Introduction and Genetic Correction of Calreticulin Mutations in Human Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells Sheds Light on MPN Pathogenesis

Abstract Introduction: Recurrent mutations in calreticulin (CALR) are present in 70% to 80% of essential thrombocythemia (ET) and primary myelofibrosis (PMF) patients without a JAK2 or MPL mutation. Despite recent advances in understanding mutant CALR, the detailed mechanisms are not fully elucidated, and current knowledge is mainly based on transgenic mouse models or human cancer cell lines. Thus, to more faithfully model MPN pathogenesis, we first aimed to introduce heterozygous type-1 and type-2 CALR mutations into healthy human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) via targeted CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene knock-in (KI) and investigate its impact on HSPC function in vitro and in vivo. Second, we aimed to correct CALR mutations in patient-derived HSPCs to study their dependence on the initial driver event to exert an MPN phenotype. Methods: We used CRISPR/Cas9 to introduce heterozygous CALR mutations into the endogenous gene locus of healthy cord blood-derived HSPCs. Our approach is based on homologous recombination using DNA repair templates delivered by adeno-associated virus serotype 6 (AAV6). Briefly, Cas9-sgRNA ribonucleoprotein (RNP) was used to cut the DNA. Simultaneously AAV6, carrying either a mutation-bearing or a wildtype control cDNA, was co-delivered to allow for targeted in-frame integration. This way, mutant CALR remains under the control of the endogenous promoter. Concurrent integration of a fluorescent reporter downstream of the mutated exon, enabled purification and tracking of modified cells via flow cytometry. Purified CRISPR-modified HSPCs were used for in vitro collagen-based colony-forming assays, proliferation and differentiation assays in liquid culture, and intrafemoral transplantation into immunodeficient NSG mice to assess their pathogenic potential. Results: Our CRISPR/Cas9 KI strategy enabled us to efficiently generate and enrich for heterozygous CALR mutant human HSPCs. Modified cells harbor the mutation at the endogenous CALR locus with intact gene regulatory regions. Correct integration and transcript expression were confirmed on DNA and RNA level by sanger sequencing. Additionally, CALR mutant protein expression was confirmed via immunohistochemistry using a diagnostically approved mutant-specific antibody. Type-1 and type-2 CALR mutations led to TPO-independent growth of CD34 + HSPC-derived cells and a two-fold (p<0.01) increase of megakaryocyte colonies in collagen-based media compared to wildtype control KI. These findings were corroborated by significantly enhanced CD41 + CD42b + megakaryocyte formation of CALR mutant HSPCs upon liquid culture differentiation. When transplanted into sublethally irradiated immunodeficient NSG mice, CALR mutant HSPCs showed robust engraftment in the bone marrow with a myeloid lineage skewing, outcompetition of wildtype cells and increased formation of CALR mutant CD41 + megakaryocyte progenitors. To investigate, if removal of type-1 and type-2 CALR mutations can ameliorate MPNs, we utilized our KI strategy to correct both CALR mutations in MPN patient-derived HSPCs by replacing them with wildtype sequences. A successful correction was confirmed on DNA and RNA level and by the absence of mutant CALR protein. Opposite to the results from introducing CALR mutations, correcting the mutations led to a two-fold decrease in megakaryocyte colony formation. Interestingly this was only seen in ET and post-ET MF samples, whereas primary MF samples were unaffected, underscoring the importance of other secondary genetic driver events in the pathogenesis of primary MF. Conclusion: Our system allows us to investigate human MPN pathogenesis prospectively and shed light on the transforming mechanisms of mutant CALR in primary HSPCs. We could show that CALR mutations prime HSPCs toward the formation of platelet-producing megakaryocytes. Genetic correction of CALR mutations in MPN patient-derived HSPCs revealed a dependence on the oncogenic mutant CALR driver event in ET and post-ET MF patients, opening the possibility of an ex vivo gene correction approach to remove mutant CALR in patient-derived HSPCs . Lastly, since MPN patient-derived cells have notoriously low engraftment potential in mice, our CRISPR/Cas9-engineered CALR mutant model also provides a powerful new strategy to generate MPN xenotransplants with defined genotypes for the evaluation of novel therapies. Disclosures Greinix: Celgene: Consultancy; Therakos: Consultancy; Takeda: Consultancy; Sanofi: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy. Sill: Astellas: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Celgene: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; AbbVie: Consultancy, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Zebisch: Novartis: Consultancy; AbbVie: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy, Honoraria. Reinisch: Celgene: Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy.

Download Full-text

Single Cell Analysis of Adult Human Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells Identifies a Novel Lymphoid Primed Multipotent Progenitor That Expands in Relapsed Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood-2021-148993 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 138 (Supplement 1) ◽

pp. 3259-3259

Author(s):

Asiri Ediriwickrema ◽

Bogdan A. Luca ◽

Aaron M Newman ◽

Andrew J Gentles ◽

Ravindra Majeti

Keyword(s):

Single Cell ◽

Board Of Directors ◽

Myeloid Leukemia ◽

Surface Marker ◽

Advisory Committees ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Multipotent Progenitors ◽

