Generation of human islet-specific regulatory T cells by TCR gene transfer

TY - JOUR

T1 - Generation of human islet-specific regulatory T cells by TCR gene transfer

AU - Hull, Caroline M.

AU - Nickolay, Lauren E.

AU - Estorninho, Megan

AU - Richardson, Max W.

AU - Riley, James L.

AU - Peakman, Mark

AU - Maher, John

AU - Tree, Timothy I.M.

PY - 2017/5/31

Y1 - 2017/5/31

N2 - Based on the success in animal models of type 1 diabetes (T1D), clinical trials of adoptive regulatory T cell (Treg) therapy are underway using ex vivo expanded polyclonal Tregs. However, pre-clinical data also demonstrate that islet-specific Tregs are more potent than polyclonal Tregs at reversing T1D. Translation of this approach into man will require methods to generate large populations of islet-specific Tregs which, to date, has proved to be a major hurdle. Here we demonstrate the feasibility of lentiviral-mediated T cell receptor (TCR) gene transfer to confer antigen specificity on polyclonal human Tregs. Targeting has been achieved using TCRs isolated from human islet-specific and viral-specific CD4+ T cell clones. Engineered T cells demonstrated expression of ectopically-delivered TCRs, resulting in endowment of cognate antigen-specific responses. This enabled antigen-specific suppression at increased potency compared to polyclonal Tregs. However, cells transduced with islet-specific TCRs were less responsive to cognate antigen than viral-specific TCRs, and in some cases, required additional methods to isolate functional antigen-specific Tregs. This study demonstrates the potential of TCR gene transfer to develop islet-specific Treg therapies for effective treatment of T1D, but also highlights that additional optimisation may be required to achieve its full potential.

AB - Based on the success in animal models of type 1 diabetes (T1D), clinical trials of adoptive regulatory T cell (Treg) therapy are underway using ex vivo expanded polyclonal Tregs. However, pre-clinical data also demonstrate that islet-specific Tregs are more potent than polyclonal Tregs at reversing T1D. Translation of this approach into man will require methods to generate large populations of islet-specific Tregs which, to date, has proved to be a major hurdle. Here we demonstrate the feasibility of lentiviral-mediated T cell receptor (TCR) gene transfer to confer antigen specificity on polyclonal human Tregs. Targeting has been achieved using TCRs isolated from human islet-specific and viral-specific CD4+ T cell clones. Engineered T cells demonstrated expression of ectopically-delivered TCRs, resulting in endowment of cognate antigen-specific responses. This enabled antigen-specific suppression at increased potency compared to polyclonal Tregs. However, cells transduced with islet-specific TCRs were less responsive to cognate antigen than viral-specific TCRs, and in some cases, required additional methods to isolate functional antigen-specific Tregs. This study demonstrates the potential of TCR gene transfer to develop islet-specific Treg therapies for effective treatment of T1D, but also highlights that additional optimisation may be required to achieve its full potential.

KW - Regulatory T cells

KW - Cell therapy

KW - TCR gene therapy

KW - Diabetes

U2 - 10.1016/j.jaut.2017.01.001

DO - 10.1016/j.jaut.2017.01.001

M3 - Article

SN - 0896-8411

VL - 79

SP - 63

EP - 73

JO - Journal of Autoimmunity

JF - Journal of Autoimmunity

ER -