scholarly journals Induction of Natural Killer Cells from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Under Chemically Defined Condition

Blood ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 128 (22) ◽  
pp. 1345-1345
Author(s):  
Hiroyuki Matsubara ◽  
Akira Niwa ◽  
Tatsutoshi Nakahata ◽  
Megumu K Saito
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Nk Cells ◽  
Natural Killer ◽  
Pluripotent Stem Cells ◽  
Peripheral Blood ◽  
Blood Cells ◽  
K562 Cells ◽  
Defined Medium ◽  
Human Pluripotent Stem Cells ◽  
Chemically Defined Medium

Abstract Natural killer (NK) cells have been proposed as a new source for immunotherapies in various malignancies. Previous studies have developed peripheral blood NK cells expansions or NK cells differentiation from cord blood cells. Expansion trial using IL-15 or dasatinib is not sufficient to obtain NK cells with high cytotoxicity. More recently, NK cells induction from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), taking the advantage of their unlimited growth potential, has been reported. Although previous studies regarding hPSC-derived NK cells seems impressive and successful, most systems used bovine and human serum, which might result in the unstable yield and efficiency in the production of CD34+CD45+ HPCs and NK cells. To resolve those problems, we tried to induce functional NK cells from hPSCs under a completely chemically defined condition free from any non-autologous serum or stroma. Simply changing cytokine combinations and chemically defined medium in step-wise manner, we first induced CD34+ and CD45+ hematopoietic progenitors from hPSCs with 85% purity by 10~12 days culture. Hematopoietic progenitor cells also expressed IL-7r as a lymphoid progenitor marker. After we collected those cells using magnetic activated cell sorting, we cultured them with NK inducing cytokines. At this point, we selected two media. We compared serum-containing medium and chemically-defined medium by evaluating the differentiation efficiency and function of NK cells. For functional assay, K562, a leukemia cell-line, was co-cultured with purified CD56 positive NK cells for 4 hours at 37 degrees, and cytotoxicity of NK Cells was analysed using flow cytometry. K562 cells were labelled with PKH2 Green Fluorescent Cell Linker to identify each cells. The cytotoxic activity of NK Cells was confirmed by increased number of DAPI+ cells in PKH positive cells. Blood cells harvested after additional 36 days culture (48 days of differentiation) expressed a NK cell marker CD56 (NCAM). The frequency of CD56 positive cells showed no significant differences between two serum-containing medium (79.15 ± 5.30%) and chemically-defined medium (80.90 ± 1.27%). In both conditions, NK cells expressed specific receptors such as CD161, NKG2D, killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs), NKG2a (CD94/CD159a heterodimeric inhibitory receptor), NKp44 and NKp46. hPSC-derived NK cells showed the compatible size and morphology to NK cells isolated from peripheral blood NK (PB-NK) cells: their nucleus was kidney-like shape and cytoplasm contained azurophilic granules. PB-NK cells showed 49.65 ± 3.46% of killing activity against K562 target cells, while the killing potential of PSC-derived NK cell's shoed killing potential against K562 cells (medium A: 25.4 ± 5.52%, medium B: 23.25 ± 9.26%) which was slightly lower than that of PB-NK cells (49.65 ± 3.46%). In conclusion, we successfully induced functional NK cells from hPSCs under chemically defined condition. They showed compatible phenotype to PB-NK cells in terms of morphology, surface marker and cytotoxicity. They were expected to be applicable not only to immunotherapy but also to model studies of the NKC associating diseases. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

scholarly journals An improved method to produce clinical scale natural killer cells from human pluripotent stem cells

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huang Zhu ◽  
Dan S. Kaufman
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Nk Cells ◽  
Natural Killer ◽  
Pluripotent Stem Cells ◽  
Nk Cell ◽  
Embryonic Stem ◽  
Human Pluripotent Stem Cells ◽  
Genetically Engineered ◽  
Cell Populations ◽  
Clinical Scale