Stem And Progenitor Cells ◽

Surface Marker Analysis

Abstract Background: Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) are capable of generating all human blood cells. Although these cells have been extensively evaluated using both sorted (Corces et al. Nat. Genet. 2016) and single cell assays (Pellin et al. Nat. Commun. 2019), there remains significant uncertainty as to the degree of heterogeneity within HSPC subpopulations and their relevance to disease. The phenotypic diversity within HSPCs needs to be better characterized in order to understand the pathogenesis of numerous blood disorders including hematologic malignancies. To address this need, we extensively characterized healthy bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMCs) with both whole transcriptome analysis (WTA) and surface marker evaluation. We hypothesized that by utilizing concurrent RNA and multiplexed (n=35) surface marker analysis, we could not only improve HSPC clustering but also characterize specific phenotypic states along unique hematopoietic differentiation trajectories. This analysis allowed us to identify new subpopulations within currently defined hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), multipotent progenitors (MPPs) and lymphoid primed multipotent progenitors (LMPPs). Methods: Three healthy adult BMMC samples were stained with antibody conjugated oligonucleotides (BD Abseq) and analyzed using a nanowell cell capture system (BD Rhapsody). We filtered 8,070 high quality cells for 2,508 HSPCs, myeloid cells, and lymphocyte precursors. These cells were first clustered using matrix factorization in order to identify unique HSPC states. Novel clusters within the HSC, MPP, and LMPP subpopulations were purified using flow cytometry, and functionally evaluated with both in vitro and in vivo assays. Results: The antibody-derived tags (ADTs) obtained from BD Abseq comprised 33 of the most informative features (n=2000) and resulted in more stable clustering as determined by within sum of squares (WSS = 898 versus 934 for mRNA alone for 20 clusters). Additionally, we were able to design a targeted HSPC panel (n=500 genes) with Abseq which identified similar cell clusters compared to the WTA alone and WTA plus ADT data (Rand index = 0.88). HSPC clustering identified the putative hematopoietic stem cell (HSC), a multipotent progenitor (MPP), and a new lymphoid primed multipotent progenitor (LMPP). A new computational sorting strategy was derived to purify these primitive HSPCs, and subsequently validated with flow cytometry. The functional evaluation of these sorted populations revealed that HSC and MPP cells were capable of increased serial replating ability in vitro suggesting enhanced self-renewal capabilities compared to LMPP cells. All three HSPC subpopulations produced gradients of erythroid and myeloid colonies in methylcellulose, and T-cells in T-cell expansion assays in vitro. The HSCs were the only cells that were able to produce long term engraftment in immunodeficient mice after serial transplantations. Additionally, common myeloid progenitor (CMP), granulocyte-monocyte progenitor (GMP), and megakaryocyte-erythroid progenitor (MEP) clusters that expressed canonical surface markers were identified. The primitive HSPC clusters were converted into a signature matrix using CIBERSORTx (Newman et al. Nat. Biotechnol. 2019), and bulk acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and healthy samples were deconvolved into respective healthy cell clusters. Using multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis, we found that high levels of MPPs at diagnosis was the strongest feature associated with worse overall survival (HR = 78.46, 95% confidence interval 7.32-828). Interestingly, after performing paired analysis of diagnostic and relapse cases, the HSC and LMPP expanded significantly in relapsed AML after chemotherapy (p < 0.05) whereas the MPP expanded considerably after stem cell transplant but did not reach significance (p = 0.09). Conclusions: In summary, we identified new cell type clusters within previously defined HSC, MPP, and LMPP subpopulations, and unique surface marker associations using combined single cell WTA and surface marker analysis. We were able to purify these primitive HSPCs using these new markers, in addition to classical markers like CD34, CD90, and CD45RA. Importantly, deconvolution analysis provided preliminary insights into their clinical relevance in AML. Disclosures Ediriwickrema: Nanosive SAS: Patents & Royalties. Majeti: BeyondSpring Inc: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Circbio inc: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Kodikaz Therapeutics Solutions Inc: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Coherus Biosciences: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Acuta Capital Partners: Consultancy; Gilead Sciences, Inc: Patents & Royalties.

Download Full-text

Crispr/Cas9 Engineered 61bp Deletion in the Calr Gene of Mice Leads to Development of Thrombocytosis

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v128.22.4274.4274 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 128 (22) ◽

pp. 4274-4274 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Thomas Balligand ◽

Younes Achouri ◽

Ilyas Chachoua ◽

Christian Pecquet ◽

Jean-Philippe Defour ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bone Marrow ◽

Board Of Directors ◽

Advisory Committees ◽

Mutational Status ◽

Thrombopoietin Receptor ◽

Exon 9 ◽

Calr Mutations

Abstract In a subset of patients suffering from myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), calreticulin (CALR) exon 9 frameshift mutations are known to be responsible for the development of either essential thrombocythemia (ET) or primary myelofibrosis (PMF) (1, 2). The most prevalent mutations are a 52-bp deletion (del52, type-1 mutation) and a 5-bp TTGTC insertion (ins5, type-2 mutation). In these patients, the mutational status is almost always heterozygous. Our group and collaborators have recently shown that the pathogenic mutant CALR proteins require interaction with and activation of the thrombopoietin receptor (TpoR) for activation of the JAK-STAT pathway (3, 4). Until now, no knock-in mouse model of these diseases has been published. In this abstract, we show how we succeeded in creating such a model. We had shown that the murine CALR mutant proteins behave just like their human counterparts (5). Specifically, the del52, ins5 and del61 (61bp deletion, type-1) Calr mutations were able to transform Ba/F3 cells (murine pro-B lymphocytic cells normally dependent on IL-3 for growth) expressing the thrombopoietin receptor (TpoR) and render them cytokine-independent. Importantly, we also mutated the Ba/F3 genome using the widely adopted CRISPR/Cas9 system in order to create a 61-bp deletion of the exon 9 of Calr. This too successfully transformed the Ba/F3 cells, showing that endogenous levels of expression of a mutant CALR protein are sufficient to induce phenotype in vitro. Now, using the same approach, we injected C57BL/6J mouse zygotes with the same CRISPR/Cas9 constructs to create the same 61-bp deletion in the murine Calr gene. Out of 46 pups born from the procedure, one male pup was heterozygous for the 61-bp deletion. By in vitro fertilization, we subsequently obtained heterozygous Calr del61/WT pups. After inter-breeding the mice, we analyzed the blood of 12 Calr del61/WT males and 12 Calr WT/WT males (littermates) at three different timepoints (15, 18 and 22 weeks old) and found that the Calr del61/WT mice showed significantly higher levels of circulating platelets. Conversely, red blood and white blood cell numbers were the same between both groups at all time points. We further show that expression of a mutant CALR protein, in a heterozygous state, is sufficient to induce abnormal proliferation of megakaryocytes and develop an ET phenotype in vivo in mice. Follow-up in dynamics of the phenotype and bone marrow and spleen pathology (examination of myeloproliferation and fibrosis) allow comparison with the retroviral murine models of CALR-mutant MPNs and with the known features of the human disease. The only limitation of our model is the fact that the Calr del61 mutation is parentally acquired and widespread throughout the organism. With this new model, we aim to test the efficiency of various drugs to prevent or cure the MPN phenotype, such as ruxolitinib, a JAK2 type-1 inhibitor that is already used in clinics in patients suffering from CALR-mutated MPNs. We also now have a means to generate a high number of Calr del61/WT bone marrow cells to extensively study the oncogenic properties of the Calr mutations at different stages of the hematopoeisis. It will also be of great interest to study, if generated, a homozygous mutational status of Calr del61 in vivo. Thus, our system will shed light on the importance of the negatively charged tail of CALR and on the effects of the novel positively charged tail on myeloproliferation. References 1. Klampfl T, Gisslinger H, Harutyunyan AS, Nivarthi H, Rumi E, Milosevic JD, et al. N Engl J Med. 2013 Dec 10;369(25):2379-90. 2. Nangalia J, Massie CE, Baxter EJ, Nice FL, Gundem G, Wedge DC, et al. N Engl J Med. 2013 Dec 10;369(25):2391-405. 3. Chachoua I, Pecquet C, El-Khoury M, Nivarthi H, Albu RI, Marty C, et al. Blood. 2015 Dec 14;10.1182/blood-2015-11-681932. 4. Marty C, Pecquet C, Nivarthi H, Elkhoury M, Chachoua I, Tulliez M, et al. Blood. 2015 Nov 25;10.1182/blood-2015-11-679571. 5. Balligand T, Achouri Y, Pecquet C, Chachoua I, Nivarthi H, Marty C, et al. Leukemia. 2016 Feb 29;10.1038/leu.2016.47. Disclosures Constantinescu: Teva: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Shire: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Personal Genetics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau.

