scholarly journals Prophylactic Administration of Antibodies Specific for the HPA-1a Epitope Prevents Alloimmunization and Platelet Destruction in a Murine Model of Fetal Neonatal Alloimmune Thrombocytopenia

Blood ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 138 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 3153-3153
Author(s):  
Huiying Zhi ◽  
Douglas Sheridan ◽  
Peter J. Newman

Abstract Fetal/neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) is a life-threatening bleeding disorder caused by maternal alloantibodies directed against paternally inherited antigens present on the surface of fetal and neonatal platelets. The human platelet alloantigen HPA-1a (formerly known as the Pl A1 alloantigen), is the most frequently implicated HPA for causing FNAIT in Caucasians. A single Leu33Pro amino acid polymorphism near the amino terminus of the integrin b3 subunit (known as GPIIIa in the platelet literature) serves as the central target for alloantibody binding, leading to clearance of both fetal and neonatal platelets, thrombocytopenia, and in the most severe cases, spontaneous- or trauma-induced intracranial hemorrhage. Unlike hemolytic disease of the newborn, which occurs in pregnancies subsequent to parturition-induced alloimmunization, an estimated 25% to 50% of FNAIT cases occur without warning during gestation of the first pregnancy. Though long proposed, there are currently no approved therapies for the prevention of FNAIT. We recently described the development of transgenic mice expressing the human HPA-1a allogeneic epitope on a murine GPIIIa backbone. Transfusion of such platelets into wild-type female mice induced the generation of high-titer anti-HPA-1a alloantibodies that can cross the placenta and recapitulate many of the relevant clinical features of FNAIT. To test the hypothesis that rapid elimination of fetal HPA-1a positive platelets from the circulation of a mother who is HPA-1a negative might prevent maternal alloimmunization and the development of FNAIT, we administered either a hyperimmune plasma-derived polyclonal anti-HPA-1a antibody derived from females having previous cases of FNAIT (termed RLYB211), or a novel human monoclonal antibody directed against the HPA-1a epitope (termed RLYB212), to wild-type female mice prior to challenging them with HPA-1a-positive murine platelets. RLYB211 and RLYB212 were each able to effect the rapid removal of HPA-1a-positive platelets from murine circulation and prevent the development of anti-HPA-1a alloantibodies. Importantly, wild-type female mice pretreated with RLYB211 prior to exposure to HPA-1a-positive platelets, and then impregnated by HPA-1a-positive males, gave birth to HPA-1a-positive pups with significantly improved platelet counts and no bleeding symptoms. These preclinical data establish the potential for prophylactic polyclonal and monoclonal anti-HPA-1a antibody therapy for the prevention of FNAIT in humans. Disclosures Sheridan: Rallybio: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company. Newman: Rallybio: Consultancy, Research Funding.

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (18) ◽  
pp. 3552-3562
Author(s):  
Huiying Zhi ◽  
Maria T. Ahlen ◽  
Björn Skogen ◽  
Debra K. Newman ◽  
Peter J. Newman

Abstract Fetal/neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) is a life-threatening bleeding disorder caused by maternal antibodies directed against paternally inherited antigens present on the surface of fetal platelets. The human platelet alloantigen HPA-1a (formerly known as the PlA1 alloantigen), is the most frequently implicated HPA for causing FNAIT in Whites. A single Leu33Pro amino acid polymorphism residing within the ∼50-amino-acid plexin-semaphorin-integrin domain near the N-terminus of the integrin β3 subunit (platelet membrane glycoprotein IIIa [GPIIIa]) is responsible for generating the HPA-1a and HPA-1b epitopes in human GPIIIa and serves as the central target for alloantibody-mediated platelet destruction. To simulate the etiology of human FNAIT, wild-type female mice were pre-immunized with platelets derived from transgenic mice engineered to express the human HPA-1a epitope on a murine GPIIIa backbone. These mice developed a strong alloimmune response specific for HPA-1a, and when bred with HPA-1a+ males, gave birth to severely thrombocytopenic pups that exhibited an accompanying bleeding phenotype. Administering either polyclonal intravenous immunoglobulin G or a human monoclonal blocking antibody specific for the HPA-1a epitope into pregnant female mice resulted in significant elevation of the neonatal platelet count, normalized hemostasis, and prevented bleeding. The establishment of an alloantigen-specific murine model that recapitulates many of the clinically important features of FNAIT should pave the way for the preclinical development and testing of novel therapeutic and prophylactic modalities to treat or prevent FNAIT in humans.