AbstractHuman natural killer (NK) cell-based adoptive anti-cancer immunotherapy has gained intense interest with many clinical trials actively recruiting patients to treat a variety of both hematological malignancies and solid tumors. Most of these trials use primary NK cells isolated either from peripheral blood (PB-NK cells) or umbilical cord blood (UCB-NK cells), though these sources require NK cell collection for each patient leading to donor variability and heterogeneity in the NK cell populations. In contrast, NK cells derived human embryonic stem cells (hESC-NK cells) or induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSC-NK cells) provide more homogeneous cell populations that can be grown at clinical scale, and genetically engineered if desired. These characteristics make hESC/iPSC-derived NK cells an ideal cell population for developing standardized, “off-the-shelf” immunotherapy products. Additionally, production of NK cells from undifferentiated human pluripotent stem cells enables studies to better define pathways that regulate human NK cell development and function. Our group previously established a stromal-free, two-stage culture system to derive NK cells from hESC/hiPSC in vitro followed by clinical-scale expansion of these cells using interleukin-21 expressing artificial antigen-presenting cells. However, prior to differentiation, this method requires single cell adaption of hESCs/hiPSCs which takes months. Recently we optimized this method by adapting the mouse embryonic fibroblast-dependent hESC/hiPSC to feeder-free culture conditions. These feeder-free hESC/hiPSCs are directly used to generate hemato-endothelial precursor cells. This new method produces mature, functional NK cells with higher efficiency to enable rapid production of an essentially unlimited number of homogenous NK cells that can be used for standardized, targeted immunotherapy for the treatment of refractory cancers and infectious diseases.

scholarly journals NK Cells from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells for Immunotherapy

Blood ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 132 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 4955-4955
Author(s):  
Hiroyuki Maysubara ◽  
Akira Niwa ◽  
Tatsutoshi Nakahata ◽  
Megumu K Saito
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Nk Cells ◽  
Cell Line ◽  
Pluripotent Stem Cells ◽  
Nk Cell ◽  
Leukemia Cell ◽  
Defined Medium ◽  
Leukemia Cell Line ◽  
Chemically Defined Medium ◽  
Free Condition

Abstract Natural Killer (NK) cells are a one of innate lymphocytes and show cytotoxicity against tumour cells without prior antigen specific stimulation. . NK cells can demonstrate stronger cytotoxicity than T cells in the absence of MHC Class I, and survive short lifespan from several weeks to one month. It suggested that NK cells show low risk of cytokine long-term secretion inside patient's body. Previous studies have developed peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) derived NK cells expansions or NK cells differentiation from cord blood (CB) cells for immunotherapy. Expansion trial using K562 tumor cell line, or with IL-15, or an anti-tumor antibody dasatinib is not sufficient to obtain NK cells with high cytotoxicity.More recently, NK cells induction from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), taking the advantage of their unlimited growth potential, has been reported. Although previous studies regarding hPSC-derived NK cells seems impressive and successful, most systems used a bovine and human serum, which might result in the unstable yield and efficiency in the production of Hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) and NK cells for immunotherapy. To resolve those problems, we tried to induce functional NK cells from hPSCs in xeno and serum free condition. This study used three hPSC cell lines; human ES cell (cell line: KhES1) and iPS cells (cell line: 409B2 and CB-A11) to check reproducibility. To differentiate hPSCs into hematopoietic cells, changed cytokine combinations and chemically defined medium in step-wise manner. We first induced HPC from hPSCs over 90% purity by 12 days culture. At this point, we selected two media to induce NK cells. We compared serum-containing medium that previous report used (Medium A) and chemically-defined medium (Medium B) by evaluating the differentiation efficiency and function of NK cells. NK cell marker CD56 (NCAM) was gradually expressed after additional 16 days culture (28 days of differentiation). Until hPSC-derived NK cells were maturated, we traced the expression of NK specific markers and transcriptional factors. On day48, the frequency of CD56 positive cells showed no significant differences between medium A (79.15 ± 5.30%) and medium B (80.90 ± 1.27%). In both conditions, NK cells expressed specific receptors such as CD161, NKG2D, killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs), NKG2a (CD94/CD159a heterodimeric inhibitory receptor), NKp44 and NKp46. hPSC-derived NK cells showed the compatible size and morphology to NK cells isolated from peripheral blood NK (PB-NK) cells: their nucleus was kidney-like shape and cytoplasm contained azurophilic granules. For functional assay, leukemia cell line K562 was incubated with 51 chromium (51Cr) for 1 hour at 37 degrees. After that, K562 was co-cultured with purified CD56 positive hPSC-derived NK cells for 4 hours at 37 degrees. The cytotoxic activity of NK cells was confirmed by 51Cr release from K562. PBMC-NK cells showed 49.65 ± 3.46% of killing activity against K562 target cells, while the killing potential of PSC-derived NK cell showed killing potential against K562 cells (Medium A: 25.4 ± 5.52%, Medium B: 23.25 ± 9.26%) which was slightly lower than that of PB-NK cells. Next trial, we are going to transplant hPSC-derived NK cells into immune deficiency mice. In detail, this mice was infected luciferase expressed K562. Using IVIS imaging system to detect intensity of luciferase, we characterized hPSC-derived NK cells potential in vivo. Here we have developed a novel and robust method to facilitate efficient NK cells differentiation in serum and xeno-free condition in all clones. They showed similar phenotypes compare to PBMC derived NK cells in terms of morphology, surface markers, translational factors and cytotoxicity against leukemia cell line K562 in vitro. This technology expected to be applicable not only to immunotherapy but also to model studies of the NK cells associating diseases. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

scholarly journals Production of colony-stimulating activity by human natural killer cells: analysis of the conditions that influence the release and detection of colony-stimulating activity

