Polymorphisms in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I genes can cause the rejection of pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-derived products in allogeneic recipients. Disruption of the Beta-2 Microglobulin (B2M) gene eliminates surface expression of all class I molecules, but leaves the cells vulnerable to lysis by natural killer (NK) cells. Here we show that this ‘missing self’ response can be prevented by forced expression of minimally polymorphic HLA-E molecules. We use adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated gene editing to knock in HLA-E genes at the B2M locus in human PSCs in a manner that confers inducible, regulated, surface expression of HLA-E single-chain dimers (fused to B2M) or trimers (fused to B2M and a peptide antigen), without surface expression of HLA-A, B or C. These HLA-engineered PSCs and their differentiated derivatives are not recognized as allogeneic by CD8+ T cells, do not bind anti-HLA antibodies, and are resistant to NK-mediated lysis. Our approach provides a potential source of universal donor cells for applications where the differentiated derivatives lack HLA class II expression.

The clinical use of human pluripotent stem cells and their derivatives is limited by the rejection of transplanted cells due to differences in their human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes. This has led to the proposed use of histocompatible, patient-specific stem cells; however, the preparation of many different stem cell lines for clinical use is a daunting task. Here, we develop two distinct genetic engineering approaches that address this problem. First, we use a combination of gene targeting and mitotic recombination to derive HLA-homozygous embryonic stem cell (ESC) subclones from an HLA-heterozygous parental line. A small bank of HLA-homozygous stem cells with common haplotypes would match a significant proportion of the population. Second, we derive HLA class I-negative cells by targeted disruption of both alleles of the Beta-2 Microglobulin (B2M) gene in ESCs. Mixed leukocyte reactions and peptide-specific HLA-restricted CD8(+) T cell responses were reduced in class I-negative cells that had undergone differentiation in embryoid bodies. These B2M(-/-) ESCs could act as universal donor cells in applications where the transplanted cells do not express HLA class II genes. Both approaches used adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors for efficient gene targeting in the absence of potentially genotoxic nucleases, and produced pluripotent, transgene-free cell lines.

Twenty-eight amino acid residues involved in most noncovalent interactions between trimeric protein subunits in the capsid of the parvovirus minute virus of mice were truncated individually to alanine, and the effects on capsid assembly, thermostability, and conformation were analyzed. Only seven side chains were essential for protein subunit recognition. These side chains virtually corresponded with those that either buried a large hydrophobic surface on trimer association or formed buried intertrimer hydrogen bonds or salt bridges. The seven residues are evolutionarily conserved, and they define regularly spaced spots on a thin equatorial belt surrounding each trimer. Truncation of the many side chains that were dispensable for assembly, including those participating in solvent-accessible polar interactions, did not substantially affect capsid thermostability either. However, the interfacial residues located at the base of the pores delineating the capsid five-fold axes participated in a heat-induced conformational rearrangement associated with externalization of the capsid protein N terminus, and they were needed for infectivity. Thus, at the subunit interfaces of this model virus capsid, only key residues involved in the strongest interactions are critical for assembly and stability, but additional residues fulfill other important biological roles. P rotein-protein recognition mediates many fundamental biological processes. A detailed knowledge of these processes requires the determination of the structural, energetic, and functional roles of individual amino acid residues and interactions in protein-protein interfaces. These studies have been generally undertaken by using small protein-ligand complexes or oligomeric proteins of moderate size (reviewed in ref. 1; see also refs. 2-4). In contrast, for multimeric protein complexes, such as viral capsids (5, 6) or large cellular assemblies, little is known about the specific molecular determinants of protein association and stability. Mutational studies of virus capsids, generally focused on a few specific amino acid residues, have provided important insights (7-22). However, exhaustive experimental studies on the relative importance of residues and molecular interactions in viral capsid assembly, disassembly, and͞or stability are still very limited. These studies contribute also to the understanding of protein structure-function relationships and evolution under conflictive selective constraints (22-27), and they could be exploited possibly in the design of thermostable vaccines and antiviral agents promoting capsid disassembly or interfering with assembly (23, 28-31).Many viruses, including viruses of medical or veterinary significance, have capsids of icosahedral symmetry. The icosahedral T ϭ 1 capsids of parvoviruses (32-37) are formed by 60 protein subunits that are contributed by three nonidentical polypeptide chains (VP1, VP2, and VP3). These polypeptides derive, however, from a single gene and show identical fold and core sequence (Fig. 1). In the minut...

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