action, CRISPR therapies aim to make permanent alterations to the genome and achieve therapeutically relevant effects with a single dose. This fundamental aspect of the mechanism of action for CRISPR therapies results in new considerations for clinical translation and dose selection. Early advances in model-informed development of CRISPR therapies have incorporated key facets of the mechanism of action and have captured hallmark features of clinical pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics from phase I investigations. Given the recent emergence of CRISPR therapies in clinical development, the landscape continues to evolve rapidly with ample opportunity for continued innovation. Here, we provide a snapshot of selected topics in clinical pharmacology and translation that has supported the advance of systemically administered in vivo and ex vivo CRISPR-based investigational therapies in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yuanxin Xu
- Intellia Therapeutics, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mark Stroh
- Intellia Therapeutics, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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11
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Zhu I, Piraner DI, Roybal KT. Synthesizing a Smarter CAR T Cell: Advanced Engineering of T-cell Immunotherapies. Cancer Immunol Res 2023; 11:1030-1043. [PMID: 37429007 PMCID: PMC10527511 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-22-0962] [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: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
The immune system includes an array of specialized cells that keep us healthy by responding to pathogenic cues. Investigations into the mechanisms behind immune cell behavior have led to the development of powerful immunotherapies, including chimeric-antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. Although CAR T cells have demonstrated efficacy in treating blood cancers, issues regarding their safety and potency have hindered the use of immunotherapies in a wider spectrum of diseases. Efforts to integrate developments in synthetic biology into immunotherapy have led to several advancements with the potential to expand the range of treatable diseases, fine-tune the desired immune response, and improve therapeutic cell potency. Here, we examine current synthetic biology advances that aim to improve on existing technologies and discuss the promise of the next generation of engineered immune cell therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iowis Zhu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Dan I. Piraner
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- These authors contributed equally
| | - Kole T. Roybal
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA 8Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Gladstone UCSF Institute for Genetic Immunology, San Francisco, CA 94107, USA
- UCSF Cell Design Institute, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
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12
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Zhang CP, Qiu HY, Zhang CX, Zhang YM, Zhang YZ, Yin H, Zhang KQ, Zhang Y. Efficient non-viral delivery of macromolecules in human primary hematopoietic stem cells and lymphocytes. J Mol Cell Biol 2023; 15:mjad018. [PMID: 36945107 PMCID: PMC10481097 DOI: 10.1093/jmcb/mjad018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Chuan-Ping Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Hou-Yuan Qiu
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Cai-Xiang Zhang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Yu-Ming Zhang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Yi-Zhou Zhang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Hao Yin
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Ke-Qin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, School of Life Sciences, Yunnan University, Kunming 650091, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
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13
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Barboy O, Katzenelenbogen Y, Shalita R, Amit I. In Synergy: Optimizing CAR T Development and Personalizing Patient Care Using Single-Cell Technologies. Cancer Discov 2023; 13:1546-1555. [PMID: 37219074 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-23-0010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T therapies hold immense promise to revolutionize cancer treatment. Nevertheless, key challenges, primarily in solid tumor settings, continue to hinder the application of this technology. Understanding CAR T-cell mechanism of action, in vivo activity, and clinical implications is essential for harnessing its full therapeutic potential. Single-cell genomics and cell engineering tools are becoming increasingly effective for the comprehensive research of complex biological systems. The convergence of these two technologies can accelerate CAR T-cell development. Here, we examine the potential of applying single-cell multiomics for the development of next-generation CAR T-cell therapies. SIGNIFICANCE Although CAR T-cell therapies have demonstrated remarkable clinical results in treating cancer, their effectiveness in most patients and tumor types remains limited. Single-cell technologies, which are transforming our understanding of molecular biology, provide new opportunities to overcome the challenges of CAR T-cell therapies. Given the potential of CAR T-cell therapy to tip the balance in the fight against cancer, it is important to understand how single-cell multiomic approaches can be leveraged to develop the next generations of more effective and less toxic CAR T-cell products and to provide powerful decision-making tools for clinicians to optimize treatment and improve patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oren Barboy
- Department of Systems Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | | | - Rotem Shalita
- Department of Systems Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ido Amit
- Department of Systems Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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14
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VanderBurgh JA, Corso TN, Levy SL, Craighead HG. Scalable continuous-flow electroporation platform enabling T cell transfection for cellular therapy manufacturing. Sci Rep 2023; 13:6857. [PMID: 37185305 PMCID: PMC10133335 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33941-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Viral vectors represent a bottleneck in the manufacturing of cellular therapies. Electroporation has emerged as an approach for non-viral transfection of primary cells, but standard cuvette-based approaches suffer from low throughput, difficult optimization, and incompatibility with large-scale cell manufacturing. Here, we present a novel electroporation platform capable of rapid and reproducible electroporation that can efficiently transfect small volumes of cells for research and process optimization and scale to volumes required for applications in cellular therapy. We demonstrate delivery of plasmid DNA and mRNA to primary human T cells with high efficiency and viability, such as > 95% transfection efficiency for mRNA delivery with < 2% loss of cell viability compared to control cells. We present methods for scaling delivery that achieve an experimental throughput of 256 million cells/min. Finally, we demonstrate a therapeutically relevant modification of primary T cells using CRISPR/Cas9 to knockdown T cell receptor (TCR) expression. This study displays the capabilities of our system to address unmet needs for efficient, non-viral engineering of T cells for cell manufacturing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thomas N Corso
- CyteQuest, Inc, 95 Brown Road, Box 1011, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
| | - Stephen L Levy
- CyteQuest, Inc, 95 Brown Road, Box 1011, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA
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15
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Wang H, Wang Y, Luo Z, Lin X, Liu M, Wu F, Shao H, Zhang W. Advances in Off-Target Detection for CRISPR-Based Genome Editing. Hum Gene Ther 2023; 34:112-128. [PMID: 36453226 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2022.198] [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: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats)-based genome editing system exhibits marked potential for both gene editing and gene therapy, and its continuous improvement contributes to its great clinical potential. However, the largest hindrance to its application in clinical practice is the presence of off-target effects (OTEs). Thus, in addition to continuous optimization of the CRISPR system to reduce and eventually eliminate OTEs, further development of unbiased genome-wide detection of OTEs is key for its successful clinical application. This article summarizes detection strategies for OTEs of different CRISPR systems, to provide detailed guidance for the detection of OTEs in CRISPR-based genome editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haozheng Wang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Biotechnology Drug Candidates, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,School of Biosciences and Biopharmaceutics, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China; and.,Department of Pharmacy, Meizhou People's Hospital, Meizhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Yangmin Wang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Biotechnology Drug Candidates, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,School of Biosciences and Biopharmaceutics, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China; and
| | - Zhongtao Luo
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Biotechnology Drug Candidates, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,School of Biosciences and Biopharmaceutics, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China; and
| | - Xinjian Lin
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Biotechnology Drug Candidates, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,School of Biosciences and Biopharmaceutics, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China; and
| | - Meilin Liu
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Biotechnology Drug Candidates, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,School of Biosciences and Biopharmaceutics, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China; and
| | - Fenglin Wu
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Biotechnology Drug Candidates, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,School of Biosciences and Biopharmaceutics, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China; and
| | - Hongwei Shao
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Biotechnology Drug Candidates, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,School of Biosciences and Biopharmaceutics, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China; and
| | - Wenfeng Zhang
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Biotechnology Drug Candidates, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.,School of Biosciences and Biopharmaceutics, Guangdong Pharmaceutical University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China; and
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16
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Wu B, Zhang Q, Hong P, Liu L, Peng H, Xia C, Wang T, Wang Y, Weng Q, Liu X, Geng Y, Wang J, Wu H. Antigen-specific TCR-T cells from Rag2 gene-deleted pluripotent stem cells impede solid tumour growth in a mouse model. Cell Prolif 2023; 56:e13389. [PMID: 36592612 PMCID: PMC10068938 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The technology of adoptive transfer of T-cell receptor (TCR) engineered T cells is wildly investigated as it has the potential to treat solid cancers. However, the therapeutic application of TCR-T cells is hampered by the poor quality derived mainly from patients' peripheral blood, as well as heterogeneous TCRs caused by the mismatch between transgenic and endogenous TCRs. To improve the homogeneity, antigen-specificity and reduce possible autoreactivity, here we developed a technique to generate antigen-specific T cells from Rag2 gene-deleted pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) and further measured their anti-tumour efficacy. PSCs were first targeted with OT1 TCR into the Rag2 locus to prevent TCR rearrangement during T-cell development. The engineered PSCs were then differentiated through a two-step strategy, in vitro generation of haematopoietic progenitor cells, and in vivo development and maturation of TCR-T cells. Finally, the response to tumour cells was assessed in vitro and in vivo. The regenerated OT1-iT displayed monoclonal antigen-specific TCR expression, and phonotypic normalities in the spleen and lymph node tissues. Importantly, the OT1-iT cells eliminated tumour cells while releasing specific cytokines in vitro. Furthermore, adoptive transfer of OT1-iT cells suppresses solid tumour growth in tumour-bearing animals. Our study presents a novel and straightforward strategy for producing antigen-specific TCR-T cells in vivo from PSCs, allowing for allogeneic transplantation and therapy of solid tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingyan Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Pingshan Hong
- Liwan People's Hospital of Guangzhou, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lijuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Huan Peng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chengxiang Xia
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Tongjie Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yao Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qitong Weng
- State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaofei Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yang Geng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jinyong Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,State Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Reproductive Biology, Institute for Stem Cell and Regeneration, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China.,Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongling Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
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17
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Shahbazi R, Lipson P, Gottimukkala KSV, Lane DD, Adair JE. CRISPR Gene Editing of Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2567:39-62. [PMID: 36255694 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2679-5_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Genetic editing of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells can be employed to understand gene-function relationships underlying hematopoietic cell biology, leading to new therapeutic approaches to treat disease. The ability to collect, purify, and manipulate primary cells outside the body permits testing of many different gene editing approaches. RNA-guided nucleases, such as CRISPR, have revolutionized gene editing based simply on Watson-Crick base-pairing, employed to direct activity to specific genomic loci. Given the ease and affordability of synthetic, custom RNA guides, testing of precision edits or large random pools in high-throughput screening studies is now widely available. With the ever-growing number of CRISPR nucleases being discovered or engineered, researchers now have a plethora of options for directed genomic change, including single base edits, nicks or double-stranded DNA cuts with blunt or staggered ends, as well as the ability to target CRISPR to other cellular oligonucleotides such as RNA or mitochondrial DNA. Except for single base editing strategies, precise rewriting of larger segments of the genetic code requires delivery of an additional component, templated DNA oligonucleotide(s) encoding the desired changes flanked by homologous sequences that permit recombination at or near the site of CRISPR activity. Altogether, the ever-growing CRISPR gene editing toolkit is an invaluable resource. This chapter outlines available technologies and the strategies for applying CRISPR-based editing in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Jennifer E Adair
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA.
- University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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18
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Degirmencay A, Thomas S, Mohammed F, Willcox BE, Stauss HJ. Modifications outside CDR1, 2 and 3 of the TCR variable β domain increase TCR expression and antigen-specific function. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1148890. [PMID: 37122739 PMCID: PMC10134071 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1148890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
T cell receptor (TCR) gene modified T cells are a promising form of adoptive cellular therapy against human malignancies and viral infections. Since the first human clinical trial was carried out in 2006, several strategies have been developed to improve the efficacy and safety of TCR engineered T cells by enhancing the surface expression of the introduced therapeutic TCRs whilst reducing the mis-pairing with endogenous TCR chains. In this study, we explored how modifications of framework residues in the TCR variable domains affect TCR expression and function. We used bioinformatic and protein structural analyses to identify candidate amino acid residues in the framework of the variable β domain predicted to drive high TCR surface expression. Changes of these residues in poorly expressed TCRs resulted in improved surface expression and boosted target cell specific killing by engineered T cells expressing the modified TCRs. Overall, these results indicate that small changes in the framework of the TCR variable domains can result in improved expression and functionality, while at the same time reducing the risk of toxicity associated with TCR mis-pairing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdullah Degirmencay
- Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Sharyn Thomas
- Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Fiyaz Mohammed
- Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Centre, Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Benjamin E. Willcox
- Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Centre, Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Hans J. Stauss
- Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Hans J. Stauss,
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19
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de Lima SCG, Fantacini DMC, Furtado IP, Rossetti R, Silveira RM, Covas DT, de Souza LEB. Genome Editing for Engineering the Next Generation of Advanced Immune Cell Therapies. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2023; 1429:85-110. [PMID: 37486518 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-33325-5_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
Our current genetic engineering capacity through synthetic biology and genome editing is the foundation of a revolution in biomedical science: the use of genetically programmed cells as therapeutics. The prime example of this paradigm is the adoptive transfer of genetically engineered T cells to express tumor-specific receptors, such as chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) or engineered T-cell receptors (TCR). This approach has led to unprecedented complete remission rates in patients with otherwise incurable hematological malignancies. However, this approach is still largely ineffective against solid tumors, which comprise the vast majority of neoplasms. Also, limitations associated with the autologous nature of this therapy and shared markers between cancer cells and T cells further restrict the access to these therapies. Here, we described how cutting-edge genome editing approaches have been applied to unlock the full potential of these revolutionary therapies, thereby increasing therapeutic efficacy and patient accessibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Caroline Gomes de Lima
- Blood Center of Ribeirão Preto - Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Izadora Peter Furtado
- Blood Center of Ribeirão Preto - Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Rafaela Rossetti
- Blood Center of Ribeirão Preto - Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Roberta Maraninchi Silveira
- Blood Center of Ribeirão Preto - Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Dimas Tadeu Covas
- Blood Center of Ribeirão Preto - Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Lucas Eduardo Botelho de Souza
- Blood Center of Ribeirão Preto - Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
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20
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Challenges in Gene Therapy for Somatic Reverted Mosaicism in X-Linked Combined Immunodeficiency by CRISPR/Cas9 and Prime Editing. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13122348. [PMID: 36553615 PMCID: PMC9777626 DOI: 10.3390/genes13122348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
X-linked severe combined immunodeficiency (X-SCID) is a primary immunodeficiency that is caused by mutations in the interleukin-2 receptor gamma (IL2RG) gene. Some patients present atypical X-SCID with mild clinical symptoms due to somatic revertant mosaicism. CRISPR/Cas9 and prime editing are two advanced genome editing tools that paved the way for treating immune deficiency diseases. Prime editing overcomes the limitations of the CRISPR/Cas9 system, as it does not need to induce double-strand breaks (DSBs) or exogenous donor DNA templates to modify the genome. Here, we applied CRISPR/Cas9 with single-stranded oligodeoxynucleotides (ssODNs) and prime editing methods to generate an in vitro model of the disease in K-562 cells and healthy donors' T cells for the c. 458T>C point mutation in the IL2RG gene, which also resulted in a useful way to optimize the gene correction approach for subsequent experiments in patients' cells. Both methods proved to be successful and were able to induce the mutation of up to 31% of treated K-562 cells and 26% of treated T cells. We also applied similar strategies to correct the IL2RG c. 458T>C mutation in patient T cells that carry the mutation with revertant somatic mosaicism. However, both methods failed to increase the frequency of the wild-type sequence in the mosaic T cells of patients due to limited in vitro proliferation of mutant cells and the presence of somatic reversion. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to treat mosaic cells from atypical X-SCID patients employing CRISPR/Cas9 and prime editing. We showed that prime editing can be applied to the formation of specific-point IL2RG mutations without inducing nonspecific on-target modifications. We hypothesize that the feasibility of the nucleotide substitution of the IL2RG gene using gene therapy, especially prime editing, could provide an alternative strategy to treat X-SCID patients without revertant mutations, and further technological improvements need to be developed to correct somatic mosaicism mutations.
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21
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Nahmad A, Reuveni E, Goldschmidt E, Tenne T, Liberman M, Horovitz-Fried M, Khosravi R, Kobo H, Reinstein E, Madi A, Ben-David U, Barzel A. Frequent aneuploidy in primary human T cells after CRISPR-Cas9 cleavage. Nat Biotechnol 2022; 40:1807-1813. [PMID: 35773341 PMCID: PMC7613940 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-022-01377-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Multiple clinical trials of allogeneic T cell therapy use site-specific nucleases to disrupt T cell receptor (TCR) and other genes1-6. In this study, using single-cell RNA sequencing, we investigated genome editing outcomes in primary human T cells transfected with CRISPR-Cas9 and guide RNAs targeting genes for TCR chains and programmed cell death protein 1. Four days after transfection, we found a loss of chromosome 14, harboring the TCRα locus, in up to 9% of the cells and a chromosome 14 gain in up to 1.4% of the cells. Chromosome 7, harboring the TCRβ locus, was truncated in 9.9% of the cells. Aberrations were validated using fluorescence in situ hybridization and digital droplet PCR. Aneuploidy was associated with reduced proliferation, induced p53 activation and cell death. However, at 11 days after transfection, 0.9% of T cells still had a chromosome 14 loss. Aneuploidy and chromosomal truncations are, thus, frequent outcomes of CRISPR-Cas9 cleavage that should be monitored and minimized in clinical protocols.
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Affiliation(s)
- A.D. Nahmad
- The School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel,The Varda and Boaz Dotan Center for Advanced Therapies, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv
| | - E. Reuveni
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics & Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - E. Goldschmidt
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - T. Tenne
- Medical Genetics Institute, Meir Medical Center, Kfar-Saba, Israel
| | - M. Liberman
- Medical Genetics Institute, Meir Medical Center, Kfar-Saba, Israel
| | - M. Horovitz-Fried
- The School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel,The Varda and Boaz Dotan Center for Advanced Therapies, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv
| | - R. Khosravi
- Single-Cell Genomics Core, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - H. Kobo
- Genomics Research Unit, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - E. Reinstein
- Medical Genetics Institute, Meir Medical Center, Kfar-Saba, Israel,Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - A. Madi
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel
| | - U. Ben-David
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics & Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - A. Barzel
- The School of Neurobiology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel,The Varda and Boaz Dotan Center for Advanced Therapies, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv
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22
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Diep YN, Kim TJ, Cho H, Lee LP. Nanomedicine for advanced cancer immunotherapy. J Control Release 2022; 351:1017-1037. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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23
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Palmer DC, Webber BR, Patel Y, Johnson MJ, Kariya CM, Lahr WS, Parkhurst MR, Gartner JJ, Prickett TD, Lowery FJ, Kishton RJ, Gurusamy D, Franco Z, Vodnala SK, Diers MD, Wolf NK, Slipek NJ, McKenna DH, Sumstad D, Viney L, Henley T, Bürckstümmer T, Baker O, Hu Y, Yan C, Meerzaman D, Padhan K, Lo W, Malekzadeh P, Jia L, Deniger DC, Patel SJ, Robbins PF, McIvor RS, Choudhry M, Rosenberg SA, Moriarity BS, Restifo NP. Internal checkpoint regulates T cell neoantigen reactivity and susceptibility to PD1 blockade. MED 2022; 3:682-704.e8. [PMID: 36007524 PMCID: PMC9847506 DOI: 10.1016/j.medj.2022.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adoptive transfer of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) fails to consistently elicit tumor rejection. Manipulation of intrinsic factors that inhibit T cell effector function and neoantigen recognition may therefore improve TIL therapy outcomes. We previously identified the cytokine-induced SH2 protein (CISH) as a key regulator of T cell functional avidity in mice. Here, we investigate the mechanistic role of CISH in regulating human T cell effector function in solid tumors and demonstrate that CRISPR/Cas9 disruption of CISH enhances TIL neoantigen recognition and response to checkpoint blockade. METHODS Single-cell gene expression profiling was used to identify a negative correlation between high CISH expression and TIL activation in patient-derived TIL. A GMP-compliant CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing process was developed to assess the impact of CISH disruption on the molecular and functional phenotype of human peripheral blood T cells and TIL. Tumor-specific T cells with disrupted Cish function were adoptively transferred into tumor-bearing mice and evaluated for efficacy with or without checkpoint blockade. FINDINGS CISH expression was associated with T cell dysfunction. CISH deletion using CRISPR/Cas9 resulted in hyper-activation and improved functional avidity against tumor-derived neoantigens without perturbing T cell maturation. Cish knockout resulted in increased susceptibility to checkpoint blockade in vivo. CONCLUSIONS CISH negatively regulates human T cell effector function, and its genetic disruption offers a novel avenue to improve the therapeutic efficacy of adoptive TIL therapy. FUNDING This study was funded by Intima Bioscience, U.S. and in part through the Intramural program CCR at the National Cancer Institute.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas C Palmer
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Beau R Webber
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
| | - Yogin Patel
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Matthew J Johnson
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Christine M Kariya
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Walker S Lahr
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Maria R Parkhurst
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jared J Gartner
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Todd D Prickett
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Frank J Lowery
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Rigel J Kishton
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Devikala Gurusamy
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Zulmarie Franco
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Suman K Vodnala
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Miechaleen D Diers
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Natalie K Wolf
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Nicholas J Slipek
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - David H McKenna
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Darin Sumstad
- Molecular and Cellular Therapeutics, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
| | | | - Tom Henley
- Intima Bioscience, Inc., New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Ying Hu
- The Center for Biomedical Informatics and Information Technology (CBIIT), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Chunhua Yan
- The Center for Biomedical Informatics and Information Technology (CBIIT), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Daoud Meerzaman
- The Center for Biomedical Informatics and Information Technology (CBIIT), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kartik Padhan
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Winnie Lo
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Parisa Malekzadeh
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Li Jia
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Drew C Deniger
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Shashank J Patel
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Paul F Robbins
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - R Scott McIvor
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | | | - Steven A Rosenberg
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Branden S Moriarity
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA; Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
| | - Nicholas P Restifo
- Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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24
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Zhou W, Yang J, Zhang Y, Hu X, Wang W. Current landscape of gene-editing technology in biomedicine: Applications, advantages, challenges, and perspectives. MedComm (Beijing) 2022; 3:e155. [PMID: 35845351 PMCID: PMC9283854 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The expanding genome editing toolbox has revolutionized life science research ranging from the bench to the bedside. These “molecular scissors” have offered us unprecedented abilities to manipulate nucleic acid sequences precisely in living cells from diverse species. Continued advances in genome editing exponentially broaden our knowledge of human genetics, epigenetics, molecular biology, and pathology. Currently, gene editing‐mediated therapies have led to impressive responses in patients with hematological diseases, including sickle cell disease and thalassemia. With the discovery of more efficient, precise and sophisticated gene‐editing tools, more therapeutic gene‐editing approaches will enter the clinic to treat various diseases, such as acquired immunodeficiency sydrome (AIDS), hematologic malignancies, and even severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection. These initial successes have spurred the further innovation and development of gene‐editing technology. In this review, we will introduce the architecture and mechanism of the current gene‐editing tools, including clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR‐associated nuclease‐based tools and other protein‐based DNA targeting systems, and we summarize the meaningful applications of diverse technologies in preclinical studies, focusing on the establishment of disease models and diagnostic techniques. Finally, we provide a comprehensive overview of clinical information using gene‐editing therapeutics for treating various human diseases and emphasize the opportunities and challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weilin Zhou
- Department of Biotherapyy State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center West China Hospital Sichuan University Chengdu People's Republic of China
| | - Jinrong Yang
- Department of Biotherapyy State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center West China Hospital Sichuan University Chengdu People's Republic of China.,Department of Hematology Hematology Research Laboratory State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center West China Hospital Sichuan University Chengdu Sichuan P. R. China
| | - Yalan Zhang
- Department of Biotherapyy State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center West China Hospital Sichuan University Chengdu People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoyi Hu
- Department of Biotherapyy State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center West China Hospital Sichuan University Chengdu People's Republic of China.,Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics Development and Related Disease of Women and Children Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children Ministry of Education West China Second Hospital Sichuan University Chengdu P. R. China
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Biotherapyy State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center West China Hospital Sichuan University Chengdu People's Republic of China
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25
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Laoharawee K, Johnson MJ, Lahr WS, Sipe CJ, Kleinboehl E, Peterson JJ, Lonetree CL, Bell JB, Slipek NJ, Crane AT, Webber BR, Moriarity BS. A Pan-RNase Inhibitor Enabling CRISPR-mRNA Platforms for Engineering of Primary Human Monocytes. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:9749. [PMID: 36077152 PMCID: PMC9456164 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23179749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Monocytes and their downstream effectors are critical components of the innate immune system. Monocytes are equipped with chemokine receptors, allowing them to migrate to various tissues, where they can differentiate into macrophage and dendritic cell subsets and participate in tissue homeostasis, infection, autoimmune disease, and cancer. Enabling genome engineering in monocytes and their effector cells will facilitate a myriad of applications for basic and translational research. Here, we demonstrate that CRISPR-Cas9 RNPs can be used for efficient gene knockout in primary human monocytes. In addition, we demonstrate that intracellular RNases are likely responsible for poor and heterogenous mRNA expression as incorporation of pan-RNase inhibitor allows efficient genome engineering following mRNA-based delivery of Cas9 and base editor enzymes. Moreover, we demonstrate that CRISPR-Cas9 combined with an rAAV vector DNA donor template mediates site-specific insertion and expression of a transgene in primary human monocytes. Finally, we demonstrate that SIRPa knock-out monocyte-derived macrophages have enhanced activity against cancer cells, highlighting the potential for application in cellular immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanut Laoharawee
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Matthew J. Johnson
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Walker S. Lahr
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Christopher J. Sipe
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Evan Kleinboehl
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Joseph J. Peterson
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Cara-lin Lonetree
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Jason B. Bell
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Nicholas J. Slipek
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Andrew T. Crane
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Beau R. Webber
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Branden S. Moriarity
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Masonic Cancer Center, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Center for Genome Engineering, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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26
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Diorio C, Murray R, Naniong M, Barrera L, Camblin A, Chukinas J, Coholan L, Edwards A, Fuller T, Gonzales C, Grupp SA, Ladd A, Le M, Messana A, Musenge F, Newman H, Poh YC, Poulin H, Ryan T, Shraim R, Tasian SK, Vincent T, Young L, Zhang Y, Ciaramella G, Gehrke J, Teachey DT. Cytosine base editing enables quadruple-edited allogeneic CART cells for T-ALL. Blood 2022; 140:619-629. [PMID: 35560156 PMCID: PMC9373016 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2022015825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Allogeneic chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CART) therapies require multiple gene edits to be clinically tractable. Most allogeneic CARTs have been created using gene editing techniques that induce DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs), resulting in unintended on-target editing outcomes with potentially unforeseen consequences. Cytosine base editors (CBEs) install C•G to T•A point mutations in T cells, with between 90% and 99% efficiency to silence gene expression without creating DSBs, greatly reducing or eliminating undesired editing outcomes following multiplexed editing as compared with clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9). Using CBE, we developed 7CAR8, a CD7-directed allogeneic CART created using 4 simultaneous base edits. We show that CBE, unlike CRISPR-Cas9, does not impact T-cell proliferation, lead to aberrant DNA damage response pathway activation, or result in karyotypic abnormalities following multiplexed editing. We demonstrate 7CAR8 to be highly efficacious against T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) using multiple in vitro and in vivo models. Thus, CBE is a promising technology for applications requiring multiplexed gene editing and can be used to manufacture quadruple-edited 7CAR8 cells, with high potential for clinical translation for relapsed and refractory T-ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Diorio
- Division of Oncology, Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA; and
| | | | | | | | | | - John Chukinas
- Division of Oncology, Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
| | | | | | - Tori Fuller
- Division of Oncology, Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
| | | | - Stephan A Grupp
- Division of Oncology, Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA; and
| | | | | | | | | | - Haley Newman
- Division of Oncology, Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA; and
| | | | | | - Theresa Ryan
- Division of Oncology, Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Rawan Shraim
- Division of Oncology, Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Sarah K Tasian
- Division of Oncology, Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA; and
| | - Tiffaney Vincent
- Division of Oncology, Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
| | | | | | | | | | - David T Teachey
- Division of Oncology, Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA; and
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27
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Ren P, Zhang C, Li W, Wang X, Liang A, Yang G, Xu H, Ma P. CAR-T Therapy in Clinical Practice: Technical Advances and Current Challenges. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2022; 6:e2101262. [PMID: 35652169 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202101262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) redirect T cells to specifically recognize and eliminate tumor cells. CAR-T therapy has achieved successful clinical outcomes, and it has been transformed into commercially available products to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia and B cell lymphoma. These breakthroughs have motivated hundreds of CAR-T clinical trials initiated each year, with ≈900 cases registered on the ClinicalTrials website till 2021. Accumulating clinical experiences have highlighted some limitations of this strategy, e.g., relapse after complete response, poor efficacy in solid tumors, on-target off-tumor toxicities, lack of persistence, and tumor resistance. These challenges limit the therapeutic application of CAR-T cells. Multidisciplinary approaches are actively investigated to address these issues. In this review, the antigens, CAR designs, and cell sources are summarized in clinical trials from 2020 to 2021. The innovative modular and programmable designs in CAR-T cells, including advances in signaling domains, antigen-recognition domains, T cell engineering, and cell resources, are further discussed. Integrative genetic and chemical engineering strategies are promising to improve the versatility, antitumor efficacy, persistence, and safety of CAR-T cells. In the future, the next generation of CAR-T cell therapies will offer more options for patients who are refractory to standard tumor therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Ren
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies (SIAIS), ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, P. R. China
| | - Chuyue Zhang
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies (SIAIS), ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, P. R. China
| | - Wenping Li
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies (SIAIS), ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, P. R. China
| | - Xian Wang
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies (SIAIS), ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, P. R. China
| | - Aibing Liang
- Department of Hematology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai, 200092, P. R. China
| | - Guang Yang
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies (SIAIS), ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, P. R. China
| | - Hongtao Xu
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies (SIAIS), ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, P. R. China
| | - Peixiang Ma
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orthopedic Implants, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China.,Zhejiang Laboratory, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 311121, P. R. China
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28
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CRISPR/Cas9-medaited knockout of endogenous T-cell receptor in Jurkat cells and generation of NY-ESO-1-specific T cells: An in vitro study. Int Immunopharmacol 2022; 110:109055. [PMID: 35853277 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2022.109055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Adoptive transfer of T-cell receptor (TCR)-engineered T cells has been successful in mediating favorable clinical outcomes. TCR-engineered T cells can be applied for targeting cancers whose associated antigens are intracellular and presented through major histocompatibility complexes (MHC). The mispairing of the exogenous TCR chains with the endogenous TCR chains leads to functionally impaired TCR-engineered T cells. The CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing system can be utilized for the knockout of the endogenous TCR in T cells before introducing the exogenous TCR chains. In this study, we used the lentiviral delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 for disrupting the expression of the endogenous TCR in the Jurkat cell line. Next, an exogenous TCR targeting human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A*0201-restricted New York esophageal squamous cell carcinoma 1 (NY-ESO-1) peptide was transduced into the TCR-knockout (KO) Jurkat cells. Further, we assessed lentiviral transduction efficacy using tetramer assay and evaluated the functionality of the NY-ESO-1-specific TCR-engineered T cells by quantifying the cell surface expression of CD69 upon co-cultivation with peptide-pulsed T2 cells. We successfully knocked out the endogenous TCR in ∼40% of the Jurkat cells. TCR-KO cells were selected and subjected to express NY-ESO-1-specific TCRs using lentiviral vectors. Flow cytometry analysis confirmed that up to 55% of the cells expressed the transgenic TCR on their surface. The functionality assay demonstrated that >90% of the engineered cells expressed CD69 when co-cultured with peptide-pulsed T2 cells. Conclusively, we developed a pipeline to engineer Jurkat cells using the state-of-the-art technique CRISPR/Cas9 and generated TCR-engineered cells that can become activated by a tumor-specific antigen.
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29
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Utility of iPSC-Derived Cells for Disease Modeling, Drug Development, and Cell Therapy. Cells 2022; 11:cells11111853. [PMID: 35681550 PMCID: PMC9180434 DOI: 10.3390/cells11111853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The advent of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has advanced our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of human disease, drug discovery, and regenerative medicine. As such, the use of iPSCs in drug development and validation has shown a sharp increase in the past 15 years. Furthermore, many labs have been successful in reproducing many disease phenotypes, often difficult or impossible to capture, in commonly used cell lines or animal models. However, there still remain limitations such as the variability between iPSC lines as well as their maturity. Here, we aim to discuss the strategies in generating iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes and neurons for use in disease modeling, drug development and their use in cell therapy.
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30
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Development of Cancer Immunotherapies. Cancer Treat Res 2022; 183:1-48. [PMID: 35551655 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-96376-7_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy, or the utilization of components of the immune system to target and eliminate cancer, has become a highly active area of research in the past several decades and a common treatment strategy for several cancer types. The concept of harnessing the immune system for this purpose originated over 100 years ago when a physician by the name of William Coley successfully treated several of his cancer patients with a combination of live and attenuated bacteria, later known as "Coley's Toxins", after observing a subset of prior patients enter remission following their diagnosis with the common bacterial infection, erysipelas. However, it was not until late in the twentieth century that cancer immunotherapies were developed for widespread use, thereby transforming the treatment landscape of numerous cancer types. Pivotal studies elucidating molecular and cellular functions of immune cells, such as the discovery of IL-2 and production of monoclonal antibodies, fostered the development of novel techniques for studying the immune system and ultimately the development and approval of several cancer immunotherapies by the United States Food and Drug Association in the 1980s and 1990s, including the tuberculosis vaccine-Bacillus Calmette-Guérin, IL-2, and the CD20-targeting monoclonal antibody. Approval of the first therapeutic cancer vaccine, Sipuleucel-T, for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and the groundbreaking success and approval of immune checkpoint inhibitors and chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy in the last decade, have driven an explosion of interest in and pursuit of novel cancer immunotherapy strategies. A broad range of modalities ranging from antibodies to adoptive T cell therapies is under investigation for the generalized treatment of a broad spectrum of cancers as well as personalized medicine. This chapter will focus on the recent advances, current strategies, and future outlook of immunotherapy development for the treatment of cancer.
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31
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Elmas E, Saljoughian N, de Souza Fernandes Pereira M, Tullius BP, Sorathia K, Nakkula RJ, Lee DA, Naeimi Kararoudi M. CRISPR Gene Editing of Human Primary NK and T Cells for Cancer Immunotherapy. Front Oncol 2022; 12:834002. [PMID: 35449580 PMCID: PMC9016158 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.834002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Antitumor activity of immune cells such as T cells and NK cells has made them auspicious therapeutic regimens for adaptive cancer immunotherapy. Enhancing their cytotoxic effects against malignancies and overcoming their suppression in tumor microenvironment (TME) may improve their efficacy to treat cancers. Clustered, regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) genome editing has become one of the most popular tools to enhance immune cell antitumor activity. In this review we highlight applications and practicability of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing and engineering strategies for cancer immunotherapy. In addition, we have reviewed several approaches to study CRISPR off-target effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ezgi Elmas
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Noushin Saljoughian
- Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States
- CRISPR/Gene Editing Core, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Marcelo de Souza Fernandes Pereira
- Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Brian P. Tullius
- Pediatric Cellular Therapy, AdventHealth for Children, Orlando, FL, United States
| | - Kinnari Sorathia
- Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Robin J. Nakkula
- Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Dean A. Lee
- Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Meisam Naeimi Kararoudi
- Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States
- CRISPR/Gene Editing Core, Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
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Michaux A, Mauën S, Breman E, Dheur MS, Twyffels L, Saerens L, Jacques-Hespel C, Gauthy E, Agaugué S, Gilham DE, Sotiropoulou PA. Clinical Grade Manufacture of CYAD-101, a NKG2D-based, First in Class, Non-Gene-edited Allogeneic CAR T-Cell Therapy. J Immunother 2022; 45:150-161. [PMID: 35191428 DOI: 10.1097/cji.0000000000000413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Allogeneic chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T holds the promise of taking this therapeutic approach to broader patient populations while avoiding the intensive manufacturing demands of autologous cell products. One limitation to delivering an allogeneic CAR T is T-cell receptor (TCR) driven toxicity. In this work, the expression of a peptide to interfere with TCR signaling was assessed for the generation of allogeneic CAR T cells. The expression of a truncated CD3ζ peptide was shown to incorporate into the TCR complex and to result in blunted TCR responses. When coexpressed with a natural killer group 2D (NKG2D) CAR, the allogeneic T cells (called CYAD-101) failed to induce graft-versus-host disease in mouse models while maintaining antitumor activity driven by the CAR in vitro and in vivo. Two clinical grade discrete batches of CYAD-101 cells were produced of single donor apheresis resulting in 48 billion CAR T cells sufficient for the entire dose-escalation phase of the proposed clinical trial. The 2 batches showed high consistency producing a predominantly CD4+ T-cell population that displayed an effector/central memory phenotype with no evidence of exhaustion markers expression. These clinical grade CYAD-101 cells secreted cytokines and chemokines in response to ligands expressing target cells in vitro, demonstrating effector function through the CAR. Moreover, CYAD-101 cells failed to respond to TCR stimulation, indicating a lack of allogeneic potential. This bank of clinical grade, non-gene-edited, allogeneic CYAD-101 cells are used in the alloSHRINK clinical trial (NCT03692429).
