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Naiisseh B, Papasavva PL, Papaioannou NY, Tomazou M, Koniali L, Felekis X, Constantinou CG, Sitarou M, Christou S, Kleanthous M, Lederer CW, Patsali P. Context base editing for splice correction of IVSI-110 β-thalassemia. Mol Ther Nucleic Acids 2024; 35:102183. [PMID: 38706633 PMCID: PMC11068610 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2024.102183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
β-Thalassemia is brought about by defective β-globin (HBB [hemoglobin subunit β]) formation and, in severe cases, requires regular blood transfusion and iron chelation for survival. Genome editing of hematopoietic stem cells allows correction of underlying mutations as curative therapy. As potentially safer alternatives to double-strand-break-based editors, base editors (BEs) catalyze base transitions for precision editing of DNA target sites, prompting us to reclone and evaluate two recently published adenine BEs (ABEs; SpRY and SpG) with relaxed protospacer adjacent motif requirements for their ability to correct the common HBBIVSI-110(G>A) splice mutation. Nucleofection of ABE components as RNA into patient-derived CD34+ cells achieved up to 90% editing of upstream sequence elements critical for aberrant splicing, allowing full characterization of the on-target base-editing profile of each ABE and the detection of differences in on-target insertions and deletions. In addition, this study identifies opposing effects on splice correction for two neighboring context bases, establishes the frequency distribution of multiple BE editing events in the editing window, and shows high-efficiency functional correction of HBBIVSI-110(G>A) for our ABEs, including at the levels of RNA, protein, and erythroid differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Basma Naiisseh
- Molecular Genetics of Thalassemia Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, 6 Iroon Avenue, Agios Dometios, Nicosia 2371, Cyprus
| | - Panayiota L. Papasavva
- Molecular Genetics of Thalassemia Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, 6 Iroon Avenue, Agios Dometios, Nicosia 2371, Cyprus
| | - Nikoletta Y. Papaioannou
- Molecular Genetics of Thalassemia Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, 6 Iroon Avenue, Agios Dometios, Nicosia 2371, Cyprus
| | - Marios Tomazou
- Bioinformatics Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, Agios Dometios, Nicosia 2371, Cyprus
| | - Lola Koniali
- Molecular Genetics of Thalassemia Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, 6 Iroon Avenue, Agios Dometios, Nicosia 2371, Cyprus
| | - Xenia Felekis
- Molecular Genetics of Thalassemia Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, 6 Iroon Avenue, Agios Dometios, Nicosia 2371, Cyprus
| | - Constantina G. Constantinou
- Molecular Genetics of Thalassemia Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, 6 Iroon Avenue, Agios Dometios, Nicosia 2371, Cyprus
| | - Maria Sitarou
- Thalassemia Clinic Larnaca, State Health Services Organization, Larnaca 6301, Cyprus
| | - Soteroula Christou
- Thalassemia Clinic Nicosia, State Health Services Organization, Strovolos, Nicosia 2012, Cyprus
| | - Marina Kleanthous
- Molecular Genetics of Thalassemia Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, 6 Iroon Avenue, Agios Dometios, Nicosia 2371, Cyprus
| | - Carsten W. Lederer
- Molecular Genetics of Thalassemia Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, 6 Iroon Avenue, Agios Dometios, Nicosia 2371, Cyprus
| | - Petros Patsali
- Molecular Genetics of Thalassemia Department, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, 6 Iroon Avenue, Agios Dometios, Nicosia 2371, Cyprus
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Koniali L, Flouri C, Kostopoulou MI, Papaioannou NY, Papasavva PL, Naiisseh B, Stephanou C, Demetriadou A, Sitarou M, Christou S, Antoniou MN, Kleanthous M, Patsali P, Lederer CW. Evaluation of Mono- and Bi-Functional GLOBE-Based Vectors for Therapy of β-Thalassemia by HBBAS3 Gene Addition and Mutation-Specific RNA Interference. Cells 2023; 12:2848. [PMID: 38132168 PMCID: PMC10741507 DOI: 10.3390/cells12242848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Therapy via the gene addition of the anti-sickling βAS3-globin transgene is potentially curative for all β-hemoglobinopathies and therefore of particular clinical and