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Biomedical subjects

M Sadelain

Publications and source records attributed to M Sadelain.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Induction of human cytotoxic T lymphocytes by artificial antigen-presenting cells.

The adoptive transfer of antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) is a promising therapeutic approach for a number of diseases. To overcome the difficulty in generating specific CTLs, we established stable artificial antigen-presenting cells (AAPCs) that can be used to stimulate T cells of any patient of a given human leukocyte antigen (HLA) type. Mouse fibroblasts were retrovirally transduced with a single HLA-peptide complex along with the human accessory molecules B7.1, ICAM-1, and LFA-3. These AAPCs consistently elicit strong stimulation and expansion of HLA-restricted CTLs. Owing to the high efficiency of retrovirus-mediated gene transfer, stable AAPCs can be readily engineered for any HLA molecule and any specific peptide.

3T3 Cells↗

Issues in the manufacture and transplantation of genetically modified hematopoietic stem cells.

The advent of safe and practical means to correct, enhance or protect blood cells at the genetic level offers tantalizing therapeutic perspectives. At present, gene delivery using a replication-defective retrovirus is the most efficient method to stably transduce hematopoietic cells. The successful adaptation of retroviral infection to hematopoietic stem cells requires optimized transduction conditions that maximize gene transfer while preserving the cells' potential for engraftment and longterm hematopoiesis. The successful establishment of effective transduction protocols hinges on retrovirus biology as well as stem cell and transplantation biology. Interestingly, the genetic approach could permit novel strategies to promote host repopulation by transplanted stem cells. However, regulated and predictable expression of any transgene integrated at random chromosomal locations cannot be taken for granted. Investigation of the control of transgene expression and prevention of vector silencing will become increasingly important.

Animals↗

The cHS4 insulator increases the probability of retroviral expression at random chromosomal integration sites.

Retroviruses are highly susceptible to transcriptional silencing and position effects imparted by chromosomal sequences at their integration site. These phenomena hamper the use of recombinant retroviruses as stable gene delivery vectors. As insulators are able to block promoter-enhancer interactions and reduce position effects in some transgenic animals, we examined the effect of an insulator on the expression and structure of randomly integrated recombinant retroviruses. We used the cHS4 element, an insulator from the chicken beta-like globin gene cluster, which has been shown to reduce position effects in transgenic Drosophila. A large panel of mouse erythroleukemia cells that bear a single copy of integrated recombinant retroviruses was generated without using drug selection. We show that the cHS4 increases the probability that integrated proviruses will express and dramatically decreases the level of de novo methylation of the 5' long terminal repeat. These findings support a primary role of methylation in the silencing of retroviruses and suggest that cHS4 could be useful in gene therapy applications to overcome silencing of retroviral vectors.

3' Untranslated Regions↗

Retroviral-mediated gene transfer in primary murine and human T-lymphocytes.

Recombinant retroviruses are efficient vectors for introducing genes into many mammalian cell types. They are useful in the context of clinical as well as experimental applications, owing to the ability to generate high-titer and helper-free viral stocks. Retroviral vectors are especially appropriate for the transduction of primary lymphocytes, because gene transfer is stable and mediated by nonimmunogenic vectors. Stable integration in chromosomes of cells undergoing clonal expansion ensures that the foreign genetic material will be faithfully transmitted to the cells' progeny. However, oncoretroviral vectors derived from murine leukemia viruses (MLV) require target cell division to integrate. Here we review factors that determine retroviral-mediated gene transfer efficiency in primary T-lymphocytes, in particular, T-cell activation status, viral receptor expression, and culture conditions.

Amino Acid Transport Systems, Basic↗

Adoptive-transfer therapy of tumors with the tumor-specific primary cytotoxic T cells induced in vitro with the B7.1-transduced MCA205 cell line.

