2015
B-cell reconstitution after lentiviral vector-mediated gene therapy in patients with Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome
Publication
Publication
Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology , Volume 136 - Issue 3 p. 692- 702.e2
Background Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) is a severe X-linked immunodeficiency characterized by microthrombocytopenia, eczema, recurrent infections, and susceptibility to autoimmunity and lymphomas. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is the treatment of choice; however, administration of WAS gene-corrected autologous hematopoietic stem cells has been demonstrated as a feasible alternative therapeutic approach. Objective Because B-cell homeostasis is perturbed in patients with WAS and restoration of immune competence is one of the main therapeutic goals, we have evaluated reconstitution of the B-cell compartment in 4 patients who received autologous hematopoietic stem cells transduced with lentiviral vector after a reduced-intensity conditioning regimen combined with anti-CD20 administration. Methods We evaluated B-cell counts, B-cell subset distribution, B cell-activating factor and immunoglobulin levels, and autoantibody production before and after gene therapy (GT). WAS gene transfer in B cells was assessed by measuring vector copy numbers and expression of Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein. Results After lentiviral vector-mediated GT, the number of transduced B cells progressively increased in the peripheral blood of all patients. Lentiviral vector-transduced progenitor cells were able to repopulate the B-cell compartment with a normal distribution of B-cell subsets both in bone marrow and the periphery, showing a WAS protein expression profile similar to that of healthy donors. In addition, after GT, we observed a normalized frequency of autoimmune-associated CD19<sup>+</sup>CD21<sup>-</sup>CD35<sup>-</sup> and CD21<sup>low</sup> B cells and a reduction in B cell-activating factor levels. Immunoglobulin serum levels and autoantibody production improved in all treated patients. Conclusions We provide evidence that lentiviral vector-mediated GT induces transgene expression in the B-cell compartment, resulting in ameliorated B-cell development and functionality and contributing to immunologic improvement in patients with WAS.
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| doi.org/10.1016/j.jaci.2015.01.035, hdl.handle.net/1765/88026 | |
| Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology | |
| Organisation | Department of Immunology |
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Castiello, M. C., Scaramuzza, S., Pala, G., Ferrua, F., Uva, P., Brigida, I., … Bosticardo, M. (2015). B-cell reconstitution after lentiviral vector-mediated gene therapy in patients with Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 136(3), 692–702.e2. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2015.01.035 |
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