Blood ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 97-97
Author(s):  
Huiying Zhi ◽  
Maria Therese Ahlen ◽  
Trude Rasmussen ◽  
Bjørn Skogen ◽  
Peter J. Newman

Fetal/neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) is a life-threatening bleeding disorder caused by maternal antibodies directed against paternally-inherited antigens present on the surface of fetal platelets. The human platelet alloantigen, HPA-1a (also known as the PlA1 alloantigen), is the most frequently implicated HPA for causing FNAIT in Caucasians. A single Leu33Pro amino acid polymorphism residing within the ~50 amino acid plexin/semaphorin/integrin (PSI) domain near the N-terminus of the integrin β3 subunit (platelet membrane glycoprotein (GP)IIIa), is responsible for generating the HPA-1a and HPA-1b epitopes in human GPIIIa. Neither human polyclonal nor mouse monoclonal anti-HPA-1a antibodies, however, recognize murine GPIIIa due to amino acid differences both within and surrounding the HPA-1a alloepitope. As a result, there are currently no authentic mouse models of FNAIT capable of recapitulating the human alloimmune response to this clinically important platelet alloantigen. We have recently shown that humanizing residues 30, 32, 33, and 39 within the PSI domain, as well as amino acid 470 within the linearly distant but conformationally close Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) 1 domain, of murine GPIIIa, is sufficient to re-create the epitope recognized by most maternal anti-HPA-1a alloantibodies. We therefore used CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology to generate transgenic mice whose platelets express human residues A30P32L33D39Q470 on a murine GPIIIa backbone - hereafter referred to as APLDQ mice. Intraperitoneal injection of an anti-HPA-1a mAb induced severe thrombocytopenia in these APLDQ, but not wild-type, mice. Furthermore, platelets from APLDQ mice, when introduced into wild-type mice, elicited a strong polyclonal immune response that was specific for, and importantly restricted to, the epitopes created by these humanized residues, demonstrating that the APLDQ humanized form of murine GPIIIa is immunogenic in mice. Wild-type female mice pre-immunized with APLDQ platelets, when bred with APLDQ male mice, gave birth to severely thrombocytopenic pups, many of whom exhibited an accompanying bleeding phenotype. Notably, administration of intravenous immunoglobulin G (IVIG) into pregnant female mice at days 10 and 17 lowered the concentration of anti-APLDQ alloantibodies in both the maternal and fetal circulation, and importantly normalized the platelet count in the pups. Taken together, these data establish a novel murine model of FNAIT that recapitulates many of the clinically important features of FNAIT. Availability of APLDQ humanized transgenic mice should pave the way for the pre-clinical development and testing of novel therapeutic and prophylactic modalities to treat or prevent FNAIT in humans. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Blood ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 107 (7) ◽  
pp. 2976-2983 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heyu Ni ◽  
Pingguo Chen ◽  
Christopher M. Spring ◽  
Ebrahim Sayeh ◽  
John W. Semple ◽  
...  

AbstractFetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombo cytopenia (FNAITP) is a life-threatening bleeding disorder caused by maternal antibodies directed against fetal platelet antigens. The immunoreactive epitopes in FNAITP are primarily located in the extracellular regions of the platelet glycoprotein IIIa (β3 integrin). Here we have established a novel animal model of FNAITP using β3 integrin–deficient (β3-/-) mice. We demonstrated first that these mice are immunoresponsive to β3 integrin; β3-/- mice transfused with wild-type platelets generated specific anti–β3 antibodies which were able to induce thrombocytopenia in wild-type mice. Subsequently, β3-/- female mice (both naive and immunized) were bred with wild-type male mice to recapitulate the features of FNAITP. The titer of generated maternal antibodies correlated with the severity of FNAITP. High titer maternal anti–β3 anti-bodies caused severe fetal thrombocytopenia, intracranial hemorrhage, and even miscarriage. Furthermore, maternal administration of intravenous immunoglobulin G (IgG) ameliorated FNAITP and down-regulated pathogenic antibodies in both the maternal and fetal circulations.


Blood ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 130 (Suppl_1) ◽  
pp. 764-764
Author(s):  
Huiying Zhi ◽  
Maria Therese Ahlen ◽  
Bjørn Skogen ◽  
Peter Newman

