| 1. |
- Nelson, Michelle H., et al.
(författare)
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The Bispecific Tumor Antigen-Conditional 4-1BB x 5T4 Agonist, ALG.APV-527, Mediates Strong T-Cell Activation and Potent Antitumor Activity in Preclinical Studies
- 2023
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Ingår i: Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. - 1538-8514. ; 22:1, s. 89-101
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- 4-1BB (CD137) is an activation-induced costimulatory receptor that regulates immune responses of activated CD8 T and natural killer cells, by enhancing proliferation, survival, cytolytic activity, and IFNγ production. The ability to induce potent antitumor activity by stimulating 4-1BB on tumor-specific cytotoxic T cells makes 4-1BB an attractive target for designing novel immuno-oncology therapeutics. To minimize systemic immune toxicities and enhance activity at the tumor site, we have developed a novel bispecific antibody that stimulates 4-1BB function when co-engaged with the tumor-associated antigen 5T4. ALG.APV-527 was built on the basis of the ADAPTIR bispecific platform with optimized binding domains to 4-1BB and 5T4 originating from the ALLIGATOR-GOLD human single-chain variable fragment library. The epitope of ALG.APV-527 was determined to be located at domain 1 and 2 on 4-1BB using X-ray crystallography. As shown in reporter and primary cell assays in vitro, ALG.APV-527 triggers dose-dependent 4-1BB activity mediated only by 5T4 crosslinking. In vivo, ALG.APV-527 demonstrates robust antitumor responses, by inhibiting growth of established tumors expressing human 5T4 followed by a long-lasting memory immune response. ALG.APV-527 has an antibody-like half-life in cynomolgus macaques and was well tolerated at 50.5 mg/kg. ALG.APV-527 is uniquely designed for 5T4-conditional 4-1BB-mediated antitumor activity with potential to minimize systemic immune activation and hepatotoxicity while providing efficacious tumor-specific responses in a range of 5T4-expressing tumor indications as shown by robust activity in preclinical in vitro and in vivo models. On the basis of the combined preclinical dataset, ALG.APV-527 has potential as a promising anticancer therapeutic for the treatment of 5T4-expressing tumors.
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| 2. |
- Askmyr, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Ciliary neurotrophic factor has intrinsic and extrinsic roles in regulating B cell differentiation and bone structure.
- 2015
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2045-2322. ; 5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The gp130 receptor and its binding partners play a central role in cytokine signalling. Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) is one of the cytokines that signals through the gp130 receptor complex. CNTF has previously been shown to be a negative regulator of trabecular bone remodelling and important for motor neuron development. Since haematopoietic cell maintenance and differentiation is dependent on the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment, where cells of the osteoblastic lineage are important regulators, we hypothesised that CNTF may also have important roles in regulating haematopoiesis. Analysis of haematopoietic parameters in male and female Cntf(-/-) mice at 12 and 24 weeks of age revealed altered B lymphopoiesis. Strikingly, the B lymphocyte phenotype differed based on sex, age and also the BM microenvironment in which the B cells develop. When BM cells from wildtype mice were transplanted into Cntf(-/-) mice, there were minimal effects on B lymphopoiesis or bone parameters. However, when Cntf(-/-) BM cells were transplanted into a wildtype BM microenvironment, there were changes in both haematopoiesis and bone parameters. Our data reveal that haematopoietic cell-derived CNTF has roles in regulating BM B cell lymphopoiesis and both trabecular and cortical bone, the latter in a sex-dependent manner.
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| 3. |
- Askmyr, Maria K, et al.
(författare)
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Towards a better understanding and new therapeutics of osteopetrosis.