Download Full-text

Differential Impact of Interferon Alpha on JAK2V617F and Calr Mutated Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells in Classical MPN

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood-2018-99-114744 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 132 (Supplement 1) ◽

pp. 4333-4333 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Matthieu Mosca ◽

Lamia Lamrani ◽

Christophe Marzac ◽

Amandine Tisserand ◽

Valérie Edmond ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Board Of Directors ◽

Interferon Alpha ◽

Research Funding ◽

Molecular Response ◽

Advisory Committees ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Clonal Architecture

Abstract Introduction: Classical BCR-ABL-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) include Polycythemia Vera (PV), Essential Thrombocytemia (ET) and Primary Myelofibrosis (PMF). They are acquired clonal disorders of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) leading to the hyperplasia of one or several myeloid lineages. They are due to three main recurrent mutations affecting the JAK/STAT signaling pathway: JAK2V617F and mutations in the calreticulin (CALR) and thrombopoietin receptor (MPL). Interferon alpha (IFNα) is the only drug that not only induces a hematological response in ET, PV and early MF, but also a significant molecular response on both JAK2V617F or CALR-mutated cells. Our broad aim was to understand the mechanism of action of IFNα. Previously, our group and others have shown that IFNα specifically targets JAK2V617F HSC in a chimeric JAK2V617F knock-in mouse model. In this study, we wanted to know how and how fast IFNα impacts the different mutated human hematopoietic compartments. Methods: A prospective study was performed with a cohort of 47 patients treated by IFNα for 3-5 years. The MPN disease distribution was 40% ET, 49% PV and 11% MF. This cohort included 33 JAK2V617F-mutated patients, 11 CALR-mutated patients (7 type 1/type 1-like and 4 type 2/type 2-like), 2 both JAK2V617F- and CALR-mutated patients and 1 MPLW515K-mutated patient. At 4-month intervals, the JAK2V617F or/and CALR mutation allele frequency was measured in mature cells (granulocytes, platelets). Simultaneously, the clonal architecture was also determined by studying the presence of the JAK2V617F or CALR mutations in colonies derived from the different hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) populations (CD90+CD34+CD38- HSC-enriched progenitors, CD90-CD34+CD38- immature progenitors and CD90- CD34+CD38+ committed progenitors). Results: After a median follow-up of 33 months, IFNα targets more efficiently and rapidly the HSPC particularly in HSC-enriched progenitors, than the mature blood cells in JAK2V617F patients (p<.05). Moreover, homozygous JAK2V617F clones responded more rapidly than heterozygous clones in all hematopoietic cell compartments showing that the intensity of JAK2V617F signaling is correlated with the efficacy of IFNα. This efficacy was slightly increased after a median follow-up of 51 months. In contrast, during a median follow-up of 33 months for CALR-mutated patients, IFNα targeted similarly the HSPC and the mature cells. Moreover, IFNα induced a slower response in targeting CALR-mutated HSPC than the JAK2V617F HSPC (p<.05) (see Figure). The role of associated mutations at diagnosis was also investigated in the IFNα-mediated HSPC molecular responses using a NGS targeted myeloid panel. In JAK2V617F-mutated patients, the number of associated mutations did not impact the HSPC molecular response. In contrast, in CALR-mutated patients, the only molecular responders were not associated with other mutations, although the lower number of cases should be expanded. Using Ba/F3-MPL cellular models and primary cells, we observed that JAK2V617F was more prone to sensitize to IFNα signaling (increased Phospho-STAT1 and IFN-stimulating genes (ISGs)) compared to controls or CALRdel52 mutated cells. Conclusion: Altogether, our results show that IFNα targets more efficiently the human JAK2V617F-HSPCthan the mature cells. Moreover, IFNα has a greater efficacy on JAK2V617F HSPC thanCALR-mutated HSPC. This former result was associated with a greater priming of the IFNα signaling by JAK2V617F than by CALRdel52. The molecular response was dependent not only on mutational status, but also on the presence of other associated mutations for the CALR-mutated HSPC. Patient data are currently incorporated into a mathematical model taking into account clonal architecture and associated mutations to develop an algorythm able to predict patient response. Figure. Figure. Disclosures Kiladjian: Celgene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Novartis: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; AOP Orphan: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding.