Blood ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 74 (1) ◽  
pp. 156-164
Author(s):  
V Pistoia ◽  
S Zupo ◽  
A Corcione ◽  
S Roncella ◽  
L Matera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bone Marrow ◽  
Nk Cells ◽  
Natural Killer ◽  
Peripheral Blood ◽  
Nk Cell ◽  
K562 Cells ◽  
Cell Suspensions ◽  
Normal Peripheral Blood ◽  
Colony Stimulating Activity ◽  
Culture Supernatants

Highly purified natural killer (NK) cell suspensions were tested for their capacity to release colony-stimulating activity (CSA) in vitro. NK cell suspensions comprised primarily CD16+ cells and were devoid of CD3+ T cells, CD15+ monocytes, and of B cells. CSA was detected in the NK cell supernatants and sustained the growth of myeloid colonies from both normal peripheral blood and bone marrow. CSA could be in part inhibited by pretreating NK cell culture supernatants with a specific goat anti-granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) antiserum. The inhibition, however, was never complete, a finding that suggests that additional factors were responsible for CSA. Incubation of NK cells with K562 cells (an NK-sensitive target) or with normal bone marrow cells resulted in the appearance of a strong colony- inhibiting activity (CIA) in the culture supernatants. Such CIA was demonstrable in an experimental system where bone marrow or peripheral blood progenitors were induced to form myeloid colonies in the presence of conditioned medium by CSA-producing giant cell tumor (GCT) cells. Stimulation of NK cells with NK-insensitive targets failed to induce CIA production. Neutralizing antitumor necrosis factor (TNF) monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) were found capable of inhibiting CIA present in the supernatants of NK cells stimulated with K562 cells. Following treatment with anti-TNF antibodies, CSA was again detectable in the same supernatants. This finding indicates that induction of TNF production did not concomitantly switch off CSA production by NK cells. Pretreatment of NK cells with recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) or gamma interferon (r gamma IFN) did not change the amount of CSA released. However, treatment with rIL-2 caused the appearance of a factor in the NK cell supernatants capable of sustaining the formation of colonies of a larger size.

Immunoselection by natural killer cells of PIGA mutant cells missing stress-inducible ULBP

Blood ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 107 (3) ◽  
pp. 1184-1191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nobuyoshi Hanaoka ◽  
Tatsuya Kawaguchi ◽  
Kentaro Horikawa ◽  
Shoichi Nagakura ◽  
Hiroaki Mitsuya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Proteins ◽  
Nk Cells ◽  
Natural Killer ◽  
Blood Cells ◽  
Cell Injury ◽  
Nk Cell ◽  
K562 Cells ◽  
Cytotoxic Cells ◽  
Immune Mediated

AbstractThe mechanism by which paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) clones expand is unknown. PNH clones harbor PIGA mutations and do not synthesize glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI), resulting in deficiency of GPI-linked membrane proteins. GPI-deficient blood cells often expand in patients with aplastic anemia who sustain immune-mediated marrow injury putatively induced by cytotoxic cells, hence suggesting that the injury allows PNH clones to expand selectively. We previously reported that leukemic K562 cells preferentially survived natural killer (NK) cell-mediated cytotoxicity in vitro when they acquired PIGA mutations. We herein show that the survival is ascribable to the deficiency of stress-inducible GPI-linked membrane proteins ULBP1 and ULBP2, which activate NK and T cells. The ULBPs were detected on GPI-expressing but not on GPI-deficient K562 cells. In the presence of antibodies to either the ULBPs or their receptor NKG2D on NK cells, GPI-expressing cells were as less NK sensitive as GPI-deficient cells. NK cells therefore spared ULBP-deficient cells in vitro. The ULBPs were identified only on GPI-expressing blood cells of a proportion of patients with PNH but none of healthy individuals. Granulocytes of the patients partly underwent killing by autologous cytotoxic cells, implying ULBP-associated blood cell injury. In this setting, the lack of ULBPs may allow immunoselection of PNH clones.

Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Human Natural Killer Cells with Potent Anti-Multiple Myeloma Activity,

Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 118 (21) ◽  
pp. 4034-4034
Author(s):  
David A. Knorr ◽  
Zhenya Ni ◽  
Allison Bock ◽  
Vijay G. Ramakrishnan ◽  
Shaji Kumar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Multiple Myeloma ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Nk Cells ◽  
Natural Killer ◽  
Tumor Cells ◽  
Adoptive Immunotherapy ◽  
Target Cell ◽  
Peripheral Blood ◽  
Nk Cell

Abstract Abstract 4034 Natural Killer (NK) cells are lymphocytes of the innate immune system with anti-viral and anti-cancer activity. Over the past decade, they have gained interest as a promising cellular source for use in adoptive immunotherapy for the treatment of cancer. Most notably, NK cells play an important role in the graft-vs-tumor effect seen in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), and a better understanding of NK cell biology has translated into improved transplant outcomes in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Small studies have demonstrated a role for NK cell activity in multiple myeloma (MM) patients receiving allo-HSCT. Investigators have also utilized haplo-identical killer immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) mismatched NK cells for adoptive immunotherapy in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Our group has focused on the development of NK cells from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) as a novel starting source of lymphocytes for immunotherapy. We have previously demonstrated potent anti-tumor activity of hESC-derived NK cells in vitro and in vivo against a variety of different targets. We have also shown that iPSC-derived NK cells from a variety of different somatic cell starting sources posses potent anti-tumor and anti-viral activity. Here, we demonstrate hESC- and iPSC-derived NK cell development in a completely defined, feeder-free system that is amenable to clinical scale-up. These cultures contain a pure population of mature NK cells devoid of any T or B cell contamination, which are common adverse bystanders of cellular products isolated and enriched from peripheral blood. Our cultures are homogenous for their expression of CD56 and express high levels of effector molecules known to be important in anti-MM activity, including KIR, CD16, NKG2D, NKp46, NKp44, FasL and TRAIL. We have now tested the activity of hESC- and iPSC-derived NK cells against MM tumor cells in order to provide a universal source of lymphocytes for adoptive immunotherapy in patients with treatment refractory disease. We find that similar to peripheral blood NK cells (PB-NK), hESC- and iPSC-derived NK cells are cytotoxic against 3 distinct MM cell lines in a standard chromium release cytotoxicity assay. Specifically, activated PB-NK cells killed 48.5% of targets at 10 to 1 effector to target ratios, whereas hESC (46.3%) and iPSC (42.4%) derived NK cells also demonstrated significant anti-MM activity. Also, hESC- and iPSC-derived NK cells secrete cytokines (IFNγ and TNFα) and degranulate as demonstrated by CD107a surface expression in response to MM target cell stimulation. When tested against freshly isolated samples from MM patients, hESC- and IPSC-derived NK cells respond at a similar level as activated PB-NK cells, the current source of NK cells used in adoptive immunotherapy trials. These MM targets (both cell lines and primary tumor cells) are known to express defined ligands (MICA/B, DR4/5, ULBP-1, BAT3) for receptors expressed on NK cells as well as a number of undefined ligands for natural cytotoxicity receptors (NCRs) and KIR. As these receptor-ligand interactions drive the anti-MM activity of NK cells, we are currently evaluating expression of each of these molecules on the surface of both the effector and target cell populations. Not only do hESC- and iPSC-derived NK cells provide a unique, homogenous cell population to study these interactions, they also provide a genetically tractable source of lymphocytes for improvement of the graft-vs-myeloma effect and could be tailored on a patient specific basis using banks of hESC-or iPSC-derived NK cells with defined KIR genotypes for use as allogeneic or autologous effector cells. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

scholarly journals Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Differentiated in Fully Defined Medium Generate Hematopoietic CD34+ and CD34− Progenitors with Distinct Characteristics

PLoS ONE ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. e14733 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurie Chicha ◽  
Anis Feki ◽  
Alessandro Boni ◽  
Olivier Irion ◽  
Outi Hovatta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Pluripotent Stem Cells ◽  
Defined Medium ◽  
Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

scholarly journals Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Blood Cells for Therapies

Blood ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 132 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. SCI-14-SCI-14
Author(s):  
Dan S Kaufman
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Nk Cells ◽  
Pluripotent Stem Cells ◽  
Blood Cells ◽  
Nk Cell ◽  
Clinical Scale ◽  
Cord Injury ◽  
Anti Tumor Activity

