methylcellulose and Fanconi-Anemia

A major hurdle for hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) gene therapy for inherited bone marrow disorders, including Fanconi anemia (FA), is adequate engraftment of gene-modified cells. A phenotypic defect in DNA repair renders FA patients sensitive to alkylating agents such as cyclophosphamide (Cy); however, at lower doses, Cy is well tolerated in the FA transplant setting. We tested whether non-alkylating agents could replace Cy for pretransplant conditioning to enhance engraftment of FANCA gene-modified hematopoietic cells. We compared Cy preconditioning with fludarabine (Flu) or cytarabine (AraC) or no conditioning as a control in fanca ( -/- ) mutant mice receiving gene-modified bone marrow cells. Only mice conditioned with Cy exhibited appreciable engraftment of gene-modified cells by PCR and resistance to mitomycin C (MMC). Cy administration following transplantation increased gene marking levels in all animals treated, but highest gene marking and corresponding MMC resistance were observed in mice receiving Cy pre- and posttransplantation. Importantly, no cytogenetic abnormalities were observed in Cy-treated mice. We conclude that Cy is an effective and superior preparative regimen with respect to engraftment of lentivirus-transduced cells and functional correction in fanca ( -/- ) mice. Thus, appropriately dosed Cy may provide a suitable conditioning regimen for FA patients undergoing HSC gene therapy.

Topics: Animals; Bone Marrow Cells; Cyclophosphamide; Cytogenetics; Disease Models, Animal; Fanconi Anemia; Flow Cytometry; Genetic Therapy; HEK293 Cells; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; Humans; Lentivirus; Methylcellulose; Mice; Mice, Transgenic; Mitomycin; Myeloablative Agonists; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Transplantation Conditioning

We used a murine model containing a disruption of the murine homologue (Fac) of Fanconi Anemia group C (FAC) to evaluate the role of Fac in the pathogenesis of bone marrow (BM) failure. Methylcellulose cultures of BM cells from Fac-/- and Fac+/+ mice were established to examine the growth of multipotent and lineage-restricted progenitors containing inhibitory cytokines, including interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha (MIP-1alpha). Clonogenic growth of Fac-/- progenitors was reduced by 50% at 50- to 100-fold lower concentrations of all inhibitory cytokines evaluated. We hypothesized that the aberrant responsiveness to inhibitory cytokines in clonogenic cells may be a result of deregulated apoptosis. To test this hypothesis, we performed the TUNEL assay on purified populations of primary BM cells enriched for hematopoietic progenitors or differentiated myeloid cells. After stimulation with TNF-alpha, accentuated apoptosis was observed in both populations of Fac-/- cells. In addition, deregulated apoptosis was also noted in the most immature phenotypic population of hematopoietic cells after stimulation with MIP-1alpha. Together these data suggest a role of Fac in affecting the signaling of multiple cytokine pathways and support cytokine-mediated apoptosis as a major mechanism responsible for BM failure observed in FA patients.

Topics: Animals; Apoptosis; Cell Cycle Proteins; Cells, Cultured; Chemokine CCL3; Chemokine CCL4; DNA-Binding Proteins; Fanconi Anemia; Fanconi Anemia Complementation Group C Protein; Fanconi Anemia Complementation Group Proteins; Hematopoietic Stem Cells; Interferon-gamma; Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins; Methylcellulose; Mice; Mice, Knockout; Nuclear Proteins; Proteins; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha