Stable marking and transgene expression without progression to monoclonality in canine long-term hematopoietic repopulating cells transduced with lentiviral vectors

Hum Gene Ther. 2010 Apr;21(4):397-403. doi: 10.1089/hum.2009.076.

Abstract

Lentiviral gene transfer vectors have a number of potential advantages over gammaretroviral vectors including more efficient transduction of nondividing cells, a more favorable integration site profile, and the ability to accommodate large transgenes. Here, we present long-term follow-up data of animals that received lentivirus-transduced CD34-enriched cells. Six long-term surviving dogs were available for analysis. Transgene expression was analyzed from at least 12 months to more than 5 years after transplantation in peripheral blood cells and multiple cell lineages. All animals demonstrated long-term stable transgene expression in peripheral blood myeloid, lymphoid, and red blood cells as well as in platelets. Vector integration sites were analyzed by linear amplification-mediated polymerase chain reaction and showed a polyclonal repopulation pattern in all animals. There was no evidence of any development of monoclonality or leukemia in the animals. The stable long-term multilineage transgene expression, together with detection of the same integration site in myeloid and lymphoid cells, strongly suggests the transduction of long-term repopulating stem cells. Our data demonstrate safe and efficient transduction of multilineage long-term repopulating cells with lentiviral vectors and support the use of such vectors for gene therapy studies in patients.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, CD34 / genetics
  • Antigens, CD34 / metabolism
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Cell Lineage* / genetics
  • Cell Lineage* / physiology
  • Dogs
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Genetic Therapy / methods*
  • Genetic Vectors / genetics
  • Genetic Vectors / metabolism*
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / cytology*
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Lentivirus / genetics
  • Lentivirus / metabolism*
  • Luminescent Proteins / genetics
  • Luminescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Time Factors
  • Transduction, Genetic*
  • Transgenes / genetics
  • Transgenes / physiology*

Substances

  • Antigens, CD34
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Luminescent Proteins
  • yellow fluorescent protein, Bacteria