B cell-specific lentiviral gene therapy leads to sustained B-cell functional recovery in a murine model of X-linked agammaglobulinemia

Blood. 2010 Mar 18;115(11):2146-55. doi: 10.1182/blood-2009-09-241869. Epub 2010 Jan 21.

Abstract

The immunodeficiency disorder, X-linked agammaglobulinemia (XLA), results from mutations in the gene encoding Bruton tyrosine kinase (Btk). Btk is required for pre-B cell clonal expansion and B-cell antigen receptor signaling. XLA patients lack mature B cells and immunoglobulin and experience recurrent bacterial infections only partially mitigated by life-long antibody replacement therapy. In pursuit of definitive therapy for XLA, we tested ex vivo gene therapy using a lentiviral vector (LV) containing the immunoglobulin enhancer (Emu) and Igbeta (B29) minimal promoter to drive B lineage-specific human Btk expression in Btk/Tec(-/-) mice, a strain that reproduces the features of human XLA. After transplantation of EmuB29-Btk-LV-transduced stem cells, treated mice showed significant, albeit incomplete, rescue of mature B cells in the bone marrow, peripheral blood, spleen, and peritoneal cavity, and improved responses to T-independent and T-dependent antigens. LV-treated B cells exhibited enhanced B-cell antigen receptor signaling and an in vivo selective advantage in the peripheral versus central B-cell compartment. Secondary transplantation showed sustained Btk expression, viral integration, and partial functional responses, consistent with long-term stem cell marking; and serial transplantation revealed no evidence for cellular or systemic toxicity. These findings strongly support pursuit of B lineage-targeted LV gene therapy in human XLA.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Agammaglobulinaemia Tyrosine Kinase
  • Agammaglobulinemia / physiopathology*
  • Agammaglobulinemia / therapy*
  • Animals
  • B-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • B-Lymphocytes / physiology*
  • Bone Marrow Cells / cytology
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation
  • CD79 Antigens / genetics
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Lineage
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Genetic Diseases, X-Linked / physiopathology
  • Genetic Diseases, X-Linked / therapy*
  • Genetic Therapy* / adverse effects
  • Genetic Vectors / genetics
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains / genetics
  • Lentivirus / genetics*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Organ Specificity / genetics
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / deficiency
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / therapeutic use
  • Recovery of Function / physiology*

Substances

  • CD79 Antigens
  • Immunoglobulin Heavy Chains
  • Tec protein-tyrosine kinase
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • Agammaglobulinaemia Tyrosine Kinase
  • BTK protein, human
  • Btk protein, mouse