Platelet gene therapy by lentiviral gene delivery to hematopoietic stem cells restores hemostasis and induces humoral immune tolerance in FIX(null) mice

Mol Ther. 2014 Jan;22(1):169-77. doi: 10.1038/mt.2013.197. Epub 2013 Aug 23.

Abstract

Here, we developed a clinically translatable platelet gene therapy approach for hemophilia B. Platelet-targeted FIX (2bF9) expression was introduced by transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) transduced with 2bF9 lentivirus (LV). Sustained therapeutic levels of platelet-FIX expression were obtained in FIX(null) mice that received 2bF9 LV-transduced HSCs. Approximately 6-39% of the platelets expressed FIX in the transduced recipients, which was sufficient to rescue the bleeding diathesis in FIX(null) mice in tail clipping models. Sequential bone marrow transplantation demonstrated that platelet-FIX expression in the secondary recipients was sustained, leading to phenotypic correction. Notably, none of the transduced recipients developed anti-FIX antibodies after platelet gene therapy. Only one of the nine recipients developed a low titer of inhibitory antibodies (1.6 BU/ml) after challenge with rhFIX. These data suggest that platelet gene therapy can not only restore hemostasis but also induce immune tolerance in hemophilia B mice, indicating that this approach may be a promising strategy for gene therapy of hemophilia B in humans.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blood Platelets / metabolism*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Factor IX / genetics*
  • Factor IX / immunology
  • Factor IX / metabolism
  • Gene Expression
  • Genetic Therapy
  • Genetic Vectors / genetics*
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Hemophilia B / genetics
  • Hemophilia B / immunology
  • Hemophilia B / therapy
  • Hemostasis / genetics
  • Hemostasis / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immune Tolerance / genetics*
  • Immunity, Humoral / genetics*
  • Lentivirus / genetics*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Phenotype
  • Proviruses / genetics
  • Transduction, Genetic

Substances

  • Factor IX