CD30 As a Target of Aptamers and Delivery Portal for Aptamer-shRNA to Block Th17 Cells

Cong-Qiu Chu¹, Pingfang Song², Yuan K. Chou³ and Shao Tao², ¹Rheumatology, Oregon Health & Science Univ, Portland, OR, ²Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, ³Division of Arthritis and Rheumatic Diseases, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR

Meeting: 2014 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

Keywords: T cells

Session Information

Title: T cell Biology in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Other Arthritis

Session Type: Abstract Submissions (ACR)

Background/Purpose

Aptamers are single-stranded 20 –100 nucleotides (RNA or DNA) that bind to molecular targets with high affinity and specificity due to their stable three dimensional shapes and were referred as “chemical antibodies”. Aptamers are being investigated and developed as therapeutic agents and carriers for cell type specific delivery of drugs including small interfering RNA (siRNA). CD30 is expressed by activated Th17 cells a plays a critical role in Th17 cell differentiation.

Methods

Single stranded DNA (ssDNA) or RNA CD30 aptamers were synthesized. A chimera of RNA CD30 aptamer-small hairpin RNA (shRNA) against retinoic acid related orphan receptor (ROR)-γt (CD30-AshR-RORγt) was generated in vitro from a cDNA template by in vitro T7 RNA transcription. Human PBMC were stimulated with anti-CD3 and CD28 and polarized towards Th17 differentiation. CD30 aptamers or CD30-AshR-RORγt was incubated with the stimulated PBMC. ELISA and intracellular cytokine staining were used to quantify IL-17A production and Th17 cells.

Results

An ssDNA aptamer against CD30 was able to inhibit IL-17A production by anti-CD3/CD28 stimulated PBMCs in a dose dependent manner. The inhibitory effect of ssDNA CD30 aptamer was comparable to that by anti-CD30 antibody. CD30 RNA aptamer alone had a lesser inhibitory effect on IL-17A production but could enhance the effect of ssDNA CD30 aptamer. CD30-AshR-RORγt chimera was internalized by activated but not resting CD4⁺ T cells. Compared with a CD30-AshR-scramble sequence, CD30-AshR-RORγt inhibited 60-70% of IL-17A production and IL-17A producing CD4⁺ T cells.

Conclusion

CD30 Aptamers showed significant inhibitory effects on IL-17A production by human PBMCs. In addition being a target by CD30 aptamers, CD30 expressed by activated CD4⁺ T cells can serve as a portal for aptamer mediated delivery of RNAi to target T cell genes. CD30 aptamers and CD30-AshR-RORγt chimera have the potential to be developed as a novel class of therapeutic agents to treat Th17 mediated inflammatory diseases.

Disclosure:

C. Q. Chu,
None;

P. Song,
None;

Y. K. Chou,
None;

S. Tao,
None.

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