We show that the tumor-specific primary cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) induced in vitro with the MCA205 fibrosarcoma cells transduced with the B7.1 (CD80) gene are highly effective in adoptive-transfer therapy of the parental tumors. The MCA205 fibrosarcoma cell line was transduced with the retroviral vectors encoding the B7.1 gene and tested for their efficiency as stimulators in short-term (5 days) mixed lymphocyte/tumor cell cultures with highly purified syngenic, unprimed T cells as responders. The induction of the CTL required the presence of a low dose of interleukin-2 (25 U/ml). The injection of the CTL prevented colony formation by the intravenously injected tumor cells in a lung colonization assay in which the CTL were injected after inoculation of tumor cells. We also showed that the adoptive transfer of the same T cells was effective in delaying the growth of the subcutaneously injected tumor cells. These results imply that the short-term mixed lymphocyte/tumor cell culture with the tumor cells transduced with the gene for the B7.1 costimulatory molecule is potentially a good source of CTL for adoptive-transfer therapy of tumors.

Animals↗

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-specific monoclonal antibodies in the treatment of prostate and other cancers.

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a cell surface glycoprotein that is expressed by prostate epithelial cells. PSMA-specific monoclonal antibodies have been utilized to characterize the biologic function and in vivo biodistribution of PSMA. PSMA is an attractive target protein for monoclonal antibody directed imaging or therapeutics for prostate cancer since its expression is relatively restricted to prostate epithelial cells and is over-expressed in prostate cancer, including in advanced stages. Currently, clinical usage of PSMA specific monoclonal antibodies has been limited to diagnostic immunohistochemistry and imaging of patients with prostate cancer. Novel applications for these antibodies will be discussed.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Functional coexpression of HSV-1 thymidine kinase and green fluorescent protein: implications for noninvasive imaging of transgene expression.

Current gene therapy technology is limited by the paucity of methodology for determining the location and magnitude of therapeutic transgene expression in vivo. We describe and validate a paradigm for monitoring therapeutic transgene expression by noninvasive imaging of the herpes simplex virus type 1 thymidine kinase (HSV-1-tk) marker gene expression. To test proportional coexpression of therapeutic and marker genes, a model fusion gene comprising green fluorescent protein (gfp) and HSV-1-tk genes was generated (tkgfp gene) and assessed for the functional coexpression of the gene product, TKGFP fusion protein, in rat 9L gliosarcoma, RG2 glioma, and W256 carcinoma cells. Analysis of the TKGFP protein demonstrated that it can serve as a therapeutic gene by rendering tkgfp transduced cells sensitive to ganciclovir or as a screening marker useful for identifying transduced cells by fluorescence microscopy or fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). TK and GFP activities in the TKGFP fusion protein were similar to corresponding wild-type proteins and accumulation of the HSV-1-tk-specific radiolabeled substrate, 2'-fluoro-2'-deoxy-1beta-D-arabinofuranosyl-5-iodo-uracil (FIAU), in stability transduced clones correlated with gfp-fluorescence intensity over a wide range of expression levels. The tkgfp fusion gene itself may be useful in developing novel cancer gene therapy approaches. Valuable information about the efficiency of gene transfer and expression could be obtained by non-invasive imaging of tkgfp expression with FIAU and clinical imaging devices (gamma camera, positron-emission tomography [PET], single photon emission computed tomography [SPECT]), and/or direct visualization of gfp expression in situ by fluorescence microscopy or endoscopy.

Animals↗

Cancer patient T cells genetically targeted to prostate-specific membrane antigen specifically lyse prostate cancer cells and release cytokines in response to prostate-specific membrane antigen.

The expression of immunoglobulin-based artificial receptors in normal T lymphocytes provides a means to target lymphocytes to cell surface antigens independently of major histocompatibility complex restriction. Such artificial receptors have been previously shown to confer antigen-specific tumoricidal properties in murine T cells. We constructed a novel zeta chain fusion receptor specific for prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) termed Pz-1. PSMA is a cell-surface glycoprotein expressed on prostate cancer cells and the neovascular endothelium of multiple carcinomas. We show that primary T cells harvested from five of five patients with different stages of prostate cancer and transduced with the Pz-1 receptor readily lyse prostate cancer cells. Having established a culture system using fibroblasts that express PSMA, we next show that T cells expressing the Pz-1 receptor release cytokines in response to cell-bound PSMA. Furthermore, we show that the cytokine release is greatly augmented by B7.1-mediated costimulation. Thus, our findings support the feasibility of adoptive cell therapy by using genetically engineered T cells in prostate cancer patients and suggest that both CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocyte functions can be synergistically targeted against tumor cells.

3T3 Cells↗

A general approach to the non-invasive imaging of transgenes using cis-linked herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase.

Non-invasive imaging of gene expression opens new prospects for the study of transgenic animals and the implementation of genetically based therapies in patients. We have sought to establish a general paradigm to enable whole body non-invasive imaging of any transgene. We show that the expression and imaging of HSV1-tk (a marker gene) can be used to monitor the expression of the LacZ gene (a second gene) under the transcriptional control of a single promoter within a bicistronic unit that includes a type II internal ribosomal entry site. In cells bearing a single copy of the vector, the expression of the two genes is proportional and constant, both in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrate that non-invasive imaging of HSV1-tk gene accurately reflects the topology and activity of the other cis-linked transgene.

Animals↗

Antigen-dependent CD28 signaling selectively enhances survival and proliferation in genetically modified activated human primary T lymphocytes.

Most tumor cells function poorly as antigen-presenting cells in part because they do not express costimulatory molecules. To provide costimulation to T lymphocytes that recognize tumor cells, we constructed a CD28-like receptor specific for GD2, a ganglioside overexpressed on the surface of neuroblastoma, small-cell lung carcinoma, melanoma, and other human tumors. Recognition of GD2 was provided by a single-chain antibody derived from the GD2-specific monoclonal antibody 3G6. We demonstrate that the chimeric receptor 3G6-CD28 provides CD28 signaling upon specific recognition of the GD2 antigen on tumor cells. Human primary T lymphocytes retrovirally transduced with 3G6-CD28 secrete interleukin 2, survive proapoptotic culture conditions, and selectively undergo clonal expansion in the presence of an antiidiotypic antibody specific for 3G6-CD28. Polyclonal CD8(+) lymphocytes expressing 3G6-CD28 are selectively expanded when cultured with cells expressing allogeneic major histocompatibility complex class I together with GD2. Primary T cells given such an antigen-dependent survival advantage should be very useful to augment immune responses against tumor cells.

Animals↗

Involvement of interleukin-3 in delayed-type hypersensitivity.

The in vivo functions of interleukin-3 (IL-3) were investigated by generating IL-3-deficient mice. Although hematopoiesis was unimpaired in homozygous mutant animals, contact hypersensitivity reactions were compromised. IL-3 was required for efficient priming of hapten-specific contact hypersensitivity responses, but was dispensable for T-cell-dependent sensitization to tumor cells. These findings reveal a critical role for IL-3 in some forms of delayed-type hypersensitivity.

Animals↗

Adenovirus facilitated infection of human cells with ecotropic retrovirus.

