Novel gene therapy viral vector using non-oncogenic lymphotropic herpesvirus.

Despite the use of retroviral vectors, efficiently introducing target genes into immunocytes such as T cells is difficult. In addition, retroviral vectors carry risks associated with the oncogenicity of the native virus and the potential for introducing malignancy in recipients due to genetic carryo...

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Main Authors: Akihiro Shimizu, Nobuyuki Kobayashi, Kazuya Shimada, Kuniaki Oura, Tadao Tanaka, Aikou Okamoto, Kazuhiro Kondo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2013-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3569415?pdf=render
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author Akihiro Shimizu
Nobuyuki Kobayashi
Kazuya Shimada
Kuniaki Oura
Tadao Tanaka
Aikou Okamoto
Kazuhiro Kondo
author_facet Akihiro Shimizu
Nobuyuki Kobayashi
Kazuya Shimada
Kuniaki Oura
Tadao Tanaka
Aikou Okamoto
Kazuhiro Kondo
author_sort Akihiro Shimizu
collection DOAJ
description Despite the use of retroviral vectors, efficiently introducing target genes into immunocytes such as T cells is difficult. In addition, retroviral vectors carry risks associated with the oncogenicity of the native virus and the potential for introducing malignancy in recipients due to genetic carryover from immortalized cells used during vector production. To address these issues, we have established a new virus vector that is based on human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), a non-oncogenic lymphotropic herpesvirus that infects CD4(+) T cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells. In the present study, we have altered the cell specificity of the resulting recombinant HHV-6 by knocking out the U2-U8 genes. The resulting virus proliferated only in activated cord blood cells and not in peripheral blood cells. Umbilical cord blood cells produced replication-defective recombinant virus in sufficiently high titer to omit the use of immortalized cells during vector production. HHV-6 vectors led to high rates (>90%) of gene transduction in both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells. These viruses showed low-level replication of viral DNA that supported greater expression of the induced genes than that of other methods but that was insufficient to support the production of replication-competent virus. Furthermore, HHV-6 vectors containing short hairpin RNAs against CD4 and HIV Gag remarkably inhibited the production of these proteins and HIV particles. Here we demonstrate the utility of HHV-6 as a new non-carcinogenic viral vector for immunologic diseases and immunotherapy.
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spelling doaj.art-cb83a30ac5f94fcdab7d9df3a921a58b2022-12-22T02:34:51ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032013-01-0182e5602710.1371/journal.pone.0056027Novel gene therapy viral vector using non-oncogenic lymphotropic herpesvirus.Akihiro ShimizuNobuyuki KobayashiKazuya ShimadaKuniaki OuraTadao TanakaAikou OkamotoKazuhiro KondoDespite the use of retroviral vectors, efficiently introducing target genes into immunocytes such as T cells is difficult. In addition, retroviral vectors carry risks associated with the oncogenicity of the native virus and the potential for introducing malignancy in recipients due to genetic carryover from immortalized cells used during vector production. To address these issues, we have established a new virus vector that is based on human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), a non-oncogenic lymphotropic herpesvirus that infects CD4(+) T cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells. In the present study, we have altered the cell specificity of the resulting recombinant HHV-6 by knocking out the U2-U8 genes. The resulting virus proliferated only in activated cord blood cells and not in peripheral blood cells. Umbilical cord blood cells produced replication-defective recombinant virus in sufficiently high titer to omit the use of immortalized cells during vector production. HHV-6 vectors led to high rates (>90%) of gene transduction in both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells. These viruses showed low-level replication of viral DNA that supported greater expression of the induced genes than that of other methods but that was insufficient to support the production of replication-competent virus. Furthermore, HHV-6 vectors containing short hairpin RNAs against CD4 and HIV Gag remarkably inhibited the production of these proteins and HIV particles. Here we demonstrate the utility of HHV-6 as a new non-carcinogenic viral vector for immunologic diseases and immunotherapy.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3569415?pdf=render
spellingShingle Akihiro Shimizu
Nobuyuki Kobayashi
Kazuya Shimada
Kuniaki Oura
Tadao Tanaka
Aikou Okamoto
Kazuhiro Kondo
Novel gene therapy viral vector using non-oncogenic lymphotropic herpesvirus.
PLoS ONE
title Novel gene therapy viral vector using non-oncogenic lymphotropic herpesvirus.
title_full Novel gene therapy viral vector using non-oncogenic lymphotropic herpesvirus.
title_fullStr Novel gene therapy viral vector using non-oncogenic lymphotropic herpesvirus.
title_full_unstemmed Novel gene therapy viral vector using non-oncogenic lymphotropic herpesvirus.
title_short Novel gene therapy viral vector using non-oncogenic lymphotropic herpesvirus.
title_sort novel gene therapy viral vector using non oncogenic lymphotropic herpesvirus
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3569415?pdf=render
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