Abstract It has now been twenty years since human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) were first isolated and described in 1998. In the next decade, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were produced first from mouse somatic cells and then from human cells. Since these landmark advances, hESCs and iPSCs have been utilized to advance our understanding of basic human developmental biology and cellular plasticity. These lessons are crucial to fulfill the goal to use human pluripotent stem cells to derive new cellular therapies to better treat and repair organs and tissues damaged by disease, trauma or aging. Clinical trials are underway to utilize differentiated cells derived from hESCs or iPSCs for treatment of retinal disease, spinal cord injury, diabetes, cardiac failure, and other disorders. Production of therapeutic blood cells such as transplantable hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from hESCs and iPSCs remains a key goal. However, despite intensive research efforts by our group and many others, there remain challenging to achieve long-term multi-lineage engraftment in vivo with HSCs derived from unmodified hESCs/iPSCs. More successful approaches have used genetic modification or teratoma formation, though these strategies cannot be directly translated to clinical cell products. Reasons for this continued challenge and novel solutions such as use of a Runx1 genetic reporter system will be discussed. In contrast to production of transplantable HSCs, the ability use hESCs/iPSCs to produce functional lymphocytes with anti-tumor and anti-viral activity has been quite successful. Our group has defined methods to efficiently differentiate and expand clinical-scale quantities of natural killer (NK) cells. These hESC/iPSC-derived NK cells have phenotypic and genetic profiles similar to NK cells isolated from peripheral blood. Additionally, hESC/iPSC-derived NK cells are able to kill diverse tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. The hESCs/iPSCs also serve as a versatile platform to engineer genetic enhancements to produce NK cells with improved anti-tumor activity. For example, we have produced hESC/iPSC-derived NK cells that express novel chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) that are able to better target tumors that are more refractory to NK cell-mediated killing. This optimized NK-CAR construct utilizes the NKG2D transmembrane domain, 2B4 co-stimulatory domain, and the CD3ζ signaling domain to activate key NK cell-specific intracellular signaling pathways and increase NK cell survival and expansion in vivo. In one direct comparison between CAR-expressing-iPSC-derived NK cells and "conventional" CAR-expressing T cells, demonstrates the CAR-NK cells have similar ability to kill ovarian tumors in vivo, but with less toxicity, suggesting a safer approach. We have engineered other modifications into iPSC-NK cells to enhance NK cell targeting, proliferation, expansion and survival -- all key qualities to improve in vivo anti-tumor activity. These studies demonstrate that hESC/iPSC-provide an ideal platform to produce standardized, targeted, "off-the-shelf" cellular immunotherapies to treat refractory hematological malignancies and solid tumors. Finally, iPSC-derived NK cells are now being produced at clinical scale under current good manufacturing practices (cGMP) conditions with clinical trials scheduled to start by the end of 2018. Disclosures Kaufman: Fate Therapeutics: Consultancy, Research Funding.

scholarly journals Deprivation of human natural killer cells and antitumor immune response

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vyacheslav Ogay ◽  
Aliya Sekenova ◽  
Inpyo Choi
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Immune Response ◽  
Nk Cells ◽  
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells ◽  
Natural Killer ◽  
Pluripotent Stem Cells ◽  
Antitumor Immune Response ◽  
Efficient Treatment ◽  
Cd34 Cells ◽  
Induced Pluripotent

Introduction: Cell-based immunotherapy has been given increased attention as a treatment for cancer. Human natural killer (NK) cells are resident lymphocyte populations. They exhibit potent antitumor activity without human leukocyte antigen matching and without prior antigen exposure. They also are a promising tool for immunotherapy of solid and hematologic cancers. However, most cancer patients do not have enough NK cells to induce an effective antitumor immune response. This demonstrates a need for a source of NK cells that can supplement the endogenous cell population.Material and methods: In this study, we derived induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from peripheral blood T-lymphocytes using Sendai virus vectors.Results: Generated iPSCs exhibited monoclonal T cell receptors (TCR) rearrangement in their genome, a hallmark of mature terminally differentiated T cells. These iPSCs were differentiated into NK cells using a two-stage coculture system: iPSCs into hematopoietic CD34+ cells with feeder cells M210-B4 (ATCC, USA) and CD34+ cells into mature NK cells with AFT024 cells (ATCC, USA). Our results showed that iPSC-derived NK cells expressed CD56, CD16, NKp 44 and NKp 46, possessed high cytotoxic activity  and produced high level of interferon-γ.Conclusion: Based on our data, derivation of NK cells from induced pluripotent stem cells should be considered in the treatment of oncologic diseases.This would allow for the development of cell therapy for cancer using immunologically compatible NK cells derived from iPSCs. This may contribute to a more efficient treatment of oncologic diseases in addition to traditional cancer treatment.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document