Integration of retroviral vectors induces minor changes in the transcriptional activity of T cells from ADA-SCID patients treated with gene therapy

Blood. 2009 Oct 22;114(17):3546-56. doi: 10.1182/blood-2009-02-202085. Epub 2009 Aug 3.

Abstract

Gene transfer into hematopoietic stem cells by gamma-retroviral vectors (RVs) is an effective treatment for inherited blood disorders, although potentially limited by the risk of insertional mutagenesis. We evaluated the genomic impact of RV integration in T lymphocytes from adenosine deaminase-deficient severe combined immunodeficiency (ADA-SCID) patients 10 to 30 months after infusion of autologous, genetically corrected CD34(+) cells. Expression profiling on ex vivo T-cell bulk population revealed no difference with respect to healthy controls. To assess the effect of vector integration on gene expression at the single-cell level, primary T-cell clones were isolated from 2 patients. T-cell clones harbored either 1 (89.8%) or 2 (10.2%) vector copies per cell and displayed partial to full correction of ADA expression, purine metabolism, and T-cell receptor-driven functions. Analysis of RV integration sites indicated a high diversity in T-cell origin, consistently with the polyclonal T-cell receptor-Vbeta repertoire. Quantitative transcript analysis of 120 genes within a 200-kb window around RV integration sites showed modest (2.8- to 5.2-fold) dysregulation of 5.8% genes in 18.6% of the T-cell clones compared with controls. Nonetheless, affected clones maintained a stable phenotype and normal in vitro functions. These results confirm that RV-mediated gene transfer for ADA-SCID is safe, and provide crucial information for the development of future gene therapy protocols. The trials described herein have been registered at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT00598481 and #NCT00599781.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Deaminase / deficiency
  • Adenosine Deaminase / genetics*
  • Antigens, CD34
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Transfer Techniques
  • Genetic Therapy*
  • Genetic Vectors / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Purines / metabolism
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / genetics
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / immunology
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / metabolism
  • Retroviridae / genetics*
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Severe Combined Immunodeficiency / enzymology
  • Severe Combined Immunodeficiency / genetics
  • Severe Combined Immunodeficiency / therapy*
  • T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • T-Lymphocytes / pathology*
  • Transduction, Genetic
  • Virus Integration

Substances

  • Antigens, CD34
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Purines
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
  • Adenosine Deaminase
  • purine

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT00598481
  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT00599781