preparation-gene-modification-nonhuman-primate-hematopoietic-stem

Preparation and Gene Modification of Nonhuman Primate Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells

Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) transplantation has been a cornerstone therapy for leukemia and other cancers for nearly half a century, ...

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

University of Washington

Targeted gene therapy strategies utilizing homology-driven repair (HDR) allow for greater control over transgene integration site, copy number, and expression-significant advantages over traditional vector-mediated gene therapy with random genome integration. However, the relatively low efficiency of HDR-based strategies limits their clinical application. Here, we used HDR to knock in a mutant dihydrofolate reductase (mDHFR) selection gene at the gene-edited CCR5 locus in primary human CD4 T cells and selected for mDHFR-modified cells in the presence of methotrexate (MTX). Cells were transfected with CCR5-megaTAL nuclease mRNA and transduced with adeno-associated virus containing an mDHFR donor template flanked by CCR5 homology arms, leading to up to 40% targeted gene insertion. Clinically relevant concentrations of MTX led to a greater than 5-fold enrichment for mDHFR-modified cells, which maintained a diverse TCR repertoire over the course of expansion and drug selection. Our results demonstrate that mDHFR/MTX-based selection can be used to enrich for gene-modified T cells , paving the way for analogous approaches to increase the percentage of HIV-resistant, autologous CD4 T cells infused into HIV patients, and/or for  selection of gene-edited T cells for the treatment of cancer.

Efficient Enrichment of Gene-Modified Primary T Cells via CCR5-Targeted Integration of Mutant Dihydrofolate Reductase.

Allogeneic transplantation (allo-HCT) has led to the cure of HIV in one individual, raising the question of whether transplantation can eradicate the HIV reservoir. To test this, we here present a model of allo-HCT in SHIV-infected, cART-suppressed nonhuman primates. We infect rhesus macaques with SHIV-1157ipd3N4, suppress them with cART, then transplant them using MHC-haploidentical allogeneic donors during continuous cART. Transplant results in ~100% myeloid donor chimerism, and up to 100% T-cell chimerism. Between 9 and 47 days post-transplant, terminal analysis shows that while cell-associated SHIV DNA levels are reduced in the blood and in lymphoid organs post-transplant, the SHIV reservoir persists in multiple organs, including the brain. Sorting of donor-vs.-recipient cells reveals that this reservoir resides in recipient cells. Moreover, tetramer analysis indicates a lack of virus-specific donor immunity post-transplant during continuous cART. These results suggest that early post-transplant, allo-HCT is insufficient for recipient reservoir eradication despite high-level donor chimerism and GVHD.

Evidence for persistence of the SHIV reservoir early after MHC haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) are among the most promising strategies to achieve long-term control of HIV-1 in the absence of combination antiretroviral therapy. Passive administration of such antibodies in patients efficiently decreases HIV-1 viremia, but is limited by the serum half-life of the protein. Here, we investigated whether antibody-secreting hematopoietic cells could overcome this problem. We genetically modified human CD34 hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) to secrete bNAbs and transplanted them into immunodeficient mice. We found that the gene-modified cells engraft and stably secrete antibodies in the peripheral blood of the animals for the 9 months of the study. Antibodies were predominantly expressed by human HSPC-derived T- and B cells. Importantly, we found that secreted PGT128 was able to delay HIV-1 viremia in vivo and also prevent a decline in CD4 cells. Gene-modified cells were maintained in bone marrow and were also detected in spleen, thymus, lymph nodes, and gut-associated lymphoid tissue. These data indicate that the bNAb secretion from HSPC-derived cells in mice is functional and can affect viral infection and CD4 cell maintenance. This study paves the way for potential applications to other diseases requiring long-lasting protein or antibody delivery.

Christopher W. Peterson

Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Program

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

Preparation and Gene Modification of Nonhuman Primate Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells

Christopher W. Peterson

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Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

Preparation and Gene Modification of Nonhuman Primate Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells

Stem Cell and Gene Therapy Program