commercial interest. This study investigates GLOBE-based lentiviral vectors (LVs) for βAS3-globin addition and evaluates strategies for an increased β-like globin expression without vector dose escalation. First, we report the development of a GLOBE-derived LV, GLV2-βAS3, which, compared to its parental vector, adds anti-sickling action and a transcription-enhancing 848-bp transcription terminator element, retains high vector titers and allows for superior β-like globin expression in primary patient-derived hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). Second, prompted by our previous correction of HBBIVSI-110(G>A) thalassemia based on RNApol(III)-driven shRNAs in mono- and combination therapy, we analyzed a series of novel LVs for the RNApol(II)-driven constitutive or late-erythroid expression of HBBIVSI-110(G>A)-specific miRNA30-embedded shRNAs (shRNAmiR). This included bifunctional LVs, allowing for concurrent βAS3-globin expression. LVs were initially compared for their ability to achieve high β-like globin expression in HBBIVSI-110(G>A)-transgenic cells, before the evaluation of shortlisted candidate LVs in HBBIVSI-110(G>A)-homozygous HSPCs. The latter revealed that β-globin promoter-driven designs for monotherapy with HBBIVSI-110(G>A)-specific shRNAmiRs only marginally increased β-globin levels compared to untransduced cells, whereas bifunctional LVs combining miR30-shRNA with βAS3-globin expression showed disease correction similar to that achieved by the parental GLV2-βAS3 vector. Our results establish the feasibility of high titers for LVs containing the full HBB transcription terminator, emphasize the importance of the HBB terminator for the high-level expression of HBB-like transgenes, qualify the therapeutic utility of late-erythroid HBBIVSI-110(G>A)-specific miR30-shRNA expression and highlight the exceptional potential of GLV2-βAS3 for the treatment of severe β-hemoglobinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lola Koniali
- Department of Molecular Genetics Thalassaemia, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, 6 Iroon Avenue, 2371 Nicosia, Cyprus; (L.K.); (M.I.K.); (N.Y.P.); (P.L.P.); (B.N.); (C.S.); (A.D.); (M.K.)
| | - Christina Flouri
- Gene Expression and Therapy Group, Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, London SE1 9RT, UK; (C.F.); (M.N.A.)
| | - Markela I. Kostopoulou
- Department of Molecular Genetics Thalassaemia, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, 6 Iroon Avenue, 2371 Nicosia, Cyprus; (L.K.); (M.I.K.); (N.Y.P.); (P.L.P.); (B.N.); (C.S.); (A.D.); (M.K.)
| | - Nikoletta Y. Papaioannou
- Department of Molecular Genetics Thalassaemia, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, 6 Iroon Avenue, 2371 Nicosia, Cyprus; (L.K.); (M.I.K.); (N.Y.P.); (P.L.P.); (B.N.); (C.S.); (A.D.); (M.K.)
| | - Panayiota L. Papasavva
- Department of Molecular Genetics Thalassaemia, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, 6 Iroon Avenue, 2371 Nicosia, Cyprus; (L.K.); (M.I.K.); (N.Y.P.); (P.L.P.); (B.N.); (C.S.); (A.D.); (M.K.)
| | - Basma Naiisseh
- Department of Molecular Genetics Thalassaemia, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, 6 Iroon Avenue, 2371 Nicosia, Cyprus; (L.K.); (M.I.K.); (N.Y.P.); (P.L.P.); (B.N.); (C.S.); (A.D.); (M.K.)
| | - Coralea Stephanou
- Department of Molecular Genetics Thalassaemia, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, 6 Iroon Avenue, 2371 Nicosia, Cyprus; (L.K.); (M.I.K.); (N.Y.P.); (P.L.P.); (B.N.); (C.S.); (A.D.); (M.K.)
| | - Anthi Demetriadou
- Department of Molecular Genetics Thalassaemia, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, 6 Iroon Avenue, 2371 Nicosia, Cyprus; (L.K.); (M.I.K.); (N.Y.P.); (P.L.P.); (B.N.); (C.S.); (A.D.); (M.K.)
| | - Maria Sitarou
- Thalassemia Clinic Larnaca, Larnaca General Hospital, 6301 Larnaca, Cyprus;
| | - Soteroula Christou
- Thalassemia Clinic Nicosia, Archbishop Makarios III Hospital, 1474 Nicosia, Cyprus;
| | - Michael N. Antoniou
- Gene Expression and Therapy Group, Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, King’s College London, Guy’s Hospital, London SE1 9RT, UK; (C.F.); (M.N.A.)
| | - Marina Kleanthous
- Department of Molecular Genetics Thalassaemia, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, 6 Iroon Avenue, 2371 Nicosia, Cyprus; (L.K.); (M.I.K.); (N.Y.P.); (P.L.P.); (B.N.); (C.S.); (A.D.); (M.K.)