Download Full-text

Novel Inhibitors Of CRM1/XPO1 Nuclear Exporter Exhibit Striking Activity Against AML “primagrafts,” Including AML Leukemia Initiating Cells, While Sparing Normal Hematopoietic Cells

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v122.21.3932.3932 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 122 (21) ◽

pp. 3932-3932

Author(s):

Julia Etchin ◽

Bonnie Thi Le ◽

Alex Kentsis ◽

Richard M. Stone ◽

Dilara McCauley ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Board Of Directors ◽

Cell Lines ◽

Nuclear Export ◽

Hematopoietic Cells ◽

Complex Karyotype ◽

Employment Equity ◽

Advisory Committees ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Nsg Mice ◽

Equity Ownership

Abstract Current treatments for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) often fail to induce long-term remissions and are also toxic to normal tissues, prompting the need to develop new targeted therapies. One attractive cellular pathway with therapeutic potential is nuclear export, which is mediated in part by nuclear exporter CRM1/XPO1. XPO1 mediates the transport of ∼220 proteins and several mRNAs and is the sole nuclear exporter of the major tumor suppressor and growth regulatory proteins p53, p73, FOXO, IkB/NF-kB, Rb, p21, and NPM. Our findings demonstrate that novel irreversible inhibitors of XPO1, termed Selective Inhibitors of Nuclear Export, or SINE, induce rapid apoptosis in 12 AML and 14 T-ALL cell lines with IC50s of 15-474 nM. In the SINE-sensitive cell lines, BCL2 overexpression suppresses SINE-induced apoptosis, indicating its intrinsic pathway mediation. Oral administration of clinical XPO1 inhibitor, Selinexor (KPT-330), at 15 or 25 mg/kg, induced remarkable growth suppression in MV4-11 human AML cells and MOLT-4 human T-ALL cells engrafted in immunodeficient NSG mice with negligible toxicity to normal mouse hematopoietic cells after 35 days of treatment. Bone marrow biopsies of selinexor - treated mice were remarkable in that they showed normal hematopoietic cell morphology and cellularity after 35 days of treatment. Significant survival benefit was observed in mice treated with selinexor, compared to vehicle-treated mice. Selinexor is now in Phase 1 clinical trial in patients with AML and other hematological malignancies (NCT01607892). Recently, we have established primagraft models of AML, using primary leukemia blasts isolated from AML patients at diagnosis transplanted into immunocompromised NSG mice. We demonstrated that selinexor exhibits striking anti-leukemic activity against different subtypes of primary AML, including AML-M4; FLT3-ITD and complex karyotype subtypes of the disease. To determine whether selinexor targets leukemia-initiating cells (LICs) of primary AML, we re-transplanted serial dilutions of human CD45+ cells isolated from leukemic mice treated with either vehicle or selinexor. The preliminary results of our re-population assays indicate that selinexor greatly diminished LIC frequency in AML-M4; FLT3-ITD AML (∼6 fold) and complex karyotype disease (∼100 fold). These findings demonstrate that selinexor may represent a novel targeted therapy for the treatment of AML, which spares normal hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Disclosures: McCauley: Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership, Patents & Royalties. Kauffman:Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees, Patents & Royalties. Shacham:Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc.: Employment, Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees, Patents & Royalties.

Download Full-text

Calreticulin mutations Are Present in Polyclonal As Well As Clonal ET

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v124.21.4590.4590 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 124 (21) ◽

pp. 4590-4590

Author(s):

Xylina Gregg ◽

Sabina Swierczek ◽

Soo Jin Kim ◽

Josef T. Prchal

Keyword(s):

T Cells ◽

X Chromosome ◽

Conflicts Of Interest ◽

Myeloproliferative Neoplasms ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Clonal Hematopoiesis ◽

Calr Mutations ◽

Calr Mutation

Abstract First and second authors contributed equally During female embryogenesis, most of the genes in either the maternal or paternal X-chromosome are randomly inactivated in each cell, a process that remains remarkably constant in their progeny. X-chromosome inactivation has been used to define clonality in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) such polycythemia vera (PV), primary myelofibrosis (PMF) and essential thrombocythemia (ET). One such method to determine clonality uses a quantitative, transcriptional clonality assay based on conservative exonic polymorphisms in five X-chromosome genes (MPP1, FHL1, IDS, BTK, and G6PD). Females who are heterozygous for any of these polymorphisms are considered “informative” and can be studied for clonality by interrogating their platelets’ and granulocytes’ RNA allelic usage ratio. JAK2 mutations occur in >95% of PV and 50-60% of ET and PMF; cMPL mutations are found in another 5-10% of ET and MF. Somatic calreticulin (CALR) mutations have been identified in a majority of patients with ET and MF who lack JAK2 and cMPL mutations. CALR mutations are reported to be associated with a more favorable prognosis and are believed to be acquired early in the disease course. More than 30 CALR mutations have been described, but type 1 (52-bp deletion; c.1092_1143del) and type 2 (5-bp insertion; c.1154_1155insTTGTC) mutations are the most frequent. We analyzed 61 females informative for a transcriptional clonality assay and 44 males with unexplained thrombocytosis or marrow fibrosis and no detectable JAK2 or cMPL mutations for CALR mutations in their granulocytes. With the exception of an absence of a clonal marker, these patients met WHO criteria for ET or PMF. A CALR mutation (20 type 1 and 17 type 2) was present in 37 of these 105 patients (22 females and 15 males). One of the CALR mutated females had a paternal grandmother with JAK2V617F –positive PV, confirming a previous report that, in familial clustering of MPNs, affected individuals may carry different disease-defining somatic mutations. In those CALR positive patients who had available T cells, no detectable CALR mutations were found in their T cells. In one of these subjects, CD34+ cells were available and had a similar mutation level as in the granulocytes. Of the 22 females with a CALR mutation, 19 had clonal hematopoiesis, but 3 had polyclonal hematopoiesis; all 3 had previously unexplained thrombocytosis. None of these patients had any prior treatment for thrombocytosis. Clonal hematopoiesis was present in 26 of the 39 females without a CALR mutation. All female patients with myelofibrosis had clonal hematopoiesis, regardless of CALR mutation status. In contrast to the polyclonal hematopoiesis seen in some CALR positive ET patients, 166 informative PV and JAK2V617F-positive ET or PMF females all had clonal hematopoiesis. We report that CALR mutations are associated with polyclonal hematopoiesis in some ET patients. This finding differs from JAK2V617F-positive ET and PMF and PV females, where clonal hematopoiesis was always seen. This indicates that CALR mutated clones have a weaker suppressive effect on residual normal hematopoietic stem cells than JAK2 mutated clones and may contribute to the possibly more benign course of CALR mutated ET. The CALR mutation was not detected in T cells, which also differs from JAK2V617F mutated MPNs, where a small level of the JAK2 mutation is often detected in T cells. Similar to other reports, we found a lower prevalence of the CALR mutation in JAK2 or cMPL non-mutated ET and PMF than initially described. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Download Full-text

