Genetically modified NT2N human neuronal cells mediate long-term gene expression as CNS grafts in vivo and improve functional cognitive outcome following experimental traumatic brain injury.
Human Ntera-2 (NT2) cells can be differentiated in vitro into well-characterized populations of NT2N neurons that engraft and mature when transplanted into the adult CNS of rodents and humans. They have shown promise as treatments for neurologic disease, trauma, and ischemic stroke. Although these features suggest that NT2N neurons would be an excellent platform for ex vivo gene therapy in the CNS, stable gene expression has been surprisingly difficult to achieve in these cells. In this report we demonstrate stable, efficient, and nontoxic gene transfer into undifferentiated NT2 cells using a pseudotyped lentiviral vector encoding the human elongation factor 1-alpha promoter and the reporter gene eGFP. Expression of eGFP was maintained when the NT2 cells were differentiated into NT2N neurons after treatment with retinoic acid. When transplanted into the striatum of adult nude mice, transduced NT2N neurons survived, engrafted, and continued to express the reporter gene for long-term time points in vivo. Furthermore, transplantation of NT2N neurons genetically modified to express nerve growth factor significantly attenuated cognitive dysfunction following traumatic brain injury in mice. These results demonstrate that defined populations of genetically modified human NT2N neurons are a practical and effective platform for stable ex vivo gene delivery into the CNS.
Department of Pathobiology, Center for Comparative Medical Genetics, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA.
Deborah J
DJ
Watson
Luca
L
Longhi
Edward B
EB
Lee
Carl T
CT
Fulp
Scott
S
Fujimoto
Nicolas C
NC
Royo
Marco A
MA
Passini
John Q
JQ
Trojanowski
Virginia M Y
VM
Lee
Tracy K
TK
McIntosh
John H
JH
Wolfe
D000818:Animals; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000628:therapy*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques / Q000639:trends*; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006085:Graft Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D006801:Humans; D016086:Lentivirus / Q000235:genetics; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000637:transplantation*; D016716:PC12 Cells; D020648:Peptide Elongation Factor 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology
D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D020648:Peptide Elongation Factor 1; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D014212:Tretinoin; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor