Stem cell gene therapy: selecting only the best

Curing human diseases using gene transfer into human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) remains a promising avenue for development. In the November 14 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation, two independent studies – the first by Stanton Gerson and colleagues at Case Western University and the second by Hans-Peter Kiem and colleagues at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center – have accomplished, for the first time, the selection and expansion of gene-corrected HSCs from large animals (dogs and humans), using a novel drug-resistance gene, MGMT.

Highly efficient transfer and expression of MGMT into relatively few HSCs using a lentivirus vector led to repopulation of the hematopoietic compartment with gene-corrected cells following suitable drug treatment. This selection system may be useful in human clinical trials of gene therapy in bone marrow transplantation settings.

In an accompanying commentary, Arthur Bank from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons discusses the potential of these results in significantly advancing our knowledge and ability to perform human HSC gene therapy.

TITLE: In vivo selection of MGMT(P140K) lentivirus–transduced human NOD/SCID repopulating cells without pretransplant irradiation conditioning

AUTHOR CONTACT:
Stanton L. Gerson
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Phone: 216-368-1177
Fax: 216-368-1166
E-mail: slg5@po.cwru.edu

View the PDF of this article at: http://www.jci.org/cgi/content/full/112/10/1561

RELATED ARTICLE:

TITLE: Methylguanine methyltransferase–mediated in vivo selection and chemoprotection of allogeneic stem cells in a large-animal model

AUTHOR CONTACT:
Hans-Peter Kiem
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA.
Phone: 206-667-4425
Fax: 206-667-6124
E-mail: hkiem@fhcrc.org

View the PDF of this article at: http://www.jci.org/cgi/content/full/112/10/1581

ACCOMPANYING COMMENTARY:
Hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy: selecting only the best

AUTHOR CONTACT:
Arthur Bank
Columbia University, New York, New York, USA.
Phone: 212-305-4186
Fax: 212-923-2090
E-mail: ab13@columbia.edu

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