Raghavan Chinnadurai, Matthew H Forsberg, John A Kink, Peiman Hematti, Christian M Capitini
{"title":"Use of MSCs and MSC-educated macrophages to mitigate hematopoietic acute radiation syndrome.","authors":"Raghavan Chinnadurai, Matthew H Forsberg, John A Kink, Peiman Hematti, Christian M Capitini","doi":"10.1007/s40778-020-00176-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s40778-020-00176-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>Innovative and minimally toxic treatment approaches are sorely needed for the prevention and treatment of hematopoietic acute radiation syndrome (H-ARS). Cell therapies have been increasingly studied for their potential use as countermeasures for accidental and intentional ionizing radiation exposures which can lead to fatal ARS. Mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) are a cell therapy that have shown promising results in preclinical studies of ARS, and are being developed in clinical trials specifically for H-ARS. MSCs, MSC-educated macrophages (MEMs) and MSC-exosome educated macrophages (EEMs) all have the potential to be used as adoptive cell therapies for H-ARS. Here we review how MSCs have been reported to mitigate inflammation from radiation injury while also stimulating hematopoiesis during ARS.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>We discuss emerging work with immune cell subsets educated by MSCs, including MEMs and EEMs, in promoting hematopoiesis in xenogeneic models of ARS. We also discuss the first placental-derived MSC product to enter phase I trials, PLX-R18, and the challenges faced by bringing MSC and other cell therapies into the clinic for treating ARS.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>Although MSCs, MEMs and EEMs are potential cell therapy candidates in promoting hematopoietic HRS, challenges persist in translational clinical development of these products to the clinic. Whether any of these cellular therapies will be sufficient as stand-alone therapies to mitigate H-ARS or if they will be a bridging therapy that insures survival until a curative allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant can be performed are the key questions that will have to be answered.</p>","PeriodicalId":37444,"journal":{"name":"Current Stem Cell Reports","volume":"6 3","pages":"77-85"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2020-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1007/s40778-020-00176-0","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38392151","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Arun Pradhan, Tanya V Kalin, Vladimir V Kalinichenko
{"title":"Genome Editing for Rare Diseases.","authors":"Arun Pradhan, Tanya V Kalin, Vladimir V Kalinichenko","doi":"10.1007/s40778-020-00175-1","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40778-020-00175-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of the review: </strong>Significant numbers of patients worldwide are affected by various rare diseases, but the effective treatment options to these individuals are limited. Rare diseases remain underfunded compared to more common diseases, leading to significant delays in research progress and ultimately, to finding an effective cure. Here, we review the use of genome-editing tools to understand the pathogenesis of rare diseases and develop additional therapeutic approaches with a high degree of precision.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>Several genome-editing approaches, including CRISPR/Cas9, TALEN and ZFN, have been used to generate animal models of rare diseases, understand the disease pathogenesis, correct pathogenic mutations in patient-derived somatic cells and iPSCs, and develop new therapies for rare diseases. The CRISPR/Cas9 system stands out as the most extensively used method for genome editing due to its relative simplicity and superior efficiency compared to TALEN and ZFN. CRISPR/Cas9 is emerging as a feasible gene-editing option to treat rare monogenic and other genetically defined human diseases.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>Less than 5% of ~7000 known rare diseases have FDA-approved therapies, providing a compelling need for additional research and clinical trials to identify efficient treatment options for patients with rare diseases. Development of efficient genome-editing tools capable to correct or replace dysfunctional genes will lead to novel therapeutic approaches in these diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":37444,"journal":{"name":"Current Stem Cell Reports","volume":"6 3","pages":"41-51"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2020-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7653884/pdf/nihms-1610082.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38600412","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Paulina D Horton, Sandeep Dumbali, Pamela L Wenzel
{"title":"Mechanoregulation in hematopoiesis and hematologic disorders.","authors":"Paulina D Horton, Sandeep Dumbali, Pamela L Wenzel","doi":"10.1007/s40778-020-00172-4","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40778-020-00172-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are reliant on intrinsic and extrinsic factors for tight control of self-renewal, quiescence, differentiation, and homing. Given the intimate relationship between HSCs and their niche, increasing numbers of studies are examining how biophysical cues in the hematopoietic microenvironment impact HSC functions.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>Numerous mechanosensors are present on hematopoietic cells, including integrins, mechanosensitive ion channels, and primary cilia. Integrin-ligand adhesion, in particular, has been found to be critical for homing and anchoring of HSCs and progenitors in the bone marrow. Integrin-mediated interactions with ligands present on extracellular matrix and endothelial cells are key to establishing long-term engraftment and quiescence of HSCs. Importantly, disruption in the architecture and cellular composition of the bone marrow associated with conditioning regimens and primary myelofibrosis exposes HSCs to a profoundly distinct mechanical environment, with potential implications for progression of hematologic dysfunction and pathologies.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>Study of the mechanobiological signals that govern hematopoiesis represents an important future step toward understanding HSC biology in homeostasis, aging, and cancer.