- 2008
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Ingår i: British journal of haematology. - : Wiley. - 1365-2141 .- 0007-1048. ; 140:6, s. 597-609
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Lack of or dysfunction in osteoclasts result in osteopetrosis, a group of rare but often severe, genetic disorders affecting skeletal tissue. Increase in bone mass results in skeletal malformation and bone marrow failure that may be fatal. Many of the underlying defects have lately been characterized in humans and in animal models of the disease. In humans, these defects often involve mutations in genes expressing proteins involved in the acidification of the osteoclast resorption compartment, a process necessary for proper bone degradation. So far, the only cure for children with severe osteopetrosis is allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation but without a matching donor this form of therapy is far from optimal. The characterization of the genetic defects opens up the possibility for gene replacement therapy as an alternative. Accordingly, HSC-targeted gene therapy in a mouse model of infantile malignant osteopetrosis was recently shown to correct many aspects of the disease.
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| 4. |
- Askmyr, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Low-dose busulphan conditioning and neonatal stem cell transplantation preserves vision and restores hematopoiesis in severe murine osteopetrosis.
- 2009
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Ingår i: Experimental Hematology. - : Elsevier BV. - 1873-2399 .- 0301-472X. ; 37, s. 302-308
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: Infantile malignant osteopetrosis is a fatal disease caused by lack of functional osteoclasts. In most of patients, TCIRG1, encoding a subunit of a proton pump essential for bone resorption, is mutated. Osteopetrosis leads to bone marrow failure and blindness due to optic nerve compression. Oc/oc mice have a deletion in Tcirg1 and die around 3 to 4 weeks, but can be rescued by neonatal stem cell transplantation (SCT) after irradiation conditioning. However, as irradiation of neonatal mice results in retinal degeneration, we wanted to investigate whether conditioning with busulphan prior to SCT can lead to preservation of vision and reversal of osteopetrosis in the oc/oc mouse model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pregnant dams were conditioned with busulphan and their litters transplanted with 1 x 10(6) normal lineage-depleted bone marrow cells intravenously or intraperitoneally. Mice were followed in terms of survival and engraftment level, as well as with peripheral blood lineage analysis, bone and eye histopathology and a visual-tracking drum test to assess vision. RESULTS: Busulphan at 15 mg/kg was toxic to oc/oc mice. However, six of seven oc/oc mice conditioned with busulphan 7.5 mg/kg survived past the normal lifespan with 10% engraftment, correction of the skeletal phenotype, and normalization of peripheral blood lineages. Busulphan, in contrast to irradiation, did not have adverse effects on the retina as determined by histopathology, and 8 weeks after transplantation control and oc/oc mice retained their vision. CONCLUSION: Low-dose busulphan conditioning and neonatal SCT leads to prolonged survival of oc/oc mice, reverses osteopetrosis and prevents blindness even at low engraftment levels.
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| 5. |
- Askmyr, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Modeling chronic myeloid leukemia in immunodeficient mice reveals expansion of aberrant mast cells and accumulation of pre-B cells.
- 2014
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Ingår i: Blood Cancer Journal. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2044-5385. ; 4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm that, if not treated, will progress into blast crisis (BC) of either myeloid or B lymphoid phenotype. The BCR-ABL1 fusion gene, encoding a constitutively active tyrosine kinase, is thought to be sufficient to cause chronic phase (CP) CML, whereas additional genetic lesions are needed for progression into CML BC. To generate a humanized CML model, we retrovirally expressed BCR-ABL1 in the cord blood CD34(+) cells and transplanted these into NOD-SCID (non-obese diabetic/severe-combined immunodeficient) interleukin-2-receptor γ-deficient mice. In primary mice, BCR-ABL1 expression induced an inflammatory-like state in the bone marrow and spleen, and mast cells were the only myeloid lineage specifically expanded by BCR-ABL1. Upon secondary transplantation, the pronounced inflammatory phenotype was lost and mainly human mast cells and macrophages were found in the bone marrow. Moreover, a striking block at the pre-B-cell stage was observed in primary mice, resulting in an accumulation of pre-B cells. A similar block in B-cell differentiation could be confirmed in primary cells from CML patients. Hence, this humanized mouse model of CML reveals previously unexplored features of CP CML and should be useful for further studies to understand the disease pathogenesis of CML.
