Project description:Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) encompasses a range of inherited disorders that lead to a profound deterioration of the immune system. Among the pivotal genes associated with SCID, RAG1 and IL2RG play crucial roles. IL2RG is essential for the development, differentiation, and functioning of T, B, and NK cells, while RAG1 critically contributes to adaptive immunity by facilitating V(D)J recombination during the maturation of lymphocytes. Animal models carrying mutations in these genes exhibit notable deficiencies in their immune systems. Non-human primates (NHPs) are exceptionally well-suited models for biomedical research due to their genetic and physiological similarities to humans. Cytosine base editors (CBEs) serve as powerful tools for precisely and effectively modifying single-base mutations in the genome. Their successful implementation has been demonstrated in human cells, mice, and crop species. This study outlines the creation of an immunodeficient monkey model by deactivating both the IL2RG and RAG1 genes using the CBE4max system. The base-edited monkeys exhibited a severely compromised immune system characterized by lymphopenia, atrophy of lymphoid organs, and a deficiency of mature T cells. Furthermore, these base-edited monkeys were capable of hosting and supporting the growth of human breast cancer cells, leading to tumor formation. In summary, we have successfully developed an immunodeficient monkey model with the ability to foster tumor growth using the CBE4max system. These immunodeficiency monkeys show tremendous potential as valuable tools for advancing biomedical and translational research.
Project description:CD3δ SCID is a devastating inborn error of immunity caused by mutations in CD3D, encoding the invariant CD3δ chain of the CD3/TCR complex necessary for normal thymopoiesis. We demonstrate an adenine base editing (ABE) strategy to restore CD3δ in autologous hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). Delivery of mRNA encoding a laboratory-evolved ABE and guide RNA into a CD3δ SCID patient's HSPCs resulted in a 71.2% ± 7.85% (n = 3) correction of the pathogenic mutation. Edited HSPCs differentiated in artificial thymic organoids produced mature T cells exhibiting diverse TCR repertoires and TCR-dependent functions. Edited human HSPCs transplanted into immunodeficient mice showed 88% reversion of the CD3D defect in human CD34+ cells isolated from mouse bone marrow after 16 weeks, indicating correction of long-term repopulating HSCs. These findings demonstrate the preclinical efficacy of ABE in HSPCs for the treatment of CD3δ SCID, providing a foundation for the development of a one-time treatment for CD3δ SCID patients.
Project description:This study reports two unrelated patients with a combined immunodeficiency. Whole-exome sequencing of both patients, their healthy parents and siblings identified a single de novo missense variant in ITPR3 (NM_002224.3:c.7570C>T, p.Arg2524Cys) in both index cases. While the mRNA level in patients remained the same as in healthy siblings and controls, the level of protein expression was diminished. It was also shown that the ITPR3 heterozygous p.Arg2524Cys mutation impairs calcium flux function in dermal fibroblast of one patient and in a knock-in Jurkat T cell line. Two additional patients with related phenotypes and the same mutation were further identified and described in the study. The present dataset corresponds to the RNAseq performed on PBMC of patient 2 of the study and healthy controls.
Project description:Nude severe combined immunodeficiency is a rare inherited disease caused by autosomal recessive loss-of-function mutations in FOXN1. This gene encodes a transcription factor essential for the development of the thymus, the primary lymphoid organ that supports T-cell development and selection. To date nine cases have been reported presenting with the clinical triad of absent thymus resulting in severe T-cell immunodeficiency, congenital alopecia universalis and nail dystrophy. Diagnosis relies on testing for FOXN1 mutations, which allows genetic counselling and guides therapeutic management. Options for treating the underlying immune deficiency include HLA-matched genoidentical haematopoietic cell transplantation containing mature donor T-cells or thymus tissue transplantation. Experience from other severe combined immune deficiency syndromes suggests that early diagnosis, supportive care and definitive management result in better patient outcomes. Without these the prognosis is poor due to early-onset life threatening infections.
Project description:CD3δ SCID is a devastating inborn error of immunity caused by mutations in CD3D, encoding the invariant CD3δ chain of the CD3/TCR complex necessary for normal thymopoiesis. We demonstrate an adenine base editing (ABE) strategy to restore CD3δ in autologous hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC). Delivery of mRNA encoding a laboratory-evolved ABE and guide RNA into CD3δ SCID patient’s HSPCs resulted in 71.2±7.85% (n=3) correction of the pathogenic mutation. Edited HSPCs differentiated in artificial thymic organoids produced mature T cells exhibiting diverse TCR repertoires and TCR-dependent functions. Edited human HSPCs transplanted into immunodeficient mice showed 88% reversion of the CD3D defect in human CD34+ cells isolated from mouse bone marrow after 16 weeks, indicating correction of long-term repopulating HSCs. These findings demonstrate preclinical efficacy of ABE in HSPC for the treatment of CD3δ SCID, providing a foundation for the development of a one-time treatment for CD3δ SCID patients.