| | - Petros Patsali
- Department of Molecular Genetics Thalassaemia, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, 6 Iroon Avenue, 2371 Nicosia, Cyprus; (L.K.); (M.I.K.); (N.Y.P.); (P.L.P.); (B.N.); (C.S.); (A.D.); (M.K.)
| | - Carsten W. Lederer
- Department of Molecular Genetics Thalassaemia, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology & Genetics, 6 Iroon Avenue, 2371 Nicosia, Cyprus; (L.K.); (M.I.K.); (N.Y.P.); (P.L.P.); (B.N.); (C.S.); (A.D.); (M.K.)
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Papaioannou NY, Patsali P, Naiisseh B, Papasavva PL, Koniali L, Kurita R, Nakamura Y, Christou S, Sitarou M, Mussolino C, Cathomen T, Kleanthous M, Lederer CW. High-efficiency editing in hematopoietic stem cells and the HUDEP-2 cell line based on in vitro mRNA synthesis. Front Genome Ed 2023; 5:1141618. [PMID: 36969374 PMCID: PMC10030607 DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2023.1141618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Genome editing tools, such as CRISPR/Cas, TALE nucleases and, more recently, double-strand-break-independent editors, have been successfully used for gene therapy and reverse genetics. Among various challenges in the field, tolerable and efficient delivery of editors to target cells and sites, as well as independence from commercially available tools for flexibility and fast adoption of new editing technology are the most pressing. For many hematopoietic research applications, primary CD34+ cells and the human umbilical cord-derived progenitor erythroid 2 (HUDEP-2) cell line are highly informative substrates and readily accessible for in vitro manipulation. Moreover, ex vivo editing of CD34+ cells has immediate therapeutic relevance. Both cell types are sensitive to standard transfection procedures and reagents, such as lipofection with plasmid DNA, calling for more suitable methodology in order to achieve high efficiency and tolerability of editing with editors of choice. These challenges can be addressed by RNA delivery, either as a mixture of guide RNA and mRNA for CRISRP/Cas-based systems or as a mixture of mRNAs for TALENs. Compared to ribonucleoproteins or proteins, RNA as vector creates flexibility by removing dependence on commercial availability or laborious in-house preparations of novel editor proteins. Compared to DNA, RNA is less toxic and by obviating nuclear transcription and export of mRNA offers faster kinetics and higher editing efficiencies. Methods: Here, we detail an in vitro transcription protocol based on plasmid DNA templates with the addition of Anti-Reverse Cap Analog (ARCA) using T7 RNA polymerase, and poly (A) tailing using poly (A) polymerase, combined with nucleofection of HUDEP-2 and patient-derived CD34+ cells. Our protocol for RNA-based delivery employs widely available reagents and equipment and can easily be adopted for universal in vitro delivery of genome editing tools. Results and Discussion: Drawing on a common use case, we employ the protocol to target a β-globin mutation and to reactivate γ-globin expression as two potential therapies for β-hemoglobinopathies, followed by erythroid differentiation and functional analyses. Our protocol allows high editing efficiencies and unimpaired cell viability and differentiation, with scalability, suitability for functional assessment of editing outcomes and high flexibility in the application to different editors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikoletta Y. Papaioannou
- Department of Molecular Genetics Thalassemia, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Petros Patsali
- Department of Molecular Genetics Thalassemia, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Basma Naiisseh
- Department of Molecular Genetics Thalassemia, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Panayiota L. Papasavva
- Department of Molecular Genetics Thalassemia, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Lola Koniali
- Department of Molecular Genetics Thalassemia, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Ryo Kurita
- Research and Development Department, Central Blood Institute, Blood Service Headquarters Japanese Red Cross Society, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yukio Nakamura
- Cell Engineering Division, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Japan
| | - Soteroula Christou
- Thalassaemia Centre, State Health Services Organisation of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Maria Sitarou
- Thalassaemia Centre, State Health Services Organisation of Cyprus, Larnaca, Cyprus
| | - Claudio Mussolino
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Gene Therapy, Medical Center—University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency (CCI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Toni Cathomen
- Institute for Transfusion Medicine and Gene Therapy, Medical Center—University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency (CCI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Marina Kleanthous
- Department of Molecular Genetics Thalassemia, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Carsten W. Lederer
- Department of Molecular Genetics Thalassemia, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics, Nicosia, Cyprus
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