166. Lentiviral Hematopoietic Stem Cell Gene Therapy for Sjögren-Larsson Syndrome

Abstract

Sjogren-Larsson syndrome (SLS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by scaling skin (ichthyosis), mental retardation, and spasticity. SLS is caused by mutations in the ALDH3A2 gene, which encodes fatty aldehyde dehydrogenase (FALDH), an enzyme that is involved in the oxidation of fatty aldehyde and fatty alcohol. In SLS, FALDH deficiency and impaired fatty aldehyde oxidation results in lipid accumulation, which is responsible for the symptoms. Spurred by previous hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy trials for multi-systemic diseases, such as Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), Metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), and Cystinosis, we investigated the plausibility of hematopoietic stem cell gene transfer to correct FALDH deficiency and alleviate the phenotype in SLS. We designed the hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy using a lentiviral vector containing human ALDH3A2 cDNA based on our previous MND-WASP (Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein) vector design. The lentiviral vector contains the normal human ALDH3A2 coding sequence which was derived from PCR products using human mobilized peripheral blood CD34+ cDNA. The vector was tested for FALDH protein expression in transfected human HEK293T cells by western blot and the enzyme activity was confirmed using HPLC-MS/UV. A transplantation experiment was performed using the Aldh3a2-/- KO mouse model, where the lineage negative BM cells from CD45.1 Aldh3a2-/- KO mice (C57BL/6 background) were sorted and transduced with a lentiviral vector followed by transplantation into lethally irradiated CD45.2 Aldh3a2-/- KO mice (C57BL/6 background). These mice are being monitored for cell engraftment, vector copy numbers, and any phenotypic changes. An initial analysis for the grafts showed 56% transduction in the MND(a synthetic promoter that contains the U3 region of a modified MoMuLV LTR with myeloproliferative sarcoma virus enhancer)-GFP group and 31% transduction in the MND-ALDH3A2 group based on the CFU-C data. Flow cytometric analysis of peripheral blood on these mice at 6 and 12 post- transplant week showed 32% transduction in MND-GFP group. Further analysis including vector copy numbers and end point analysis for various tissues including liver, spleen, and brain are underway. This work provides the foundation for moving forward with potential lentiviral hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy for non-hematological disorders.