PARP1 Characterization as a Potential Biomarker for BCR::ABL1 p190+ Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Detection of t(9;22), and consequent BCR::ABL1 fusion, is still a marker of worse prognosis for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), with resistance to tyrosine-kinase inhibitor therapy being a major obstacle in the clinical practice for this subset of patients. In this study, we investigated the effectiveness of targeting poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) in a model of BCR::ABL1 p190+ ALL, the most common isoform to afflict ALL patients, and demonstrated the use of experimental PARP inhibitor (PARPi), AZD2461, as a therapeutic option with cytotoxic capabilities similar to that of imatinib, the current gold standard in medical care. We characterized cytostatic profiles, induced cell death, and biomarker expression modulation utilizing cell models, also providing a comprehensive genome-wide analysis through an aCGH of the model used, and further validated PARP1 differential expression in samples of ALL p190+ patients from local healthcare institutions, as well as in larger cohorts of online and readily available datasets. Overall, we demonstrate the effectiveness of PARPi in the treatment of BCR::ABL1 p190+ ALL cell models and that PARP1 is differentially expressed in patient samples. We hope our findings help expand the characterization of molecular profiles in ALL settings and guide future investigations into novel biomarker detection and pharmacological choices in clinical practice.

Genome Editing for Engineering the Next Generation of Advanced Immune Cell Therapies.

Our current genetic engineering capacity through synthetic biology and genome editing is the foundation of a revolution in biomedical science: the use of genetically programmed cells as therapeutics. The prime example of this paradigm is the adoptive transfer of genetically engineered T cells to express tumor-specific receptors, such as chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) or engineered T-cell receptors (TCR). This approach has led to unprecedented complete remission rates in patients with otherwise incurable hematological malignancies. However, this approach is still largely ineffective against solid tumors, which comprise the vast majority of neoplasms. Also, limitations associated with the autologous nature of this therapy and shared markers between cancer cells and T cells further restrict the access to these therapies. Here, we described how cutting-edge genome editing approaches have been applied to unlock the full potential of these revolutionary therapies, thereby increasing therapeutic efficacy and patient accessibility.

Combination of genetically engineered T cells and immune checkpoint blockade for the treatment of cancer.

Immune checkpoint (IC) blockade using monoclonal antibodies is currently one of the most successful immunotherapeutic interventions to treat cancer. By reinvigorating antitumor exhausted T cells, this approach can lead to durable clinical responses. However, the majority of patients either do not respond or present a short-lived response to IC blockade, in part due to a scarcity of tumor-specific T cells within the tumor microenvironment. Adoptive transfer of T cells genetically engineered to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) or engineered T-cell receptors (TCRs) provide the necessary tumor-specific immune cell population to target cancer cells. However, this therapy has been considerably ineffective against solid tumors in part due to IC-mediated immunosuppressive effects within the tumor microenvironment. These limitations could be overcome by associating adoptive cell transfer of genetically engineered T cells and IC blockade. In this comprehensive review, we highlight the strategies and outcomes of preclinical and clinical attempts to disrupt IC signaling in adoptive T-cell transfer against cancer. These strategies include combined administration of genetically engineered T cells and IC inhibitors, engineered T cells with intrinsic modifications to disrupt IC signaling, and the design of CARs against IC molecules. The current landscape indicates that the synergy of the fast-paced refinements of gene-editing technologies and synthetic biology and the increased comprehension of IC signaling will certainly translate into a novel and more effective immunotherapeutic approaches to treat patients with cancer.

Strategies to Enhance the Therapeutic Efficacy, Applicability, and Safety of Genetically Engineered Immune Cells.

The field of cell therapy is leading a paradigm shift in drug development. The recent convergence of several fields, including immunology, genetics, and synthetic biology, now allows for the introduction of artificial receptors and the design of entire genetic circuitries to finely program the behavior of injected cells. A prime example of these next-generation living drugs comes in the form of T cells expressing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), which have already demonstrated definitive evidence of therapeutic efficacy against some hematological malignancies. However, several obstacles still restrict the antitumor efficacy of and impair the widespread use of CAR-T cells. Critical challenges include limited persistence and antitumor activity in vivo, antigen escape, scarcity of suitable single markers for targeting, and therapy-related toxicity. Nevertheless, intense research activity in this field has resulted in a plethora of creative solutions to address each of these limitations. In this review, we provide a comprehensive snapshot of the current strategies used to enhance the therapeutic efficacy, applicability, and safety of genetically engineered immune cells to treat cancer.

Hypoxia-cultured mouse mesenchymal stromal cells from bone marrow and compact bone display different phenotypic traits.

It has been suggested that the bone marrow microenvironment harbors two distinct populations of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC), one with a perivascular location and other present in the endosteum. A better understanding of the biology of these MSC subsets has been pursued in order to refine its clinical application. However, most comparative characterizations of mouse MSC have been performed in normoxia. This can result in misleading interpretations since mouse MSC subsets with low/defective p53 activity are known to be selected during culture in normoxia. Here, we report a comprehensive in vitro characterization of mouse MSC isolated from bone marrow (BM-MSC) and compact bone (CB-MSC) expanded and assayed under hypoxia for their morphology, clonogenic efficiency and differentiation capacity. We found that, under hypoxia, compact bone is richer in absolute numbers of MSC and isolation of MSC from compact bone is associated with a reduced risk of hematopoietic cell carryover. In addition, CB-MSC have higher in vitro osteogenic capacity than BM-MSC, while adipogenic differentiation potential is similar. These findings reinforce the hypothesis of the existence of MSC in bone marrow and compact bone representing functionally distinct cell populations and highlight the compact bone as an efficient source of murine MSC under physiological oxygen concentrations.

Identification of differentially expressed genes in female Drosophila antonietae and Drosophila meridionalis in response to host cactus odor.

BACKGROUND: Studies of insect-plant interactions have provided critical insights into the ecology and evolution of adaptive processes within and among species. Cactophilic Drosophila species have received much attention because larval development occurs in the necrotic tissues of cacti, and both larvae and adults feed on these tissues. Such Drosophila-cactus interactions include effects of the host plant on the physiology and behavior of the flies, especially so their nutritional status, mating condition and reproduction. The aim of this work was to compare the transcriptional responses of two species, Drosophila antonietae and Drosophila meridionalis, and identify genes potentially related to responses to odors released by their host cactus, Cereus hildmannianus. The two fly species are sympatric in most of their populations and use this same host cactus in nature. RESULTS: We obtained 47 unique sequences (USs) for D. antonietae in a suppression subtractive hybridization screen, 30 of these USs had matches with genes predicted for other Drosophila species. For D. meridionalis we obtained 81 USs, 46 of which were orthologous with genes from other Drosophila species. Functional information (Gene Ontology) revealed that these differentially expressed genes are related to metabolic processes, detoxification mechanisms, signaling, response to stimuli, and reproduction. The expression of 13 genes from D. meridionalis and 12 from D. antonietae were further analyzed by quantitative real time-PCR, showing that four genes were significantly overexpressed in D. antonietae and six in D. meridionalis. CONCLUSIONS: Our results revealed the differential expression of genes related to responses to odor stimuli by a cactus, in two associated fly species. Although the majority of activated genes were similar between the two species, we also observed that certain metabolic pathways were specifically activated, especially those related to signaling pathways and detoxification mechanisms. The activation of these genes may reflect different metabolic pathways used by these flies in their interaction with this host cactus. Our findings provide insight into how the use of C. hildmannianus may have arisen independently in the two fly species, through genetic differentiation in metabolic pathways to effectively explore this cactus as a host.