Retroviral infection is restricted by the expression of a viral receptor on the surface of the target cell. Retrovirus-mediated gene transfer is therefore not possible in cells that fail to express sufficient levels of the appropriate receptor, representing one major obstacle to the use of recombinant retroviruses in experimental and clinical applications. In this study, we utilized an adenoviral vector to express transiently the receptor for the ecotropic murine leukemia virus in a panel of human cell lines. Following adenoviral infection, the susceptibility to ecotropic retroviral particles of A549, HeLa, RC39 and Meso 33 cells, derived from human lung epithelium, cervical epithelium, kidney and mesothelium, respectively, was measured on a single-cell basis by the detection of a cell surface marker encoded by the recombinant retrovirus. The marker, termed NTP, was found in 10-30%, 25-50% and 50-90% of cells infected at 5, 50 and 250 adenovirus multiplicity of infection, respectively. Southern blot analysis demonstrated the integration of intact retroviral DNA. The integrated vector copy number increased with the adenoviral multiplicity of infection, suggesting that retrovirus infection is proportional to receptor expression by the target cell, albeit not in a linear fashion. Susceptibility to ecotropic retroviral infection was maintained undiminished for at least 3 days, indicating the persistent expression of ecotropic receptor by the adenovirus-transduced cells in that time period and the lack of a major cellular defense triggered by adenovirus infection against the subsequent retroviral infection. Thus, the infection of human cells of various tissues with a recombinant adenovirus expressing the ecotropic murine leukemia virus receptor generates a window of susceptibility where a high retroviral infection rate can be achieved. Increased efficiency of retroviral infection obtained in this fashion is amenable to specific regulation via the controlled expression of the adenovirus-encoded retroviral receptor.

Adenoviridae↗

Genetic treatment of severe hemoglobinopathies: the combat against transgene variegation and transgene silencing.

Gene addition strategies are rational approaches to the treatment of sickle cell anemia and thalassemia. The goal of such genetic treatments is to introduce a functional globin transcription unit in hematopoietic stem cells and express the transgene in a manner that is erythroid-specific, elevated, relatively constant from one cell to another, and sustained over time. Gene transfer is mediated by an expanding array of viral and nonviral vectors. High-titer retroviral vectors harboring the human beta-globin gene and the core sequences of the human beta-globin locus control region yield erythroid-specific gene expression in erythroid cell lines and in short-term murine bone marrow chimeras. However, we show that expression remains subject to position effect variegation and often decreases over time in vivo. Rather than a progressive transcriptional silencing in all cells, we ascribe the waning expression to the gradual emergence in blood of erythroid progeny derived from more and more primitive precursor cells in the months after transplantation. In our model, transgene expression is therefore determined by the integration site and the differentiation stage of the transduced cell at the time of integration. Globin expression is thus different in the progeny of a transduced erythroid progenitor cell and in the erythroid progeny of a transduced hematopoietic stem cell, reflecting the effect of flanking chromatin in differentiated cells and of chromatin remodeling at the site of integration in the progeny of multipotential cells. This model predicts that insulators and matrix attachment regions could be highly valuable to gene therapy in combination with potent transcriptional activators. When efficient gene transfer in hematopoietic stem cells is achieved at last, the challenge will be to regulate gene expression in vivo and overcome transgene variegation and transgene silencing.

Animals↗

Retrovirally transduced human dendritic cells express a normal phenotype and potent T-cell stimulatory capacity.

Dendritic cells are attractive candidates for vaccine-based immunotherapy because of their potential to function as natural adjuvants for poorly immunogenic proteins derived from tumors or microbes. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility and consequences of introducing foreign genetic material by retroviral vectors into dendritic cell progenitors. Proliferating human bone marrow and cord blood CD34+ cells were infected by retroviral vectors encoding the murine CD2 surface antigen. Mean transduction efficiency in dendritic cells was 11.5% from bone marrow and 21.2% from cord blood progenitors. Transduced or untransduced dendritic cell progeny expressed comparable levels of HLA-DR, CD83, CD1a, CD80, CD86, S100, and p55 antigens. Granulocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells were equally represented among the transduced and mock-transduced cells, thus showing no apparent alteration in the differentiation of transduced CD34+ precursors. The T-cell stimulatory capacity of retrovirally modified and purified mCD2-positive allogeneic or nominal antigen-pulsed autologous dendritic cells was comparable with that of untransduced dendritic cells. Human CD34+ dendritic cell progenitors can therefore be efficiently transduced using retroviral vectors and can differentiate into potent immunostimulatory dendritic cells without compromising their T-cell stimulatory capacity or the expression of critical costimulatory molecules and phenotypic markers. These results support ongoing efforts to develop genetically modified dendritic cells for immunotherapy.

Antigen-Presenting Cells↗