A Calreticulin Neoepitope-Directed Monoclonal Antibody Can Overcome JAK Inhibitor Resistance and Block TPO-Independent Megakaryocyte Differentation

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood-2021-154332 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 138 (Supplement 1) ◽

pp. 3597-3597

Author(s):

Denis Tvorogov ◽

Chloe AL Thompson-Peach ◽

Johannes Foßelteder ◽

Mara Dottore ◽

Frank Stomski ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bone Marrow ◽

Board Of Directors ◽

Research Funding ◽

Liquid Culture ◽

Jak Inhibitor ◽

Advisory Committees ◽

Nsg Mice ◽

Cd34 Cells ◽

Calr Mutations ◽

Bone Marrow Engraftment

Abstract Introduction: Mutations within the gene encoding calreticulin (CALR) are the second most common genetic aberration associated with primary myelofibrosis (PMF), observed in 70% of non-JAK2 V617F cases. Importantly, patients with CALR mutations do not effectively respond to JAK inhibitor therapy and no mutation specific therapy is currently in use. Virtually all CALR mutations identified in PMF are small insertions or deletions clustered within exon 9 leading to a neo-epitope peptide sequence which is thought to directly or indirectly activate the thrombopoietin receptor (TpoR) by a poorly defined mechanism. Here we engineered a neo-epitope specific monoclonal antobody that has striking biological activity against ruxolitinib persistent cells. Methods TF-1 TpoR cells expressing TpoR were supplemented with 20 ng/mL of TPO. Rats were immunised with a CALR mutant peptide coupled to KLH. Serum from the immunised rats was screened by enzyme linked immunoassay, to verify a strong titre to the peptide immunogen. Primary PMF CD34+ cells were cultured in StemCell Pro with human SCF, IL-6 and IL-9. NSG mice were used to for engraftment studies after 150 cGy irradiation. Results: We engineered a panel of rat monoclonal antibodies after immunization with a 30 amino acid peptide corresponding to the C-terminal mutant CALR neoepitope sequence with an extra cysteine residue. Clone 4D7 showed superior activity of detecting mutant but not wild type CALR protein with a binding affinity of 13.5 pM and dissociation constant of 1.53 nM as measured by I 125-Scatchard. Treatment with 4D7 resulted in a significant (5-7-fold) increase in the amount of full-length mutant CALR protein in conditioned media. 4D7 inhibited Tpo-independent cell growth over 6 days in TF-1 cells expressing MPL and mutant CALR at 2, 10 and 20 µg. 4D7 blocked constitutive factor-independent phospho-STAT5 and phospho-ERK after incubation exclusively in mutant CALR cells but not in TF-1 cells expressing TpoR alone and increased the sub-G 0 fraction was observed compared to IgG control (P = 0.001, n = 3 independent experiments) consistent with induction of an apoptotic response. We tested activity in purified primary CD34+ cells obtained from patients with CALR mutant myelofibrosis using two orthogonal assays: - (i) Tpo-independent megakaryocyte differentiation in liquid culture and (ii) Tpo-independent megakaryocyte colony formation on a collagen-based medium. 4 out of 4 patient samples that displayed robust Tpo-independent growth of CD41+CD61+ megakaryocyte progenitors showed inhibition by 4D7 of at least 50%. Similarly, we saw dramatic reduction in the absolute numbers of primary Tpo-independent megakaryocyte colonies cultured on collagen (colony-forming unit-mega) treated with 4D7 in multiple patient samples (decrease of 46%, P = 0.0001, Student's t-test, n = 4 independent patient samples) Importantly, secretion of mutant CALR protein was neither upregulated nor downregulated by ruxolitinib, indicating ruxolitinib is unlikely to alter mutant CALR trafficking in patients. 4D7 had strong inhibitory activity on cells that were resistant to ruxolitinib, in both liquid culture at 96 hours or colony formation. To test whether 4D7 could block mutant CALR-dependent proliferation in vivo, we developed two distinct xenograft models, a bone marrow engraftment model, which measures mutant CALR dependent proliferation in the bone marrow microenvironment, and a chloroma model, which mimics extravascular infiltration of mutant CALR leukaemia, by injection of TPO-independent TF-1 cells in NSG mice. In the bone marrow engraftment model 4D7 treatment (12 mg/kg twice weekly via intraperitoneal injection) lowered peripheral blood engraftment of human CD33 myeloid cells at 3 weeks, bone marrow engraftment and significantly prolonged survival compared to IgG control (P=0.004, HR=0.2). In the chloroma model, 4D7 treatment resulted in significant decrease in tumour growth measured at 3 weeks (P<0.01) and improved overall survival (P=0.02, HR=0.07) compared to IgG control Conclusion: Together, these results suggest an immunotherapeutic approach may have clinical utility CALR-driven myeloproliferative neoplasms and CALR mutant acute myeloid leukaemia, as well as activity in CALR mutant patients that develop resistance/persistence to ruxolitinib. Disclosures Ross: Bristol Myers Squib: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Keros Therapeutics: Consultancy, Honoraria. Reinisch: Celgene: Research Funding; Pfizer: Consultancy.