</p>","PeriodicalId":37444,"journal":{"name":"Current Stem Cell Reports","volume":"6 3","pages":"86-95"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2020-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1007/s40778-020-00172-4","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38520533","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Hematopoietic Stem Cells in Health and Disease—Insights from Single-Cell Multi-omic Approaches","authors":"S. Haas","doi":"10.1007/s40778-020-00174-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s40778-020-00174-2","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":37444,"journal":{"name":"Current Stem Cell Reports","volume":"2 1","pages":"67 - 76"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2020-07-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1007/s40778-020-00174-2","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"52902956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"In Vivo Genome Engineering for the Treatment of Muscular Dystrophies","authors":"M. Kustermann, M. Rok, R. Cohn, E. Ivakine","doi":"10.1007/s40778-020-00173-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s40778-020-00173-3","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":37444,"journal":{"name":"Current Stem Cell Reports","volume":"112 1","pages":"52 - 66"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2020-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1007/s40778-020-00173-3","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"52902926","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Virus-specific T cells for malignancies - then, now and where to?","authors":"Sandhya Sharma, Wingchi K Leung, Helen E Heslop","doi":"10.1007/s40778-020-00170-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s40778-020-00170-6","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>Virus-associated malignancies are a global health burden, constituting 10-12% of cancers worldwide. As these tumors express foreign viral antigens that can elicit specific T cell responses, virus-directed immunotherapies are a promising treatment strategy. Specifically, adoptive cell transfer of virus-specific T cells (VSTs) has demonstrated the potential to eradicate cancers associated with certain viruses.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>Initial studies in 1990s first showed that VSTs specific for the Epstein-Barr virus (EBVSTs) can induce complete remissions in patients with post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease. Since then, studies have validated the specificity and safety of VSTs in multiple lymphomas and solid malignancies. However, challenges remain to optimize this platform for widespread use, including enhancing potency and persistence, overcoming the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, and streamlining manufacturing processes that comply with regulatory requirements.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>This review focuses on data from clinical trials evaluating VSTs directed against three viruses (EBV, HPV and MCPyV), as well as recent preclinical and clinical advances, and potential future directions.</p>","PeriodicalId":37444,"journal":{"name":"Current Stem Cell Reports","volume":"6 2","pages":"17-29"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2020-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1007/s40778-020-00170-6","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"25493734","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Cell Therapy for Lung Disease: Current Status and Future Prospects","authors":"S. Rolandsson Enes, D. Weiss","doi":"10.1007/s40778-020-00171-5","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s40778-020-00171-5","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":37444,"journal":{"name":"Current Stem Cell Reports","volume":"6 1","pages":"30-39"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2020-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1007/s40778-020-00171-5","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49504976","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Role of ASXL1/2 and Their Associated Proteins in Malignant Hematopoiesis","authors":"Peng Zhang, Mingjiang Xu, Feng-Chun Yang","doi":"10.1007/s40778-020-00168-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s40778-020-00168-0","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":37444,"journal":{"name":"Current Stem Cell Reports","volume":"65 1","pages":"6 - 15"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2020-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1007/s40778-020-00168-0","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"52902783","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Responsible Translational Pathways for Germline Gene Editing?","authors":"Bryan Cwik","doi":"10.1007/s40778-020-00179-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40778-020-00179-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>Continued development of gene editing techniques has raised the real possibility of clinical application of germline gene editing. These results, as well as reports of an unethical experiment which resulted in the birth of at least two children from edited embryos in 2018, have highlighted the urgency and importance of ethical issues about translational pathways for editing of human germline cells. Charting responsible translational pathways for germline gene editing requires tackling some significant and complex ethical issues.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>A literature on development of clinical applications of germline gene editing is emerging, and several key ethical issues are coming into focus as major challenges for responsible translational pathways.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>Potential clinical utility, clinical justification, and human subjects research for germline gene editing raise outstanding ethical questions. Work on these questions will help provide guidance to researchers and clinicians and direct translational projects toward justifiable applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":37444,"journal":{"name":"Current Stem Cell Reports","volume":"6 4","pages":"126-133"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2020-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7441015/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38308411","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Daniel Hormaechea-Agulla, Duy T Le, Katherine Y King
{"title":"Common Sources of Inflammation and Their Impact on Hematopoietic Stem Cell Biology.","authors":"Daniel Hormaechea-Agulla, Duy T Le, Katherine Y King","doi":"10.1007/s40778-020-00177-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s40778-020-00177-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>Inflammatory signals have emerged as critical regulators of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) function. Specifically, HSCs are highly responsive to acute changes in systemic inflammation and this influences not only their division rate but also their lineage fate. Identifying how inflammation regulates HSCs and shapes the blood system is crucial to understanding the mechanisms underpinning these processes, as well as potential links between them.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>A widening array of physiologic and pathologic processes involving heightened inflammation are now recognized to critically affect HSC biology and blood lineage production. Conditions documented to affect HSC function include not only acute and chronic infections but also autoinflammatory conditions, irradiation injury, and physiologic states such as aging and obesity.</p><p><strong>Summary: </strong>Recognizing the contexts during which inflammation affects primitive hematopoiesis is essential to improving our understanding of HSC biology and informing new therapeutic interventions against maladaptive hematopoiesis that occurs during inflammatory diseases, infections, and cancer-related disorders.</p>","PeriodicalId":37444,"journal":{"name":"Current Stem Cell Reports","volume":"6 3","pages":"96-107"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2020-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7429415/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"38302851","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}