Journal
MOLECULAR THERAPY
Volume 30, Issue 10, Pages 3155-3175Publisher
CELL PRESS
DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.06.006
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Funding
- Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek (FWO) [G041616N, G019114N]
- Stichting Tegen Kanker (STK) [C/2014/239]
- UPGRADE (Unlocking Precision Gene Therapy) - European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program [825825]
- FWO Aspirant and Research Grant [1531116N]
- Award Cancer Research -Oncology Center Vrije Universiteit Brussel
- Wetenschappelijk Fonds Willy Gepts (WFWG) foundation -VUB
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This study developed a non-viral platform based on Sleeping Beauty transposons and minicircles for genetic modification, allowing efficient expression of CD19-28z.CAR and inactivation of allogeneic TCRs using CRISPR-Cas9. The resulting CAR T cells showed anti-tumor activity against CD19+ tumor cells and induced complete tumor remission in a mouse model, while minimizing TCR alloreactivity and GvHD. This non-viral approach provides an alternative method for generating next-generation CD19-specific CAR T cells, reducing GvHD risk and manufacturing constraints associated with viral vectors.
Allogeneic CD19-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells with inactivated donor T cell receptor (TCR) expression can be used as an off-the-shelf therapeutic modality for lymphoid malignancies, thus offering an attractive alternative to autologous, patient-derived T cells. Current approaches for T cell engineering mainly rely on the use of viral vectors. Here, we optimized and validated a non-viral genetic modification platform based on Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposons delivered with minicircles to express CD19-28z.CAR and CRISPR-Cas9 ribonucleoparticles to inactivate allogeneic TCRs. Efficient TCR gene disruption was achieved with minimal cytotoxicity and with attainment of robust and stable CD19-28z.CAR expression. The CAR T cells were responsive to CD19+ tumor cells with antitumor activities that induced complete tumor remission in NALM6 tumor-bearing mice while significantly reducing TCR alloreactivity and GvHD development. Single CAR signaling induced the similar T cell signaling signatures in TCR-disrupted CAR T cells and control CAR T cells. In contrast, TCR disruption inhibited T cell signaling/protein phosphorylation compared with the control CAR T cells during dual CAR/TCR signaling. This non-viral SB transposon-CRISPR-Cas9 combination strategy serves as an alternative for generating next-generation CD19-specific CAR T while reducing GvHD risk and easing potential manufacturing constraints intrinsic to viral vectors.
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