Download Full-text

Cedar Trial in Progress: A First in Human, Phase 1/2 Study of the Correction of a Single Nucleotide Mutation in Autologous HSCs (GPH101) to Convert HbS to HbA for Treating Severe SCD

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood-2021-152892 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 138 (Supplement 1) ◽

pp. 1864-1864

Author(s):

Julie Kanter ◽

John F. DiPersio ◽

Patrick Leavey ◽

David C. Shyr ◽

Alexis A Thompson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Board Of Directors ◽

Research Funding ◽

Phase 1 ◽

Gene Correction ◽

Publicly Traded ◽

Advisory Committees ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

The Past ◽

Adult Hemoglobin

Abstract Background Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a recessive monogenic disease caused by a single point mutation in which glutamic acid replaces valine in Codon 6 of the human beta-globin gene (HBB) leading to the production of abnormal globin chains (HbS) that polymerize and cause erythrocytes to sickle. This results in hemolytic anemia, vaso-occlusion and organ damage, which leads to lifelong complications and early mortality. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo-HSCT) is the only known cure for SCD, however, its use is limited by the lack of well-matched donors, need for immunosuppression, risk of graft versus host disease and graft rejection. GPH101 is an investigational, autologous, hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) drug product (DP) designed to correct the SCD mutation in the HBB gene ex vivo using a high fidelity Cas9 (CRISPR associated protein 9) paired with an AAV6 (adeno-associated virus type 6) delivery template, efficiently harnessing the natural homology directed repair (HDR) cellular pathway. This approach has the potential to restore normal adult hemoglobin (HbA) production while simultaneously reducing HbS levels. In preclinical studies, HBB gene correction in SCD donor HSCs resulted in ≥60% of gene-corrected alleles in vitro with minimal off-target effects. Gene corrected cells were successfully differentiated toward the erythroid lineage and produced ≥70% HbA in vitro. Long-term engraftment of gene-corrected HSCs was demonstrated in vivo, following transplant into immunodeficient mice, with multi-lineage allelic gene correction frequencies well above the predicted curative threshold of 20%, with potential of this approach to be equivalent or superior to allo-HSCT. In addition, HSC-based correction in an SCD mouse model led to stable adult hemoglobin production, increased erythrocyte lifespan and reduction in sickling morphology, demonstrating the therapeutic potential of this gene correction platform as a curative approach in SCD. Study Design and Methods CEDAR (NCT04819841) is a first-in-human, open-label, single-dose, multi-site Phase 1/2 clinical trial in participants with severe SCD designed to evaluate safety, efficacy and pharmacodynamics (PD) of GPH101. Approximately 15 adult (18-40 years) and adolescent (12-17 years) participants will be enrolled across 5 sites, with adolescent enrollment proceeding after a favorable assessment of adult safety data by a Safety Monitoring Committee. Participants must have a diagnosis of severe SCD (βS/βS), defined as ≥ 4 severe vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs) in the 2 years prior and/or ≥ 2 episodes of acute chest syndrome (ACS), in 2 years prior with at least 1 episode in the past year. Participants on chronic transfusion therapy may be eligible if required VOC and ACS criteria are met in the 2 years prior to the initiation of transfusions. Key exclusion criteria include availability of a 10/10 human leukocyte antigen-matched sibling donor, or prior receipt of HSCT or gene therapy. After eligibility confirmation including screening for pre-treatment cytogenetic abnormalities, participants will undergo plerixafor mobilization and apheresis, followed by CD34+ cell enrichment and cryopreservation, undertaken locally at each trial site before shipment to a centralized manufacturer for GPH101 production. After GPH101 release, participants will undergo eligibility reconfirmation prior to busulfan conditioning and DP infusion. Safety, efficacy and PD measurements will occur for 2 years post-infusion; a long-term follow up study will be offered to participants for an additional 13 years of monitoring. The primary endpoint for this study is safety, measured by the kinetics of HSC engraftment, transplant related mortality, overall survival and frequency and severity of adverse events. Secondary endpoints will explore efficacy and PD, including levels of globin expression as compared to baseline, gene correction rates, clinical manifestations of SCD (including VOC and ACS), laboratory parameters, complications and organ function. In addition, cerebral hemodynamics and oxygen delivery will be assessed by magnetic resonance techniques. Key exploratory endpoints include evaluation of patient-reported outcomes, erythrocyte function, on-target and off-target editing rates, and change from baseline in select SCD characteristics. Disclosures Kanter: Fulcrum Therapeutics, Inc.: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Forma: Consultancy, Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Agios: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Beam: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Sanofi: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Graphite Bio: Consultancy; GuidePoint Global: Honoraria; Fulcrum Tx: Consultancy. Thompson: Agios Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Graphite Bio: Research Funding; Vertex: Research Funding; Beam Therapeutics: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Biomarin: Research Funding; Baxalta: Research Funding; CRISPR Therapeutics: Research Funding; Global Blood Therapeutics: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; bluebird bio: Consultancy, Research Funding; Novartis: Research Funding. Porteus: Versant Ventures: Consultancy; CRISPR Therapeutics: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Allogene Therapeutics: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Ziopharm: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Graphite Bio: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Intondi: Graphite Bio: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company; Global Blood Therapeutics: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Ended employment in the past 24 months. Lahiri: Graphite Bio: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Dever: Graphite Bio: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Petrusich: bluebird bio: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Ended employment in the past 24 months; Graphite Bio: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Lehrer-Graiwer: Global Blood Therapeutics: Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Ended employment in the past 24 months; Graphite Bio: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company.

