Targeted 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ 1α-hydroxylase adoptive gene therapy ameliorates DSS-induced colitis without causing hypercalcemia in mice

Systemic 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 treatment ameliorating murine inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) could not be applied to patients because of hypercalcemia. We tested the hypothesis that increasing 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 synthesis locally by targeting delivery of the 1α-hydroxylase gene (CYP27B1) to the inflamed bowel would ameliorate IBD without causing hypercalcemia. Our targeting strategy is the use of CD11b + /Gr1 + monocytes as the cell vehicle and a macrophage-specific promoter (Mac1) to control CYP27B1 expression. The CD11b + /Gr1 + monocytes migrated initially to inflamed colon and some healthy tissues in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) colitis mice; however, only the migration of monocytes to the inflamed colon was sustained. Adoptive transfer of Gr1 + monocytes did not cause hepatic injury. Infusion of Mac1-CYP27B1-modified monocytes increased body weight gain, survival, and colon length, and expedited mucosal regeneration. Expression of pathogenic Th17 and Th1 cytokines (interleukin (IL)-17a and interferon (IFN)-α) was decreased, while expression of protective Th2 cytokines (IL-5 and IL-13) was increased, by the treatment. This therapy also enhanced tight junction gene expression in the colon. No hypercalcemia occurred following this therapy. In conclusion, we have for the first time obtained proof-of-principle evidence for a novel monocyte-based adoptive CYP27B1 gene therapy using a mouse IBD model. This strategy could be developed into a novel therapy for IBD and other autoimmune diseases.