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Tang TCY, Xu N, Nordon R, Haber M, Micklethwaite K, Dolnikov A. Donor T cells for CAR T cell therapy. Biomark Res 2022; 10:14. [PMID: 35365224 PMCID: PMC8973942 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-022-00359-3] [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: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Adoptive cell therapy using patient-derived chimeric receptor antigen (CAR) T cells redirected against tumor cells has shown remarkable success in treating hematologic cancers. However, wider accessibility of cellular therapies for all patients is needed. Manufacture of patient-derived CAR T cells is limited by prolonged lymphopenia in heavily pre-treated patients and risk of contamination with tumor cells when isolating T cells from patient blood rich in malignant blasts. Donor T cells provide a good source of immune cells for adoptive immunotherapy and can be used to generate universal off-the-shelf CAR T cells that are readily available for administration into patients as required. Genome editing tools such as TALENs and CRISPR-Cas9 and non-gene editing methods such as short hairpin RNA and blockade of protein expression are currently used to enhance CAR T cell safety and efficacy by abrogating non-specific toxicity in the form of graft versus host disease (GVHD) and preventing CAR T cell rejection by the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany C Y Tang
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia. .,Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Center, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Ning Xu
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Center, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,School of Women's and Children's Health, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Robert Nordon
- Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Michelle Haber
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Center, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,School of Women's and Children's Health, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Kids Cancer Center, Sydney Children's Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Kenneth Micklethwaite
- Blood Transplant and Cell Therapies Program, Department of Hematology, Westmead Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Blood Transplant and Cell Therapies Laboratory, NSW Health Pathology, ICPMR Westmead, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Alla Dolnikov
- Children's Cancer Institute, Lowy Cancer Research Center, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,School of Women's and Children's Health, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Kids Cancer Center, Sydney Children's Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Beyond CD19 CAR-T cells in lymphoma. Curr Opin Immunol 2022; 74:46-52. [PMID: 34800921 PMCID: PMC8901457 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2021.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Adoptive transfer of CD19-specific chimeric antigen receptor T-cells (CAR-T cells) has transformed the treatment paradigm of relapsed/refractory (R/R) CD19 B-cell malignancies, dramatically improving remission rates and cures in patients with chemo-refractory disease. However, the applicability of CD19 CAR-T cells is limited to B cell malignancies and antigen loss can result in treatment failure, prompting the exploration of alternative targets to overcome tumor escape via CD19 antigen loss, as well as extend the CAR-T cell platform to treat Hodgkin and T cell lymphomas. This review highlights recent clinical trials testing CAR-T cell targets beyond CD19.
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Kaeuferle T, Stief TA, Canzar S, Kutlu NN, Willier S, Stenger D, Ferrada‐Ernst P, Habjan N, Peters AE, Busch DH, Feuchtinger T. Genome‐wide off‐target analyses of CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated T‐cell receptor engineering in primary human T cells. Clin Transl Immunology 2022; 11:e1372. [PMID: 35106156 PMCID: PMC8784854 DOI: 10.1002/cti2.1372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives Exploiting the forces of human T cells for treatment has led to the current paradigm of emerging immunotherapy strategies. Genetic engineering of the T‐cell receptor (TCR) redirects specificity, ablates alloreactivity and brings significant progress and off‐the‐shelf options to emerging adoptive T‐cell transfer (ACT) approaches. Targeted CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated double‐strand breaks in the DNA enable knockout or knock‐in engineering. Methods Here, we perform CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated TCR knockout using a therapeutically relevant ribonucleoprotein (RNP) delivery method to assess the safety of genetically engineered T‐cell products. Whole‐genome sequencing was performed to analyse whether CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated DNA double‐strand break at the TCR locus is associated with off‐target events in human primary T cells. Results TCRα chain and TCRβ chain knockout leads to high on‐target InDel frequency and functional knockout. None of the predicted off‐target sites could be confirmed experimentally, whereas whole‐genome sequencing and manual Integrative Genomics Viewer (IGV) review revealed 9 potential low‐frequency off‐target events genome‐wide. Subsequent amplification and targeted deep sequencing in 7 of 7 evaluable loci did not confirm these low‐frequency InDels. Therefore, off‐target events are unlikely to be caused by the CRISPR/Cas9 engineering. Conclusion The combinatorial approach of whole‐genome sequencing and targeted deep sequencing confirmed highly specific genetic engineering using CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated TCR knockout without potentially harmful exonic off‐target effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa Kaeuferle
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Stem Cell Transplantation Dr. von Hauner Children’s Hospital University Hospital, LMU Munich Munich Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) Munich Germany
| | - Tanja A Stief
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Stem Cell Transplantation Dr. von Hauner Children’s Hospital University Hospital, LMU Munich Munich Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) Munich Germany
| | - Stefan Canzar
- Gene Center Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich Munich Germany
| | - Nayad N Kutlu
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Stem Cell Transplantation Dr. von Hauner Children’s Hospital University Hospital, LMU Munich Munich Germany
| | - Semjon Willier
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Stem Cell Transplantation Dr. von Hauner Children’s Hospital University Hospital, LMU Munich Munich Germany
| | - Dana Stenger
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Stem Cell Transplantation Dr. von Hauner Children’s Hospital University Hospital, LMU Munich Munich Germany
| | - Paulina Ferrada‐Ernst
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Stem Cell Transplantation Dr. von Hauner Children’s Hospital University Hospital, LMU Munich Munich Germany
| | - Nicola Habjan
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Stem Cell Transplantation Dr. von Hauner Children’s Hospital University Hospital, LMU Munich Munich Germany
| | - Annika E Peters
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Stem Cell Transplantation Dr. von Hauner Children’s Hospital University Hospital, LMU Munich Munich Germany
| | - Dirk H Busch
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) Munich Germany
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene Technische Universität München (TUM) Munich Germany
| | - Tobias Feuchtinger
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology and Stem Cell Transplantation Dr. von Hauner Children’s Hospital University Hospital, LMU Munich Munich Germany
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) Munich Germany
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Wang L, Chen Y, Liu X, Li Z, Dai X. The Application of CRISPR/Cas9 Technology for Cancer Immunotherapy: Current Status and Problems. Front Oncol 2022; 11:704999. [PMID: 35111663 PMCID: PMC8801488 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.704999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is one of the main causes of disease-related deaths in the world. Although cancer treatment strategies have been improved in recent years, the survival time of cancer patients is still far from satisfied. Cancer immunotherapy, such as Oncolytic virotherapy, Immune checkpoints inhibition, Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy, Chimeric antigen receptor natural killer (CAR-NK) cell therapy and macrophages genomic modification, has emerged as an effective therapeutic strategy for different kinds of cancer. However, many patients do not respond to the cancer immunotherapy which warrants further investigation to optimize this strategy. The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats and CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9), as a versatile genome engineering tool, has become popular in the biology research field and it was also applied to optimize tumor immunotherapy. Moreover, CRISPR-based high-throughput screening can be used in the study of immunomodulatory drug resistance mechanism. In this review, we summarized the development as well as the application of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in the cancer immunotherapy and discussed the potential problems that may be caused by this combination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luyao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of Ministry of Education, First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Disease, First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yurong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of Ministry of Education, First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Disease, First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xinrui Liu
- Neurosurgery Department, First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ziyi Li
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of Ministry of Education, First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Disease, First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xiangpeng Dai
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of Ministry of Education, First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- National-Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Disease, First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, China
- *Correspondence: Xiangpeng Dai,
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Mianné J, Nasri A, Van CN, Bourguignon C, Fieldès M, Ahmed E, Duthoit C, Martin N, Parrinello H, Louis A, Iché A, Gayon R, Samain F, Lamouroux L, Bouillé P, Bourdin A, Assou S, De Vos J. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene knockout and interallelic gene conversion in human induced pluripotent stem cells using non-integrative bacteriophage-chimeric retrovirus-like particles. BMC Biol 2022; 20:8. [PMID: 34996449 PMCID: PMC8742436 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01214-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The application of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC) holds tremendous potential for basic research and cell-based gene therapy. However, the fulfillment of these promises relies on the capacity to efficiently deliver exogenous nucleic acids and harness the repair mechanisms induced by the nuclease activity in order to knock-out or repair targeted genes. Moreover, transient delivery should be preferred to avoid persistent nuclease activity and to decrease the risk of off-target events. We recently developed bacteriophage-chimeric retrovirus-like particles that exploit the properties of bacteriophage coat proteins to package exogenous RNA, and the benefits of lentiviral transduction to achieve highly efficient, non-integrative RNA delivery in human cells. Here, we investigated the potential of bacteriophage-chimeric retrovirus-like particles for the non-integrative delivery of RNA molecules in hiPSC for CRISPR/Cas9 applications. RESULTS We found that these particles efficiently convey RNA molecules for transient expression in hiPSC, with minimal toxicity and without affecting the cell pluripotency and subsequent differentiation. We then used this system to transiently deliver in a single step the CRISPR-Cas9 components (Cas9 mRNA and sgRNA) to generate gene knockout with high indel rate (up to 85%) at multiple loci. Strikingly, when using an allele-specific sgRNA at a locus harboring compound heterozygous mutations, the targeted allele was not altered by NHEJ/MMEJ, but was repaired at high frequency using the homologous wild type allele, i.e., by interallelic gene conversion. CONCLUSIONS Our results highlight the potential of bacteriophage-chimeric retrovirus-like particles to efficiently and safely deliver RNA molecules in hiPSC, and describe for the first time genome engineering by gene conversion in hiPSC. Harnessing this DNA repair mechanism could facilitate the therapeutic correction of human genetic disorders in hiPSC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joffrey Mianné
- IRMB, Univ Montpellier, INSERM, CHU Montpellier, Hôpital St Eloi, 80 avenue Augustin Fliche, 34295, Montpellier, France
| | - Amel Nasri
- IRMB, Univ Montpellier, INSERM, CHU Montpellier, Hôpital St Eloi, 80 avenue Augustin Fliche, 34295, Montpellier, France
| | - Chloé Nguyen Van
- IRMB, Univ Montpellier, INSERM, CHU Montpellier, Hôpital St Eloi, 80 avenue Augustin Fliche, 34295, Montpellier, France
| | - Chloé Bourguignon
- IRMB, Univ Montpellier, INSERM, CHU Montpellier, Hôpital St Eloi, 80 avenue Augustin Fliche, 34295, Montpellier, France
| | - Mathieu Fieldès
- IRMB, Univ Montpellier, INSERM, CHU Montpellier, Hôpital St Eloi, 80 avenue Augustin Fliche, 34295, Montpellier, France
| | - Engi Ahmed
- IRMB, Univ Montpellier, INSERM, CHU Montpellier, Hôpital St Eloi, 80 avenue Augustin Fliche, 34295, Montpellier, France
| | | | | | - Hugues Parrinello
- Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
- MGX-Montpellier GenomiX, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | - Anaïs Louis
- Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
- MGX-Montpellier GenomiX, Univ. Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, Montpellier, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Arnaud Bourdin
- PhyMedExp, Univ Montpellier, INSERM, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Said Assou
- IRMB, Univ Montpellier, INSERM, CHU Montpellier, Hôpital St Eloi, 80 avenue Augustin Fliche, 34295, Montpellier, France
| | - John De Vos
- IRMB, Univ Montpellier, INSERM, CHU Montpellier, Hôpital St Eloi, 80 avenue Augustin Fliche, 34295, Montpellier, France.
