GENE-CELL THERAPY OF HIV AND HEMATOLOGICAL MALIGNANCES BASED ON HEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION AND SITE-SPECIFIC GENOME EDITING

Based on the annual UNAIDS reports the number of HIVinfected patients is continually growing since 1983. Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) allows to prolong life expectancy, but the problem of life quality and overall survival is still remaining. Nowadays, in the era of ART, one of the main cause of mortality in HIV-infected patients is malignancies. Lymphomas play one of the key roles in this group of diseases. The treatment of lymphomas includes combined regiments of chemotherapy with a curative potential. High dose chemotherapy with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (auto-HSCT) is the main path of the treatment for relapsed / refractory lymphomas. In the last few years with a development of the genome editing technology auto-HSCT is becoming one of the most promising methods of HIV treatment. The case of “Berlin patient” when allogeneic HSCT from donor with mutation CCR5-delta32 lead to cure from HIV and proof of concept the efficacy of the gene therapy for HIV based on HSCT. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with edited autologous HSC (CCR5 knockout by site-specific genome editing tools with engineering nucleases) is a comprehensive treatment for this cohort of patients. On one hand, high dose chemotherapy with auto-HSCT cures the malignancy; on the other hand auto-HSCT works as a delivery method for the edited cells and creates an environment for the HIV eradication. This review is dedicated to HIV and oncology, methods of treatment of hematological malignancies and HIV-infection using genome editing technology based on HSCT

Cellular Barcoding Identifies Clonal Substitution as a Hallmark of Local Recurrence in a Surgical Model of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Local recurrence after surgery for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains a common event associated with a dismal prognosis. Improving this outcome requires a better understanding of cancer cell populations that expand from postsurgical minimal residual disease (MRD). Therefore, we assessed clonal dynamics in a surgical model of barcoded HNSCC growing in the submental region of immunodeficient mice. Clonal substitution and massive reduction of clonal heterogeneity emerged as hallmarks of local recurrence, as the clones dominating in less heterogeneous recurrences were scarce in their matched primary tumors. These lineages were selected by their ability to persist after surgery and competitively expand from MRD. Clones enriched in recurrences exhibited both private and shared genetic features and likely originated from ancestors shared with clones dominating in primary tumors. They demonstrated high invasiveness and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, eventually providing an attractive target for obtaining better local control for these tumors

ГЕННАЯ КЛЕТОЧНАЯ ТЕРАПИЯ ВИЧ И ЗЛОКАЧЕСТВЕННЫХ ОПУХОЛЕЙ КРОВЕТВОРНОЙ И ЛИМФАТИЧЕСКОЙ ТКАНИ НА ОСНОВЕ ТРАНСПЛАНТАЦИИ ГЕМОПОЭТИЧЕСКИХ СТВОЛОВЫХ КЛЕТОК С ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЕМ САЙТ-СПЕЦИФИЧЕСКОГО РЕДАКТИРОВАНИЯ ГЕНОМА

Based on the annual UNAIDS reports the number of HIVinfected patients is continually growing since 1983. Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) allows to prolong life expectancy, but the problem of life quality and overall survival is still remaining. Nowadays, in the era of ART, one of the main cause of mortality in HIV-infected patients is malignancies. Lymphomas play one of the key roles in this group of diseases. The treatment of lymphomas includes combined regiments of chemotherapy with a curative potential. High dose chemotherapy with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (auto-HSCT) is the main path of the treatment for relapsed / refractory lymphomas. In the last few years with a development of the genome editing technology auto-HSCT is becoming one of the most promising methods of HIV treatment. The case of “Berlin patient” when allogeneic HSCT from donor with mutation CCR5-delta32 lead to cure from HIV and proof of concept the efficacy of the gene therapy for HIV based on HSCT. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation with edited autologous HSC (CCR5 knockout by site-specific genome editing tools with engineering nucleases) is a comprehensive treatment for this cohort of patients. On one hand, high dose chemotherapy with auto-HSCT cures the malignancy; on the other hand auto-HSCT works as a delivery method for the edited cells and creates an environment for the HIV eradication. This review is dedicated to HIV and oncology, methods of treatment of hematological malignancies and HIV-infection using genome editing technology based on HSCT.По данным ежегодных докладов UNAIDS, c1983 г. количество ВИЧ-инфицированных пациентов неуклонно растет. Антиретровирусная терапия (АРВТ) позволяет увеличить продолжительность жизни, но проблемы качества жизни и долгосрочной выживаемости не решены. Одной из основных причин летальности у пациентов с ВИЧ в эру АРВТ являются онкологические заболевания, среди которых значительную часть составляют злокачественные лимфомы. Лечение лимфом включает этапную противоопухолевую химиотерапию (ПХТ) с потенциалом полного излечения пациента. Высокодозная ПХТ с аутологичной трансплантацией гемопоэтических стволовых клеток (ТГСК) – основное средство лечения рецидивов и рефрактерных форм агрессивных злокачественных лимфом. В последние годы с появлением технологии редактирования генома аутологичная ТГСК становится также одним из самых перспективных методов лечения ВИЧ-инфекции. История излечения от ВИЧ «Берлинского пациента» благодаря аллогенной ТГСК от донора с мутацией гена CCR5 продемонстрировала эффективность подхода генной терапии на основе трансплантации. Высокодозная химиотерапия с трансплантацией аутологичных, подвергнутых редактированию (инактивации гена CCR5, с помощью генно-инженерных нуклеаз), гемопоэтических стволовых клеток потенциально представляет собой способ комплексного лечения этих пациентов. С одной стороны, высокодозная ПХТ с ауто-ТГСК обеспечивает излечение от злокачественной опухоли, с другой стороны, она является способом доставки отредактированных клеток и создания условий для реализации лечебного эффекта против ВИЧ.Данный обзор посвящён методам лечения опухолей кроветворной и лимфатической ткани и ВИЧинфекции с использованием редактирования генома на основе трансплантации гемопоэтических стволовых клеток.