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| 6. |
- Askmyr, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Prospects for gene therapy of osteopetrosis.
- 2009
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Ingår i: Current gene therapy. - 1566-5232. ; 9:3, s. 150-9
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Dysfunction in or lack of osteoclasts result in osteopetrosis, a group of rare but often severe, genetic disorders characterized by an increase in bone mass, skeletal malformations and bone marrow failure that may be fatal. Several of the underlying defects have lately been characterized in humans and in animal disease models. In humans, these defects often involve mutations in genes expressing proteins involved in the acidification of the osteoclast sub-cellular compartment, a process necessary for proper bone resorption. So far, the only cure for children with severe osteopetrosis is allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT). However, the characterization of the genetic defects opens up the possibility for gene replacement therapy as an alternative to SCT. Recently, gene therapy targeting hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) in a mouse model of infantile malignant osteopetrosis was shown to correct many aspects of the disease. Here we review important aspects of this group of diseases and discuss the prospects for development of gene therapy of osteopetrosis.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Askmyr, Maria
(författare)
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Towards Gene Therapy of Osteopetrosis.
- 2007
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The goal in this thesis is development of gene therapy for malignant infantile osteopetrosis (IMO), a rare but severe genetic bone disease. The concept of osteopetrosis implies dysfunction or lack of osteoclasts, the bone resorbing cells in our body, resulting in failure of normal bone breakdown. Although involved in bone remodeling, osteoclasts are of hematopoietic origin and may potentially be targeted by genetic modification of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Recently, clinical progress within the field of gene therapy has been achieved for other monogenic diseases affecting the hematopoietic system thereby providing hope for future clinical application also for osteopetrosis. We have been working with a mouse model of IMO called the oc/oc mouse and have been able to correct the otherwise lethal osteopetrotic phenotype in theses animals by transplantation of normal bone marrow. In addition, we established optimal pre-transplantation irradiation dose, cell dose and onset of treatment. Further studies in the oc/oc mouse model involved gene therapy where oc/oc fetal liver derived HSCs were transduced with a retroviral vector and subsequently transplanted into oc/oc mice. In vitro studies of osteoclast function revealed a partial restoration of bone resorbing activity. The osteopetrotic phenotype was reversed and this resulted in long-term survival of transplanted mice. The present findings provide a first and significant step towards the development of gene therapy in patients with malignant osteopetrosis. To prepare for human gene therapy, we also investigated the ability of lentiviral vectors, produced by stable packaging cell lines, to transduce human CD34+ SCID repopulating cells.
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| 9. |
- Askmyr, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Transgenic expression of human cytokines in immunodeficient mice does not facilitate myeloid expansion of BCR-ABL1 transduced human cord blood cells
- 2017
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Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 12:10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Several attempts have been made to model chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in a xenograft setting but expansion of human myeloid cells in immunodeficient mice has proven difficult to achieve. Lack of cross-reacting cytokines in the microenvironment of the mice has been proposed as a potential reason. In this study we have used NOD/SCID IL2–receptor gamma deficient mice expressing human SCF, IL-3 and GM-CSF (NSGS mice), that should be superior in supporting human, and particularly, myeloid cell engraftment, to expand BCR-ABL1 expressing human cells in order to model CML. NSGS mice transplanted with BCR-ABL1 expressing cells became anemic and had to be sacrificed due to illness, however, this was not accompanied by an expansion of human myeloid cells but rather we observed a massive expansion of human T-cells and macrophages/histiocytes. Importantly, control human cells without BCR-ABL1 expression elicited a similar reaction, although with a slight delay of disease induction, suggesting that while BCR-ABL1 contributes to the inflammatory reaction, the presence of normal human hematopoietic cells is detrimental for NSGS mice.
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| 10. |
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