- Department of Cell and Tissue Engineering, Univ Montpellier, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
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Mohammed T, Mailankody S. “Off-the-shelf” immunotherapies for multiple myeloma. Semin Oncol 2022; 49:60-68. [DOI: 10.1053/j.seminoncol.2022.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Current Limitations and Perspectives of Chimeric Antigen Receptor-T-Cells in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13246157. [PMID: 34944782 PMCID: PMC8699597 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13246157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most frequent type of acute leukemia in adults. Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) has been the only potentially curative treatment for the majority of patients. The ability of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T-cell therapy directed against the CD19 antigen to induce durable remissions in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has provided optimism that this novel treatment paradigm can be extrapolated to AML. In this review, we provide an overview of candidate target antigens for CAR-T-cells in AML, an update on recent progress in preclinical and clinical development of investigational CAR-T-cell products, and discuss challenges for the clinical implementation of CAR-T-cell therapy in AML. Abstract Adoptive transfer of gene-engineered chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T-cells has emerged as a powerful immunotherapy for combating hematologic cancers. Several target antigens that are prevalently expressed on AML cells have undergone evaluation in preclinical CAR-T-cell testing. Attributes of an ‘ideal’ target antigen for CAR-T-cell therapy in AML include high-level expression on leukemic blasts and leukemic stem cells (LSCs), and absence on healthy tissues, normal hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). In contrast to other blood cancer types, where CAR-T therapies are being similarly studied, only a rather small number of AML patients has received CAR-T-cell treatment in clinical trials, resulting in limited clinical experience for this therapeutic approach in AML. For curative AML treatment, abrogation of bulk blasts and LSCs is mandatory with the need for hematopoietic recovery after CAR-T administration. Herein, we provide a critical review of the current pipeline of candidate target antigens and corresponding CAR-T-cell products in AML, assess challenges for clinical translation and implementation in routine clinical practice, as well as perspectives for overcoming them.
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Cui Z, Liu H, Zhang H, Huang Z, Tian R, Li L, Fan W, Chen Y, Chen L, Zhang S, Das BC, Severinov K, Hitzeroth II, Debata PR, Jin Z, Liu J, Huang Z, Xie W, Xie H, Lang B, Ma J, Weng H, Tian X, Hu Z. The comparison of ZFNs, TALENs, and SpCas9 by GUIDE-seq in HPV-targeted gene therapy. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2021; 26:1466-1478. [PMID: 34938601 PMCID: PMC8655392 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2021.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like endonucleases (TALENs), and CRISPR-associated Cas9 endonucleases are three major generations of genome editing tools. However, no parallel comparison about the efficiencies and off-target activity of the three nucleases has been reported, which is critical for the final clinical decision. We for the first time developed the genome-wide unbiased identification of double-stranded breaks enabled by sequencing (GUIDE-seq) method in ZFNs and TALENs with novel bioinformatics algorithms to evaluate the off-targets. By targeting human papillomavirus 16 (HPV16), we compared the performance of ZFNs, TALENs, and SpCas9 in vivo. Our data showed that ZFNs with similar targets could generate distinct massive off-targets (287–1,856), and the specificity could be reversely correlated with the counts of middle “G” in zinc finger proteins (ZFPs). We also compared the TALENs with different N-terminal domains (wild-type [WT]/αN/βN) and G recognition modules (NN/NH) and found the design (αN or NN) to improve the efficiency of TALEN inevitably increased off-targets. Finally, our results showed that SpCas9 was more efficient and specific than ZFNs and TALENs. Specifically, SpCas9 had fewer off-target counts in URR (SpCas9, n = 0; TALEN, n = 1; ZFN, n = 287), E6 (SpCas9, n = 0; TALEN, n = 7), and E7 (SpCas9, n = 4; TALEN, n = 36). Taken together, we suggest that for HPV gene therapies, SpCas9 is a more efficient and safer genome editing tool. Our off-target data could be used to improve the design of ZFNs and TALENs, and the universal in vivo off-target detection pipeline for three generations of artificial nucleases provided useful tools for genome engineering-based gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zifeng Cui
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhongshan 2nd Road, Yuexiu, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Hui Liu
- Department of Pathology, Xi’an People’s Hospital (Xi’an Fourth Hospital), Shaanxi, China
| | - Hongfeng Zhang
- Department of Pathology, The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Zhaoyue Huang
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhongshan 2nd Road, Yuexiu, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Rui Tian
- Center for Translational Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Lifang Li
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhongshan 2nd Road, Yuexiu, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Weiwen Fan
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhongshan 2nd Road, Yuexiu, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Yili Chen
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhongshan 2nd Road, Yuexiu, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Lijie Chen
- Graduate School, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui 233000, China
| | - Sen Zhang
- Graduate School, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, Anhui 233000, China
| | - Bhudev C. Das
- Amity Institute of Molecular Medicine & Stem Cell Research, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Sector 125, Noida 201313, India
| | - Konstantin Severinov
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology 100 Novaya Street, Skolkovo, Moscow Region 143025, Russia
| | - Inga Isabel Hitzeroth
- Biopharming Research Unit, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7701, South Africa
| | - Priya Ranjan Debata
- Department of Zoology, North Orissa University, Takatpur, Baripada, Odisha 757003, India
| | - Zhuang Jin
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhongshan 2nd Road, Yuexiu, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Jiashuo Liu
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhongshan 2nd Road, Yuexiu, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Zheying Huang
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhongshan 2nd Road, Yuexiu, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Weiling Xie
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhongshan 2nd Road, Yuexiu, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, China
| | - Hongxian Xie
- Generulor Company Bio-X Lab, Guangzhou 510006, Guangdong, China
| | - Bin Lang
- School of Health Sciences and Sports, Macao Polytechnic Institute, Macao 999078, China
| | - Ji Ma
- Department of Pathology, The Central Hospital of Sui Zhou, Hubei, China
| | - Haiyan Weng
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, China
- Intelligent Pathology Institute, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, China
- Corresponding author: Haiyan Weng, Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230036, China.
| | - Xun Tian
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Academician Expert Workstation, The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430014, Hubei, China
- Corresponding author: Xun Tian, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Academician Expert Workstation, The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430014, Hubei, China.
| | - Zheng Hu
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhongshan 2nd Road, Yuexiu, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, China
- Corresponding author: Zheng Hu, Department of Gynecological Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhongshan 2nd Road, Yuexiu, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong, China.
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Dhakal B, Chhabra S, Savani BN, Hamadani M. Promise and pitfalls of allogeneic chimeric antigen receptor therapy in plasma cell and lymphoid malignancies. Br J Haematol 2021; 197:28-40. [PMID: 34671973 DOI: 10.1111/bjh.17904] [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] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is a promising immunotherapy in haematological malignancies. However, the currently approved products are generated from autologous T cells that require orchestration of several logistically complex steps, which include patient eligibility, apheresis capability, complex manufacturing processes and shipping logistics. Use of third-party donor-derived (allogeneic) effector cells that allows the generation of 'off-the-shelf" CAR T cells (allo-CAR) could circumvent many of the problems associated with autologous CAR T-cell therapy. Several allogeneic products are entering clinical trials, and though early, the results look promising. The recognised potential benefits of allo-CAR do not come without significant challenges, that must be overcome for their widespread use. Alloreactivity, i.e. graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and rejection of donor T cells is one of the major barriers, while other potential barriers include immunogenicity, unknown in vivo persistence, and CAR T-cell yield. In the present review, we provide a comprehensive review of the challenges associated with autologous CAR, the benefits and potential challenges associated with allo-CAR. Finally, we review the available platforms for allo-CAR for B-cell and plasma cell malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binod Dhakal
- Blood & Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Program, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Saurabh Chhabra
- Blood & Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Program, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Bipin N Savani
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Mehdi Hamadani
- Blood & Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Program, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA
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Kharfan-Dabaja MA, Yassine F, Gadd ME, Qin H. Driving Out Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia With CAR T Cells. Transplant Cell Ther 2021; 28:5-17. [PMID: 34656807 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtct.2021.10.005] [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] [Received: 07/10/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most prevalent leukemia in the Western hemisphere. The recent availability of novel targeted therapies, namely Bruton's tyrosine kinase, phosphoinositide-3 kinase, and BCL-2 inhibitors, have revolutionized the treatment algorithm for CLL but have not yet resulted in cure. Advances in the field of immuno-oncology and T cell engineering brought chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy from the laboratory to the clinic for treatment of B cell lymphoid malignancies and has improved the disease response and survival outcomes of various types of relapsed and/or refractory B cell lymphomas. While acknowledging that there are no approved CAR T cell therapies for CLL at this time, in this comprehensive review we explore novel targets for CAR T cell therapy in CLL and highlight the promising results of CAR T cell trials reported to date. Furthermore, we shed light on future areas of development, including multitarget CAR T cell products for this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed A Kharfan-Dabaja
- Division of Hematology-Oncology and Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Program, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida.