Abstract Fetal neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) is a life-threatening alloimmune disorder caused by maternal antibodies directed against fetal platelet alloantigens. The human platelet alloantigens, (HPA)-1a/HPA-1b (also known as the PlA1 alloantigen system), residing on the integrin β3 subunit (= platelet membrane glycoprotein IIIa), is the most frequently implicated HPA for causing FNAIT in Caucasians, and a single Leu33Pro amino acid polymorphism is responsible for generating the HPA-1a and HPA-1b epitopes. Neither human nor mouse anti-HPA-1a antibodies recognize murine GPIIIa due to amino acid differences both within and surrounding the polymorphic amino acid, which lies within a long flexible loop in PSI domain of the molecule. As a result, there are currently no authentic mouse models of FNAIT capable of recapitulating the human alloimmune response to this clinically-important platelet antigen. We employed CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology to generate mice expressing the human HPA-1a allogeneic epitope. Four critical amino acid substitutions (A30P32L33D39) were introduced into the PSI domain of murine GPIIIa. The resulting humanized form of murine GPIIIa, termed APLD, reacted in a variety of immunoassays with both murine monoclonal (mAb) and human maternal polyclonal antibodies specific for the human HPA-1a epitope. Intraperitoneal injection of an anti-HPA-1a mAb induced thrombocytopenia in APLD, but not wild-type, mice. Importantly, wild-type mice immunized with murine APLD transgenic platelets generated a high-titer HPA-1a-specific antibody response, demonstrating that the humanized form of murine GPIIIa is immunogenic in mice. Finally, pre-immunized female wild-type mice bred with APLD males gave birth to neonatal mice that exhibited profound thrombocytopenia, with the maternal titer directly related to the degree of thrombocytopenia in the neonates. Recapitulating the essential features of FNAIT in mice will facilitate the investigation of a wide-range of clinically-important issues in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of platelet alloimmune disorders. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Reproduction ◽  
2001 ◽  
pp. 537-544 ◽  
Author(s):  
AD Thomas ◽  
JD Murray ◽  
TR Famula ◽  
AM Oberbauer

Female mice carrying a regulatable growth hormone transgene (oMt1a-oGH) are subfertile when the transgene is actively expressed. This study was designed to characterize subfertility caused by increased concentrations of growth hormone. In particular, this study aimed to: (i) determine the effects of transgene activation and inactivation on mating, conception, maintenance of pregnancy, ovulation rate, litter characteristics and embryonic survival at day 17 of pregnancy, (ii) characterize oestrous cyclicity in transgenic versus wild-type female mice, and (iii) correlate corticosterone concentrations with transgene expression and reproductive performance. Transgenic and wild-type female mice were allocated randomly to one of four treatment groups at weaning: (i) transgenic female mice that always express the transgene, (ii) transgenic female mice that never express the transgene, (iii) transgenic female mice that express the transgene for up to 8 weeks of age and (iv) non-transgenic wild-type female mice receiving the transgene stimulus until 8 weeks of age. Activation followed by inactivation of the transgene resulted in an increased incidence of remating, resulting in an extended interval to establish pregnancy in comparison with all other treatment groups. Transgenic mice that always expressed the transgene and those that expressed the transgene for up to 8 weeks of age had lower pregnancy rates and higher ovulation rates compared with mice from other treatment groups. Both embryonic survival and the duration of the oestrous cycle did not differ among treatment groups. Active expression of the transgene resulted in an increase in the plasma concentration of corticosterone, which was associated with reduced fertility. These data indicate that the presence of a high growth hormone concentration impedes the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy. Increased plasma corticosterone concentrations may interfere with implantation as well as potentiate leptin resistance, which has been reported previously in studies with these mice.


Endocrinology ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 141 (10) ◽  
pp. 3792-3798 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheryl S. Rosenfeld ◽  
Paul S. Cooke ◽  
Thomas H. Welsh ◽  
Gretchen Simmer ◽  
Martha G. Hufford ◽  
...  

2005 ◽  
Vol 280 (16) ◽  
pp. 16417-16426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomonori Baba ◽  
Takahiko Shimizu ◽  
Yo-ichi Suzuki ◽  
Midori Ogawara ◽  
Kyo-ichi Isono ◽  
...  

To investigate the biological significance of a longevity mutation found indaf-2 ofCaenorhabditis elegans, we generated a homologous murine model by replacing Pro-1195 of insulin receptors with Leu using a targeted knock-in strategy. Homozygous mice died in the neonatal stage from diabetic ketoacidosis, whereas heterozygous mice showed the suppressed kinase activity of the insulin receptor but grew normally without spontaneously developing diabetes during adulthood. We examined heterozygous insulin receptor mutant mice for longevity phenotypes. Under 80% oxygen, mutant female mice survived 33.3% longer than wild-type female mice, whereas mutant male mice survived 18.2% longer than wild-type male mice. These results suggested that mutant mice acquired more resistance to oxidative stress, but the benefit of the longevity mutation was more pronounced in females than males. Manganese superoxide dismutase activity in mutant mice was significantly upregulated, suggesting that the suppressed insulin signaling leads to an enhanced antioxidant defense. To analyze the molecular basis of the gender difference, we administered estrogen to mutant mice. It was found that the survival of mice under 80% oxygen was extended when they were administered estradiol. In contrast, mutant and wild-type female mice showed shortened survivals when their ovaries were removed. The influence of estrogen is remarkable in mutant mice compared with wild-type mice, suggesting that estrogen modulates insulin signaling in mutant mice. Furthermore, we showed additional extension of survival under oxidative conditions when their diet was restricted. Collectively, we show that three distinct signals; insulin, estrogen, and dietary signals work in independent and cooperative ways to enhance the resistance to oxidative stress in mice.


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