Project description:Background: Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) is characterized by arrested T lymphocyte production and B lymphocyte dysfunction, resulting in life-threatening infections. Early diagnosis of SCID through population-based newborn screening (NBS) optimizes clinical management and outcomes, and also permits identification of previously unknown factors essential for human lymphocyte development. Methods: SCID was detected, prior to onset of infections, by NBS of T cell receptor excision circles, a biomarker for thymic output. Upon confirmation, the affected baby was treated by allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). The genetic cause was sought by exome sequencing of the patient and parents, followed by functional analysis of a prioritized candidate gene using human hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and zebrafish embryos. Results: An infant with leaky SCID, craniofacial and dermal abnormalities, and absent corpus callosum had his immune deficit fully corrected by HCT. Exome sequencing revealed a heterozygous, de novo, missense mutation pN441K in BCL11B. The mutant Bcl11b protein had dominant negative activity, abrogating the ability of wild type Bcl11b to bind DNA, arresting T cell lineage development and disrupting HSC migration, revealing a novel function of Bcl11b. The patientâs defects, recapitulated in Bcl11b-deficient zebrafish, were reversed by ectopic expression of intact, but not mutant, human BCL11B. Conclusions: Newborn screening facilitated treatment and identification of a novel etiology for human SCID. Coupling exome sequencing with candidate gene evaluation in human HSC and in zebrafish revealed that a constitutional BCL11B mutation causes human multisystem anomalies with SCID, while also revealing a novel, pre-thymic role for Bcl11b in hematopoietic progenitors. 3 samples were analyzed in duplicate, Sample 1 was human HSC transduced with GFP only lentivirus which served as controls, Sample 2 was human HSC transduced with lentivirus expressing FLAG-tagged WT BCL11B and GFP, Sample 3 was human HSC transduced with lentivirus expressing FLAG-tagged mutant BCL11B and GFP
Project description:Background: Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) is characterized by arrested T lymphocyte production and B lymphocyte dysfunction, resulting in life-threatening infections. Early diagnosis of SCID through population-based newborn screening (NBS) optimizes clinical management and outcomes, and also permits identification of previously unknown factors essential for human lymphocyte development. Methods: SCID was detected, prior to onset of infections, by NBS of T cell receptor excision circles, a biomarker for thymic output. Upon confirmation, the affected baby was treated by allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). The genetic cause was sought by exome sequencing of the patient and parents, followed by functional analysis of a prioritized candidate gene using human hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and zebrafish embryos. Results: An infant with leaky SCID, craniofacial and dermal abnormalities, and absent corpus callosum had his immune deficit fully corrected by HCT. Exome sequencing revealed a heterozygous, de novo, missense mutation pN441K in BCL11B. The mutant Bcl11b protein had dominant negative activity, abrogating the ability of wild type Bcl11b to bind DNA, arresting T cell lineage development and disrupting HSC migration, revealing a novel function of Bcl11b. The patient’s defects, recapitulated in Bcl11b-deficient zebrafish, were reversed by ectopic expression of intact, but not mutant, human BCL11B. Conclusions: Newborn screening facilitated treatment and identification of a novel etiology for human SCID. Coupling exome sequencing with candidate gene evaluation in human HSC and in zebrafish revealed that a constitutional BCL11B mutation causes human multisystem anomalies with SCID, while also revealing a novel, pre-thymic role for Bcl11b in hematopoietic progenitors.
Project description:β-thalassemia is a highly prevalent monogenic recessive disease caused by mutations affecting the synthesis of the adult hemoglobin β-chains. Transplantation of autologous, genetically modified hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) is an attractive therapeutic option. However, current gene therapy strategies based on the use of lentiviral vectors or CRISPR/Cas9 nuclease are not equally effective in all the patients and/or raise safety concerns. Base editing (BE), a new CRISPR/Cas9 derived genome editing tool, allows the effective introduction of point mutations at precise locations within the genome without generating double strand breaks. The two β0 mutations CD39 (CAG>TAG) and IVS2-1 (G>A) are among the most common and severe β-thalassemia mutations in the Mediterranean area and Middle East. We exploited the capacity of BE to correct these mutations in HSPCs from β-thalassemia patients. We demonstrated that red blood cells in vitro derived from edited HSPCs exhibited high β-globin levels and that the delayed erythroid differentiation typically observed in β-thalassemic cell cultures was corrected by our treatment. Finally, xenotransplantation experiments showed base editing in HSCs and correction of the β-thalassemic phenotype in vivo. Overall, our study provides in vitro and in vivo proof of efficacy of a BE approach to treat patients with prevalent and severe β-thalassemia mutations.
Project description:Patients with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) are born with profound deficiency of functional T-lymphocytes. Early detection and diagnosis would allow for prompt institution of isolation from infection and referral for definitive treatment with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Universal newborn screening for SCID, using an assay to detect T-cell receptor excision circles (TREC) in dried blood spots (DBS), is now being performed in all states in the United States. In this review, we discuss the development and outcomes of TREC screening, and continued challenges to implementation.
Project description:BackgroundThe Primary Immune Deficiency Treatment Consortium was formed to analyze the results of hematopoietic-cell transplantation in children with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) and other primary immunodeficiencies. Factors associated with a good transplantation outcome need to be identified in order to design safer and more effective curative therapy, particularly for children with SCID diagnosed at birth.MethodsWe collected data retrospectively from 240 infants with SCID who had received transplants at 25 centers during a 10-year period (2000 through 2009).ResultsSurvival at 5 years, freedom from immunoglobulin substitution, and CD3+ T-cell and IgA recovery were more likely among recipients of grafts from matched sibling donors than among recipients of grafts from alternative donors. However, the survival rate was high regardless of donor type among infants who received transplants at 3.5 months of age or younger (94%) and among older infants without prior infection (90%) or with infection that had resolved (82%). Among actively infected infants without a matched sibling donor, survival was best among recipients of haploidentical T-cell-depleted transplants in the absence of any pretransplantation conditioning. Among survivors, reduced-intensity or myeloablative pretransplantation conditioning was associated with an increased likelihood of a CD3+ T-cell count of more than 1000 per cubic millimeter, freedom from immunoglobulin substitution, and IgA recovery but did not significantly affect CD4+ T-cell recovery or recovery of phytohemagglutinin-induced T-cell proliferation. The genetic subtype of SCID affected the quality of CD3+ T-cell recovery but not survival.ConclusionsTransplants from donors other than matched siblings were associated with excellent survival among infants with SCID identified before the onset of infection. All available graft sources are expected to lead to excellent survival among asymptomatic infants. (Funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and others.).