| | - Farah Yassine
- Division of Hematology-Oncology and Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Program, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida
| | - Martha E Gadd
- Division of Hematology-Oncology and Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Program, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida
| | - Hong Qin
- Division of Hematology-Oncology and Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy Program, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida
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Mohseni YR, Saleem A, Tung SL, Dudreuilh C, Lang C, Peng Q, Volpe A, Adigbli G, Cross A, Hester J, Farzaneh F, Scotta C, Lechler RI, Issa F, Fruhwirth GO, Lombardi G. Chimeric antigen receptor-modified human regulatory T cells that constitutively express IL-10 maintain their phenotype and are potently suppressive. Eur J Immunol 2021; 51:2522-2530. [PMID: 34320225 PMCID: PMC8581768 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202048934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2020] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Clinical trials of Treg therapy in transplantation are currently entering phases IIa and IIb, with the majority of these employing polyclonal Treg populations that harbor a broad specificity. Enhancing Treg specificity is possible with the use of chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), which can be customized to respond to a specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA). In this study, we build on our previous work in the development of HLA-A2 CAR-Tregs by further equipping cells with the constitutive expression of interleukin 10 (IL-10) and an imaging reporter as additional payloads. Cells were engineered to express combinations of these domains and assessed for phenotype and function. Cells expressing the full construct maintained a stable phenotype after transduction, were specifically activated by HLA-A2, and suppressed alloresponses potently. The addition of IL-10 provided an additional advantage to suppressive capacity. This study therefore provides an important proof-of-principle for this cell engineering approach for next-generation Treg therapy in transplantation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmin R. Mohseni
- MRC Centre for Transplantation ImmunologySchool of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Adeel Saleem
- MRC Centre for Transplantation ImmunologySchool of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College LondonLondonUK
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer GroupComprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Studies, King's College LondonLondonUK
- Department of Haematology and Precision MedicineKings College HospitalLondonUK
| | - Sim L. Tung
- MRC Centre for Transplantation ImmunologySchool of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Caroline Dudreuilh
- MRC Centre for Transplantation ImmunologySchool of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Cameron Lang
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer GroupComprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Studies, King's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Qi Peng
- MRC Centre for Transplantation ImmunologySchool of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Alessia Volpe
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer GroupComprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Studies, King's College LondonLondonUK
| | - George Adigbli
- Transplantation Research & Immunology Group, Nuffield Department of Surgical SciencesUniversity of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Amy Cross
- Transplantation Research & Immunology Group, Nuffield Department of Surgical SciencesUniversity of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Joanna Hester
- Transplantation Research & Immunology Group, Nuffield Department of Surgical SciencesUniversity of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Farzin Farzaneh
- Department of Haematological MedicineSchool of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Studies, King's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Cristiano Scotta
- MRC Centre for Transplantation ImmunologySchool of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Robert I. Lechler
- MRC Centre for Transplantation ImmunologySchool of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Fadi Issa
- Transplantation Research & Immunology Group, Nuffield Department of Surgical SciencesUniversity of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Gilbert O. Fruhwirth
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer GroupComprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Studies, King's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Giovanna Lombardi
- MRC Centre for Transplantation ImmunologySchool of Immunology and Microbial Sciences, King's College LondonLondonUK
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González Castro N, Bjelic J, Malhotra G, Huang C, Alsaffar SH. Comparison of the Feasibility, Efficiency, and Safety of Genome Editing Technologies. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:10355. [PMID: 34638696 PMCID: PMC8509008 DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in programmable nucleases including meganucleases (MNs), zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs), transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-Cas (CRISPR-Cas) have propelled genome editing from explorative research to clinical and industrial settings. Each technology, however, features distinct modes of action that unevenly impact their applicability across the entire genome and are often tested under significantly different conditions. While CRISPR-Cas is currently leading the field due to its versatility, quick adoption, and high degree of support, it is not without limitations. Currently, no technology can be regarded as ideal or even applicable to every case as the context dictates the best approach for genetic modification within a target organism. In this review, we implement a four-pillar framework (context, feasibility, efficiency, and safety) to assess the main genome editing platforms, as a basis for rational decision-making by an expanding base of users, regulators, and consumers. Beyond carefully considering their specific use case with the assessment framework proposed here, we urge stakeholders interested in genome editing to independently validate the parameters of their chosen platform prior to commitment. Furthermore, safety across all applications, particularly in clinical settings, is a paramount consideration and comprehensive off-target detection strategies should be incorporated within workflows to address this. Often neglected aspects such as immunogenicity and the inadvertent selection of mutants deficient for DNA repair pathways must also be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolás González Castro
- School of Biosciences, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Australia; (N.G.C.); (G.M.); (C.H.); (S.H.A.)
| | - Jan Bjelic
- School of Biosciences, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Australia; (N.G.C.); (G.M.); (C.H.); (S.H.A.)
| | - Gunya Malhotra
- School of Biosciences, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Australia; (N.G.C.); (G.M.); (C.H.); (S.H.A.)
| | - Cong Huang
- School of Biosciences, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Australia; (N.G.C.); (G.M.); (C.H.); (S.H.A.)
| | - Salman Hasan Alsaffar
- School of Biosciences, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3052, Australia; (N.G.C.); (G.M.); (C.H.); (S.H.A.)
- Biotechnology Department, Environment and Life Sciences Research Center, Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, Shuwaikh 13109, Kuwait
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Parés M, Fornaguera C, Vila-Julià F, Oh S, Fan SHY, Tam YK, Comes N, Vidal F, Martí R, Borrós S, Barquinero J. Preclinical Assessment of a Gene-Editing Approach in a Mouse Model of Mitochondrial Neurogastrointestinal Encephalomyopathy. Hum Gene Ther 2021; 32:1210-1223. [PMID: 34498979 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2021.152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalomyopathy (MNGIE) is a rare disease caused by recessive mutations in the TYMP gene, which encodes the enzyme thymidine phosphorylase (TP). In this study, the efficient integration of a TYMP transgene into introns of the Tymp and Alb loci of hepatocytes in a murine model of MNGIE was achieved by the coordinated delivery and activity of CRISPR/Cas9 and a TYMP cDNA. CRISPR/Cas9 was delivered either as mRNA using lipid nanoparticle (LNP) or polymeric nanoparticle, respectively, or in an AAV2/8 viral vector; the latter was also used to package the TYMP cDNA. Insertion of the cDNA template downstream of the Tymp and Alb promoters ensured transgene expression. The best in vivo results were obtained using LNP carrying the CRISPR/Cas9 mRNAs. Treated mice showed a consistent long-term (1 year) reduction in plasma nucleoside (thymidine and deoxyuridine) levels that correlated with the presence of TYMP mRNA and functional enzyme in liver cells. In mice with an edited Alb locus, the transgene produced a hybrid Alb-hTP protein that was secreted, with supraphysiological levels of TP activity detected in the plasma. Equivalent results were obtained in mice edited at the Tymp locus. Finally, some degree of gene editing was found in animals treated only with AAV vectors containing the DNA templates, in the absence of nucleases, although there was no impact on plasma nucleoside levels. Overall, these results demonstrate the feasibility of liver-directed genome editing in the long-term correction of MNGIE, with several advantages over other methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Parés
- Gene and Cell Therapy, Institut de Recerca Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Fornaguera
- Grup d'Enginyeria de Materials (GEMAT), Institut Químic de Sarrià (IQS), Ramon Llull University (URL), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ferran Vila-Julià
- Research Group on Neuromuscular and Mitochondrial Diseases, Institut de Recerca Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), and Biomedical Network Research Centre on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sejin Oh
- Grup d'Enginyeria de Materials (GEMAT), Institut Químic de Sarrià (IQS), Ramon Llull University (URL), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Steven H Y Fan
- Acuitas Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Ying K Tam
- Acuitas Therapeutics, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Francisco Vidal
- Blood and Tissue Bank, Barcelona, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ramon Martí
- Research Group on Neuromuscular and Mitochondrial Diseases, Institut de Recerca Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), and Biomedical Network Research Centre on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Salvador Borrós
- Grup d'Enginyeria de Materials (GEMAT), Institut Químic de Sarrià (IQS), Ramon Llull University (URL), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Barquinero
- Gene and Cell Therapy, Institut de Recerca Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron (VHIR), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
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Trial Watch: Adoptive TCR-Engineered T-Cell Immunotherapy for Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13184519. [PMID: 34572745 PMCID: PMC8469736 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13184519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a type of blood cancer with an extremely grim prognosis. This is due to the fact that the majority of patients will relapse after frontline treatment. Overall survival of relapsed AML is very low, and treatment options are few. T lymphocytes harnessed with antitumor T-cell receptors (TCRs) can produce objective clinical responses in certain cancers, such as melanoma, but have not entered the main road for AML. In this review, we describe the current status of the field of TCR-T-cell therapies for AML. Abstract Despite the advent of novel therapies, acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains associated with a grim prognosis. This is exemplified by 5-year overall survival rates not exceeding 30%. Even with frontline high-intensity chemotherapy regimens and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, the majority of patients with AML will relapse. For these patients, treatment options are few, and novel therapies are urgently needed. Adoptive T-cell therapies represent an attractive therapeutic avenue due to the intrinsic ability of T lymphocytes to recognize tumor cells with high specificity and efficiency. In particular, T-cell therapies focused on introducing T-cell receptors (TCRs) against tumor antigens have achieved objective clinical responses in solid tumors such as synovial sarcoma and melanoma. However, contrary to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells with groundbreaking results in B-cell malignancies, the use of TCR-T cells for hematological malignancies is still in its infancy. In this review, we provide an overview of the status and clinical advances in adoptive TCR-T-cell therapy for the treatment of AML.
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Hefazi M, Bolivar-Wagers S, Blazar BR. Regulatory T Cell Therapy of Graft-versus-Host Disease: Advances and Challenges. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:9676. [PMID: 34575843 PMCID: PMC8469916 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22189676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Immunomodulation using regulatory T cells (Tregs) offers an exciting option to prevent and/or treat GVHD as these cells naturally function to maintain immune homeostasis, can induce tolerance following HSCT, and have a tissue reparative function. Studies to date have established a clinical safety profile for polyclonal Tregs. Functional enhancement through genetic engineering offers the possibility of improved potency, specificity, and persistence. In this review, we provide the most up to date preclinical and clinical data on Treg cell therapy with a particular focus on GVHD. We discuss the different Treg subtypes and highlight the pharmacological and genetic approaches under investigation to enhance the application of Tregs in allo-HSCT. Lastly, we discuss the remaining challenges for optimal clinical translation and provide insights as to future directions of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehrdad Hefazi
- Division of Hematology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA;
| | - Sara Bolivar-Wagers
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant & Cellular Therapy, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA;
| | - Bruce R. Blazar
- Division of Blood and Marrow Transplant & Cellular Therapy, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA;
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Ghaffari S, Khalili N, Rezaei N. CRISPR/Cas9 revitalizes adoptive T-cell therapy for cancer immunotherapy. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2021; 40:269. [PMID: 34446084 PMCID: PMC8390258 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-021-02076-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has gained attention as the supreme therapeutic modality for the treatment of various malignancies. Adoptive T-cell therapy (ACT) is one of the most distinctive modalities of this therapeutic approach, which seeks to harness the potential of combating cancer cells by using autologous or allogenic tumor-specific T-cells. However, a plethora of circumstances must be optimized to produce functional, durable, and efficient T-cells. Recently, the potential of ACT has been further realized by the introduction of novel gene-editing platforms such as the CRISPR/Cas9 system; this technique has been utilized to create T-cells furnished with recombinant T-cell receptor (TCR) or chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) that have precise tumor antigen recognition, minimal side effects and treatment-related toxicities, robust proliferation and cytotoxicity, and nominal exhaustion. Here, we aim to review and categorize the recent breakthroughs of genetically modified TCR/CAR T-cells through CRISPR/Cas9 technology and address the pearls and pitfalls of each method. In addition, we investigate the latest ongoing clinical trials that are applying CRISPR-associated TCR/CAR T-cells for the treatment of cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasan Ghaffari
- Cancer Immunology Project (CIP), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran.,Department of Hematology, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nastaran Khalili
- Cancer Immunology Project (CIP), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Nima Rezaei
- Research Center for Immunodeficiencies, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Dr. Qarib St, Keshavarz Blvd, Tehran, 14194, Iran. .,Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. .,Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Stockholm, Sweden.
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Cortijo-Gutiérrez M, Sánchez-Hernández S, Tristán-Manzano M, Maldonado-Pérez N, Lopez-Onieva L, Real PJ, Herrera C, Marchal JA, Martin F, Benabdellah K. Improved Functionality of Integration-Deficient Lentiviral Vectors (IDLVs) by the Inclusion of IS 2 Protein Docks. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13081217. [PMID: 34452178 PMCID: PMC8401568 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13081217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Integration-deficient lentiviral vectors (IDLVs) have recently generated increasing interest, not only as a tool for transient gene delivery, but also as a technique for detecting off-target cleavage in gene-editing methodologies which rely on customized endonucleases (ENs). Despite their broad potential applications, the efficacy of IDLVs has historically been limited by low transgene expression and by the reduced sensitivity to detect low-frequency off-target events. We have previously reported that the incorporation of the chimeric sequence element IS2 into the long terminal repeat (LTR) of IDLVs increases gene expression levels, while also reducing the episome yield inside transduced cells. Our study demonstrates that the effectiveness of IDLVs relies on the balance between two parameters which can be modulated by the inclusion of IS2 sequences. In the present study, we explore new IDLV configurations harboring several elements based on IS2 modifications engineered to mediate more efficient transgene expression without affecting the targeted cell load. Of all the insulators and configurations analysed, the insertion of the IS2 into the 3′LTR produced the best results. After demonstrating a DAPI-low nuclear gene repositioning of IS2-containing episomes, we determined whether, in addition to a positive effect on transcription, the IS2 could improve the capture of IDLVs on double strand breaks (DSBs). Thus, DSBs were randomly generated, using the etoposide or locus-specific CRISPR-Cas9. Our results show that the IS2 element improved the efficacy of IDLV DSB detection. Altogether, our data indicate that the insertion of IS2 into the LTR of IDLVs improved, not only their transgene expression levels, but also their ability to be inserted into existing DSBs. This could have significant implications for the development of an unbiased detection tool for off-target cleavage sites from different specific nucleases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Cortijo-Gutiérrez
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Genomic Medicine Department, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Health Sciences Technology Park, Av. de la Illustration 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (M.C.-G.); (S.S.-H.); (M.T.-M.); (N.M.-P.); (F.M.)
| | - Sabina Sánchez-Hernández
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Genomic Medicine Department, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Health Sciences Technology Park, Av. de la Illustration 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (M.C.-G.); (S.S.-H.); (M.T.-M.); (N.M.-P.); (F.M.)
| | - María Tristán-Manzano
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Genomic Medicine Department, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Health Sciences Technology Park, Av. de la Illustration 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (M.C.-G.); (S.S.-H.); (M.T.-M.); (N.M.-P.); (F.M.)
| | - Noelia Maldonado-Pérez
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Genomic Medicine Department, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Health Sciences Technology Park, Av. de la Illustration 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (M.C.-G.); (S.S.-H.); (M.T.-M.); (N.M.-P.); (F.M.)
| | - Lourdes Lopez-Onieva
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Molecular Oncology Department, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Health Sciences Technology Park, Av. de la Illustration 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (L.L.-O.); (P.J.R.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Faculty of Science, University of Granada, Avenida Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Pedro J. Real
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Molecular Oncology Department, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Health Sciences Technology Park, Av. de la Illustration 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (L.L.-O.); (P.J.R.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, Faculty of Science, University of Granada, Avenida Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
- Personalized Oncology Group, Bio-Health Research Institute (ibs Granada), 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Concha Herrera
- Maimonides Institute of Biomedical Research in Cordoba (IMIBIC), 14004 Cordoba, Spain;
- Department of Haematology, Reina Sofía University Hospital, 14004 Cordoba, Spain
| | - Juan Antonio Marchal
- Biomedical Research Institute (ibs. Granada), 18012 Granada, Spain;
- Biopathology and Regenerative Medicine Institute (IBIMER), Centre for Biomedical Research (CIBM), University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
- Department of Human Anatomy and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
- Excellence Research Unit: Modeling Nature (MNat), University of Granada, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Francisco Martin
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Genomic Medicine Department, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Health Sciences Technology Park, Av. de la Illustration 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (M.C.-G.); (S.S.-H.); (M.T.-M.); (N.M.-P.); (F.M.)
| | - Karim Benabdellah
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Genomic Medicine Department, Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Regional Government, Health Sciences Technology Park, Av. de la Illustration 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; (M.C.-G.); (S.S.-H.); (M.T.-M.); (N.M.-P.); (F.M.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-958-715-500
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Agrawal V, Gbolahan OB, Stahl M, Zeidan AM, Zaid MA, Farag SS, Konig H. Vaccine and Cell-based Therapeutic Approaches in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Curr Cancer Drug Targets 2021; 20:473-489. [PMID: 32357813 DOI: 10.2174/1568009620666200502011059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Revised: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Over the past decade, our increased understanding of the interactions between the immune system and cancer cells has led to paradigm shifts in the clinical management of solid and hematologic malignancies. The incorporation of immune-targeted strategies into the treatment landscape of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), however, has been challenging. While this is in part due to the inability of the immune system to mount an effective tumor-specific immunogenic response against the heterogeneous nature of AML, the decreased immunogenicity of AML cells also represents a major obstacle in the effort to design effective immunotherapeutic strategies. In fact, AML cells have been shown to employ sophisticated escape mechanisms to evade elimination, such as direct immunosuppression of natural killer cells and decreased surface receptor expression leading to impaired recognition by the immune system. Yet, cellular and humoral immune reactions against tumor-associated antigens (TAA) of acute leukemia cells have been reported and the success of allogeneic stem cell transplantation and monoclonal antibodies in the treatment of AML clearly provides proof that an immunotherapeutic approach is feasible in the management of this disease. This review discusses the recent progress and persisting challenges in cellular immunotherapy for patients with AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaibhav Agrawal
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States
| | - Olumide B Gbolahan
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Alabama School of Medicine, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States
| | - Maximilian Stahl
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, United States
| | - Amer M Zeidan
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Hematology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, United States
| | - Mohammad Abu Zaid
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States
| | - Sherif S Farag
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States
| | - Heiko Konig
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, United States
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