An Efficient Vector System to Modify Cells Genetically

The transfer of foreign genes into mammalian cells has been essential for understanding the functions of genes and mechanisms of genetic diseases, for the production of coding proteins and for gene therapy applications. Currently, the identification and selection of cells that have received transferred genetic material can be accomplished by methods, including drug selection, reporter enzyme detection and GFP imaging. These methods may confer antibiotic resistance, or be disruptive, or require special equipment. In this study, we labeled genetically modified cells with a cell surface biotinylation tag by co-transfecting cells with BirA, a biotin ligase. The modified cells can be quickly isolated for downstream applications using a simple streptavidin bead method. This system can also be used to screen cells expressing two sets of genes from separate vectors

Technological Innovation: A Structurational Process View

Introduction The central aim of our research is to describe and explain how the introduction of a computer-based technology, which supports co-operative work in engineering departments, induces change processes. The employment of computer-based technologies in product development organisations to support co-operative work practices has become a major practical and theoretical issue over the last years. Although there seem to be many technological possibilities to realise this kind of support, in practice, outcomes of technological change processes are usually different from those anticipated by management. We aim at explaining this phenomenon by investigating the relationship and interaction among the two major components - computer-based technology and organisation -- focussing on the interrelationship, rather than on the components themselves. We use Anthony Giddens' structuration theory as an overarching framework for our investigation. The fundamental notion of Giddens' s

New Insights on the Reversible Lithiation Mechanism of TiO 2

International audienceOperando X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements provide new insights on the mechanism of lithium insertion into TiO2(B). The investigation of the evolution of electronic, long-range, and local structure during electrochemical cycling indicates a purely monophasic insertion mechanism upon lithium insertion, while global and local structure are only slightly modified. While XRD reflects an anisotropic lattice expansion, EXAFS reveals a wide distribution of Ti–O bond length, in line with the presence of two distinct distorted octahedral Ti environments, in agreement with previous DFT calculations. Upon lithium insertion, these Ti–O coordination shells undergo significant modifications which are enhanced once the insertion of 0.4 Li is exceeded, connoting a two regime process that is in good agreement with the electrochemical signature of this material. DFT calculations and local chemical bond analyses were coupled with experimental results, thus providing additional insights into the structural response of TiO2(B) upon lithiation

Role of Growth arrest-specific gene 6-Mer axis in multiple myeloma

International audienceMultiple myeloma is a mostly incurable malignancy characterized by the expansion of a malignant plasma cell (PC) clone in the human bone marrow (BM). Myeloma cells closely interact with the BM stroma, which secretes soluble factors that foster myeloma progression and therapy resistance. Growth arrest-specific gene 6 (Gas6) is produced by BM-derived stroma cells and can promote malignancy. However, the role of Gas6 and its receptors Axl, Tyro3 and Mer (TAM receptors) in myeloma is unknown. We therefore investigated their expression in myeloma cell lines and in the BM of myeloma patients and healthy donors. Gas6 showed increased expression in sorted BMPCs of myeloma patients compared with healthy controls. The fraction of Mer(+) BMPCs was increased in myeloma patients in comparison with healthy controls whereas Axl and Tyro3 were not expressed by BMPCs in the majority of patients. Downregulation of Gas6 and Mer inhibited the proliferation of different myeloma cell lines, whereas knocking down Axl or Tyro3 had no effect. Inhibition of the Gas6 receptor Mer or therapeutic targeting of Gas6 by warfarin reduced myeloma burden and improved survival in a systemic model of myeloma. Thus, the Gas6-Mer axis represents a novel candidate for therapeutic intervention in this incurable malignancy

Correction: Role of growth arrest-specific gene 6-mer axis in multiple myeloma

International audienceAn amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper