Improving the ex vivo retroviral-mediated suicide-gene transfer process in T lymphocytes to preserve immune function

TY - JOUR

T1 - Improving the ex vivo retroviral-mediated suicide-gene transfer process in T lymphocytes to preserve immune function

AU - Robinet, E

AU - Fehse, B

AU - Ebeling, S

AU - Sauce, D

AU - Ferrand, C

AU - Tiberghien, P

PY - 2005

Y1 - 2005

N2 - The retroviral-mediated transfer of a suicide gene into donor T cells has been proposed as a method to control alloreactivity after hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation. Gene-modified cells (GMC) may be infused into the patient either at the time of transplantation, together with a T-cell depleted HSC graft, or after transplantation, as a donor lymphocyte infusion. Administration of a so-called pro-drug activating the "suicide" mechanism only after occurrence of GvHD should selectively destroy the alloreactive GMC in vivo, eventually leading to GvHD abrogation. Although phase I-II clinical trials provided vital proof of the principle of GvHD control by suicide-gene therapy, this approach is still suboptimal. Indeed, current gene transfer strategies rely on gamma-retroviral vectors that require extensive T-cell activation and expansion for efficient transduction. Both in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that the activation, cell expansion, transduction and selection steps lead to TCR repertoire alterations and impairment of crucial T-cell functions, such as alloreactivity and anti-EBV reactivity. Thus, improvements of the suicide-gene transfer processes are required in order to preserve T-cell function. This could be achieved by using CD3/CD28 co-stimulation and immunomagnetic selection of transduced cells. In future clinical trials, lentiviral vectors may prove to be a better alternative to gamma-retroviral-mediated gene transfer, by reducing the need for prolonged ex vivo culture.

AB - The retroviral-mediated transfer of a suicide gene into donor T cells has been proposed as a method to control alloreactivity after hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation. Gene-modified cells (GMC) may be infused into the patient either at the time of transplantation, together with a T-cell depleted HSC graft, or after transplantation, as a donor lymphocyte infusion. Administration of a so-called pro-drug activating the "suicide" mechanism only after occurrence of GvHD should selectively destroy the alloreactive GMC in vivo, eventually leading to GvHD abrogation. Although phase I-II clinical trials provided vital proof of the principle of GvHD control by suicide-gene therapy, this approach is still suboptimal. Indeed, current gene transfer strategies rely on gamma-retroviral vectors that require extensive T-cell activation and expansion for efficient transduction. Both in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that the activation, cell expansion, transduction and selection steps lead to TCR repertoire alterations and impairment of crucial T-cell functions, such as alloreactivity and anti-EBV reactivity. Thus, improvements of the suicide-gene transfer processes are required in order to preserve T-cell function. This could be achieved by using CD3/CD28 co-stimulation and immunomagnetic selection of transduced cells. In future clinical trials, lentiviral vectors may prove to be a better alternative to gamma-retroviral-mediated gene transfer, by reducing the need for prolonged ex vivo culture.

KW - Animals

KW - Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic

KW - Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic

KW - Gene Transfer Techniques

KW - Genes, Transgenic, Suicide/genetics

KW - Graft vs Host Disease/immunology

KW - Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

KW - Humans

KW - Retroviridae/genetics

KW - T-Lymphocytes/immunology

KW - Transplantation, Homologous

U2 - 10.1080/14653240510018190

DO - 10.1080/14653240510018190

M3 - SCORING: Review article

C2 - 16040394

VL - 7

SP - 150

EP - 157

JO - CYTOTHERAPY

JF - CYTOTHERAPY

SN - 1465-3249

IS - 2

ER -