Download Full-text

Mgta-145, in Combination with Plerixafor in a Phase 1 Clinical Trial, Mobilizes Large Numbers of Human Hematopoietic Stem Cells and a Graft with Immunosuppressive Effects for Allogeneic Transplant

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood-2020-142804 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 136 (Supplement 1) ◽

pp. 31-32

Author(s):

Kevin A. Goncalves ◽

Sharon L. Hyzy ◽

Katelyn J. Hammond ◽

Patrick C. Falahee ◽

Haley Howell ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Single Dose ◽

Board Of Directors ◽

Phase 1 ◽

Allogeneic Transplant ◽

Publicly Traded ◽

Advisory Committees ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Nsg Mice ◽

Healthy Donors ◽

Cd34 Cells

Background . The majority of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplants are performed using peripheral blood mobilized with granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) given over 5 days. The goal of a successful transplant is to reliably mobilize optimal numbers of HSCs necessary for rapid and consistent multilineage engraftment. Infusion of mobilized allogeneic grafts results in significant acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) in up to 80% of allogeneic transplant recipients. A reliable and rapid method to mobilize HSC-rich grafts with reduced GvHD potential would be clinically meaningful. In a Phase 1 study of normal volunteers, MGTA-145 (GroβT), a CXCR2 agonist, when combined with plerixafor, a CXCR4 inhibitor, robustly and rapidly mobilized sufficient HSCs for a safe transplant after only a single day of dosing and apheresis/collection. Here, we phenotypically and functionally profile these mobilized grafts obtained from human volunteers and show that MGTA-145 + plerixafor mobilizes grafts with >10-fold higher engraftment potential (as measured by SCID-repopulating units in NSG mice), a marked reduction in xenogeneic GvHD, and enhanced overall survival compared to G-CSF or plerixafor alone grafts. Results . In healthy donors, a peak of 40 CD34+ cells/μL were mobilized with MGTA-145 + plerixafor (n=12 donors). 11 of 12 (92%) of these donors mobilized >20 CD34+ cells/μL with single day dosing compared to only 8 of 14 (57%) achieving the same CD34+ cell target treated with plerixafor alone. Eight donors were mobilized with a single dose of MGTA-145 + plerixafor and apheresed on the same day. A median of 4x106 (1.5-7.0x106) CD34+ cells/kg were obtained (n=8 donors) from a median 20 (13-20) L collection. 35.8 (18.5-40.9)% of these cells were CD90+CD45RA-, a CD34+ subset enriched for HSCs, compared to only 6.9 (5.3-9.0)% with G-CSF (p<0.001, n=3 donors). Mechanistically, MGTA-145 bound to CXCR2 on neutrophils and led to a modest and transient increase in plasma concentrations of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP- 9), a downstream target on neutrophils. To assess engraftment, we transplanted mobilized peripheral blood cells from healthy donors after a 5-day regimen of G-CSF or a single dose of plerixafor alone or MGTA-145 + plerixafor at limit dilution into sublethally irradiated primary and secondary NSG mouse recipients (n=3 cell doses, n=7-8 mice/group). Multilineage human engraftment was measured by flow cytometry 16 weeks post-transplant and SCID-repopulating cell (SRC) number was calculated (Figure 1A). MGTA-145 + plerixafor mobilized grafts (n=4 donors) led to a 23-fold increase in engraftment compared to G-CSF mobilized grafts (p<0.001, n=3 donors) and 11-fold higher engraftment compared to plerixafor mobilized grafts (p<0.001, n=3 donors). Immune cell subsets (B, T, and NK cells and cell subsets) mobilized by MGTA-145 + plerixafor were similar to those mobilized by plerixafor alone. While CD3+ T-cell numbers were comparable between MGTA-145 + plerixafor and plerixafor alone, MGTA-145 + plerixafor mobilized 0.2 (0.0-0.6) x108/kg CD8+ T-cells, constituting 1.8 (0.5-4.8)% of the graft, a number and proportion significantly lower than that mobilized by either G-CSF or plerixafor alone. To determine the effect of the mobilization regimen on xenogeneic GvHD, we developed a xenograft GvHD model in NSG mice where 6x106 PBMCs from various graft sources were infused into sublethally-irradiated animals (n=3-6 donors per graft source). Notably, MGTA-145 + plerixafor mobilized grafts resulted in significantly less GvHD than G-CSF (p<0.01) or plerixafor (p<0.001) grafts (Figure 1B). In vivo cellular subset depletion studies suggested that the GvHD protective effect in MGTA-145 + plerixafor grafts may be in part due to immunosuppressive monocytes which were not present, or present to a lesser degree, in grafts from donors mobilized with G-CSF or plerixafor. Conclusions . These data demonstrate that MGTA-145 + plerixafor is a rapid, reliable, and G-CSF free method to obtain high numbers of HSCs with durable engraftment potential and a graft with highly immunosuppressive properties. These data suggest that MGTA-145 + plerixafor is an effective single-day mobilization/collection regimen for both autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplantation resulting in enhanced engraftment and reduced GvHD in this xenograft model. Disclosures Goncalves: Magenta Therapeutics: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Patents & Royalties. Hyzy:Magenta Therapeutics: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Hammond:Magenta Therapeutics: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Falahee:Magenta Therapeutics: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Howell:Magenta Therapeutics: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Pinkas:Magenta Therapeutics: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Schmelmer:Magenta Therapeutics: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Hoggatt:Magenta Therapeutics: Consultancy, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Scadden:Magenta Therapeutics: Consultancy, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Devine:Magenta Therapeutics: Consultancy. DiPersio:Magenta Therapeutics: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Savage:Magenta Therapeutics: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Davis:Magenta Therapeutics: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company.

Download Full-text

Resistance to Danusertib (formerly PHA-739358) in BCR-ABL-Positive Cells Is Mediated by Upregulation of the Drug Transporter Abcg2 and Can Be Suppressed in Vitro by Combination Treatment with Imatinib.

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v114.22.1724.1724 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 114 (22) ◽

pp. 1724-1724

Author(s):

Tim H Brummendorf ◽

Artur Gontarewicz ◽

Gunhild Keller ◽

Jürgen Moll ◽

Melanie Braig ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stem Cells ◽

Combination Therapy ◽

Board Of Directors ◽

Research Funding ◽

Aurora Kinase ◽

Epigenetic Mechanism ◽

Advisory Committees ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Resistant Cells

Abstract Abstract 1724 Poster Board I-750 The success of imatinib (IM, formerly STI571, Gleevec®) in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is compromised by the development of primary or acquired IM-resistance, particularly in advanced phase disease as well as by a limited IM-effect on immature hematopoietic stem cells, emphasizing the need for novel therapeutic strategies. The small molecule inhibitor Danusertib (formerly PHA-739358) potently inhibits Aurora and ABL kinases. Here, the individual contribution of each pathway to the effect of Danusertib was investigated. Starting at very low concentration, a dose-dependent reduction of BCR-ABL activity was observed, whereas inhibition of Aurora kinase activity, assessed by phosphorylation of histone H3-Ser10, required substantially higher concentrations. In primary CD34+ CML cells, including initially quiescent leukemic stem cells, combination therapy with IM and Danusertib revealed a synergistic anti-proliferative activity, which also affected immature CD34+38- cells. Neither mono- nor combination therapy led to substantial induction of apoptosis in quiescent stem cells. Interestingly, under treatment with Danusertib, the emergence of resistant clones in a well-established murine Ba/F3-p210 cell model was considerably less frequent than with IM. Surprisingly, Danusertib-resistant cells did not have mutations in BCR-ABL or Aurora kinase domains and remained IM-sensitive. Analysis of resistance mechanisms using DNA-microarray suggests an overexpression of Abcg2 efflux transporter to be causative for the resistance arising under Danusertib treatment. In support of this finding, stable retroviral overexpression of Abcg2 in parental Ba/F3-p210 cells induced a resistant phenotype against Danusertib. Furthermore, the Abcg2 inhibitor Fumitremorgin C (FTC) could restore the sensitivity of resistant cells to Danusertib. Finally, significant re-expression of Abcg2 in parental Ba/F3-p210 cells upon treatment with the demethylating agent 5-Azacytidine suggests that an epigenetic mechanism might play a role in the regulation of Abcg2 gene expression in resistant clones. Detailed analyses of the methylation patterns of the Abcg2 promoter region are currently being performed. In conclusion, simultaneous in vitro exposure of Ba/F3-p210 cells to Danusertib and IM significantly reduced the emergence of drug resistance, raising hope that both epigenetic modulation of drug transporters involved in development of resistance as well as hypothesis-driven combinations of kinase inhibitors may eventually achieve durable disease control even in 2nd and 3rd line treatment of CML. Disclosures Brummendorf: Bristol Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Novartis: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Patents & Royalties, Research Funding. Moll:Nerviano MS: Employment. Jost:MSD: Research Funding. Bokemeyer:Novartis: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Bristol Myers Squibb: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Holyoake:Novartis: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Bristol Myers Squib: Honoraria, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding. Balabanov:Novartis : Research Funding; Bristol Myers Squibb: Research Funding.

Download Full-text

The Role of Chromatin Factors in Hematopoietic Development

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v122.21.sci-48.sci-48 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 122 (21) ◽

pp. SCI-48-SCI-48

Author(s):

Leonard I. Zon

Keyword(s):

Progenitor Cells ◽

Board Of Directors ◽

Large Scale ◽

Erythroid Progenitors ◽

Advisory Committees ◽

Hematopoietic Stem ◽

Conditional Allele ◽

Stem And Progenitor Cells ◽

Equity Ownership

Abstract The initiation of blood-specific programs is orchestrated by key transcription factors. To generate a complete compendium of chromatin factors that establish the epigenetic code during developmental hematopoiesis, a large-scale reverse genetic screen was conducted targeting orthologs of 425 human chromatin factors in zebrafish. A set of chromatin regulators was identified that function at distinct steps of primitive and definitive blood formation, including factors not previously implicated in blood development. We identified 15 factors that regulate development of primitive erythroid progenitors and 29 factors that regulate development of definitive stem and progenitor cells. These chromatin factors are associated with SWI/SNF and ISWI chromatin remodeling, SET1/MLL methyltransferase, CBP/P300/HBO1/NuA4 acetyltransferase, Sin3A/NuRD deacetylase, and Polycomb repressive complexes. Knockdown of a class of chromatin factors led to an expansion of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). In collaboration with Nancy Speck’s laboratory, we have investigated the activity of one of these chromatin factors, CHD7, that led to an expansion of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in the aorta. Using a T-cell line, a CBFβ protein pulldown, and a mass spectrometric sequencing approach led to the finding that CBFβ immunoprecipitated RUNX1 and CHD7. By studying a conditional allele of murine Chd7, inactivation does not have an effect on peripheral blood counts, but Chd7-deleted HSCs purified based on phenotypic markers contain an increased number of functional HSCs. Our studies suggest that CHD7 suppresses hematopoiesis, and provides a novel control mechanism for the regulation of HSCs. Our work provides a comprehensive view of how specific chromatin factors and their associated complexes play a major role in the establishment of hematopoietic cells in vivo. Disclosures: Zon: Scholar Rock: Consultancy, Equity Ownership, Founder, Founder Other, Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees, Patents & Royalties; Stemgent, Inc: Consultancy, Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees, Stocks, Stocks Other; FATE Therapeutics, Inc: Consultancy, Equity Ownership, Founder Other, Membership on an entity’s Board of Directors or advisory committees, Patents & Royalties.

Download Full-text