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In the next 5–10 years we could see cellular-based pharmaceuticals, or cell therapy, meeting the unmet medical needs of thousands of people. How this therapy will meet these needs depends on the ability of researchers and manufacturers to successfully and cost effectively manufacture and deliver engineered cell-based therapeutic products that are safe and exhibit enhanced potency with resulting durable, meaningful clinical efficacy. The ability to engineer such enhanced potency using nonviral, cGMP-compliant, automated and closed system manufacturing processes will represent a significant advantage. To outline how such a process might work, we have summarized the application of a scalable, cGMP-compliant, electroporation platform for engineering dendritic cells (DCs), NK cells and T cells for development of cellular immunotherapies targeting hematological malignancies and solid tumors. Autologous cellular immunotherapy refers to a class of therapies that are designed to stimulate a specific immune respons...

CD19-targeted chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) engineered T/natural killer (NK)-cell therapies can result in durable clinical responses in B-cell malignancies. However, CAR-based immunotherapies have been much less successful in solid cancers, in part due to “on-target off-tumor” toxicity related to expression of target tumor antigens on normal tissue. Based on preliminary observations of safety and clinical activity in proof-of-concept clinical trials, tumor antigen-specific messenger RNA (mRNA) CAR transfection into selected, activated, and expanded T/NK cells may permit prospective control of “on-target off-tumor” toxicity. To develop a commercial product for solid tumors, mesothelin was selected as an antigen target based on its association with poor prognosis and overexpression in multiple solid cancers. It was hypothesized that selecting, activating, and expanding cells ex vivo prior to mRNA CAR transfection would not be necessary, thus simplifying the complexity and cost of manufacturing. Now, the development of anti-human mesothelin mRNA CAR transfected peripheral blood lymphocytes (CARMA-hMeso) is reported, demonstrating the manufacture and cryopreservation of multiple cell aliquots for repeat administrations from a single human leukapheresis. A rapid, automated, closed system for cGMP-compliant transfection of mRNA CAR in up to 20 × 10(9) peripheral blood lymphocytes was developed. Here we show that CARMA-hMeso cells recognize and lyse tumor cells in a mesothelin-specific manner. Expression of CAR was detectable over approximately 7 days in vitro, with a progressive decline of CAR expression that appears to correlate with in vitro cell expansion. In a murine ovarian cancer model, a single intraperitoneal injection of CARMA-hMeso resulted in the dose-dependent inhibition of tumor growth and improved survival of mice. Furthermore, repeat weekly intraperitoneal administrations of the optimal CARMA-hMeso dose further prolonged disease control and survival. No significant off-target toxicities were observed. These data support further investigation of CARMA-hMeso as a potential treatment for ovarian cancer and other mesothelin-expressing cancers.

Recent commercial approval of cancer vaccine, demonstrating statistically significant improvement in overall survival of prostate cancer patients has spurred renewed interest in active immunotherapies; specifically, strategies that lead to enhanced biological activity and robust efficacy for dendritic cell vaccines. A simple, widely used approach to generating multivalent cancer vaccines is to load tumor whole cell lysates into dendritic cells (DCs). Current DC vaccine manufacturing processes require co-incubation of tumor lysate antigens with immature DCs and their subsequent maturation. We compared electroloading of tumor cell lysates directly into mature DCs with the traditional method of lysate co-incubation with immature DCs. Electroloaded mature DCs were more potent in vitro, as judged by their ability to elicit significantly (p < 0.05) greater expansion of peptide antigen-specific CD8(+) T cells, than either lysate-electroloaded immature DCs or lysate-co-incubated immature DCs, both of which must be subsequently matured. Expanded CD8(+) T cells were functional as judged by their ability to produce IFN-γ upon antigen-specific re-stimulation. The electroloading technology used herein is an automated, scalable, functionally closed cGMP-compliant manufacturing technology supported by a Master File at CBER, FDA and represents an opportunity for translation of enhanced potency DC vaccines at clinical/commercial scale.

Natural killer (NK) cells hold promise for cancer therapy. NK cytotoxicity can be enhanced by expression of chimeric antigen receptors that re-direct specificity toward target cells by engaging cell surface molecules expressed on target cells. We developed a regulatory-compliant, scalable non-viral approach to engineer NK cells to be target-specific based on transfection of mRNA encoding chimeric receptors. Transfection of eGFP mRNA into ex vivo expanded NK cells (N=5) or purified unstimulated NK cells from peripheral blood (N=4) resulted in good cell viability with eGFP expression in 85+/-6% and 86+/-4%, 24 h after transfection, respectively. An mRNA encoding a receptor directed against CD19 (anti-CD19-BB-z) was also transfected into NK cells efficiently. Ex vivo expanded and purified unstimulated NK cells expressing anti-CD19-BB-z exhibited enhanced cytotoxicity against CD19(+) target cells resulting in > or =80% lysis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and B-lineage chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells at effector target ratios lower than 10:1. The target-specific cytotoxicity for anti-CD19-BB-z mRNA-transfected NK cells was observed as early as 3 h after transfection and persisted for up to 3 days. The method described here should facilitate the clinical development of NK-based antigen-targeted immunotherapy for cancer.

Using a nonviral, electroporation-based gene transfection approach, we demonstrate the efficient and consistent transfection of two poorly immunogenic tumor cell lines: B16F10 melanoma and renal carcinoma (RENCA). Three genes, IL-12, angiostatin (AS), and an endostatin:angiostatin fusion protein (ES:AS) were subcloned into a DNA plasmid containing EBNA1-OriP, which was then transfected into B16F10 and RENCA cells. Significant levels of protein were secreted into the culture supernatants of transfected cells in vitro. Transfected tumor cells were injected subcutaneously into mice. All the three transgenes were capable of significantly delaying and reducing the formation of primary B16F10 and RENCA tumors, as well as B16F10 lung metastases. By day 11 post-injection, all control mice that received either mock-transfected or empty vector DNA-transfected B16F10 tumor cells had developed large primary tumors. In contrast, mice that received IL-12-transfected B16F10 cells did not develop appreciable tumors until day 17, and these were significantly smaller than controls. Similar results were observed for the RENCA model, in which only one of the IL-12 mice had developed tumors out to day 31. Expression of AS or ES:AS also significantly delayed and reduced primary tumors. Overall, ES:AS was more effective than AS alone. Furthermore, 25% of the AS mice and 33% of the ES:AS mice remained tumor-free at day 17, by which point all control mice had significant tumors. Mouse survival rates also correlated with the extent of tumor burden. Importantly, no lung metastases were detected in the lungs of mice that had received either AS or ES:AS-transfected B16F10 tumor cells and significantly fewer metastases were found in the IL-12 group. The consistency of our transfection results highlight the feasibility of directly electroporating tumor cells as a means to screen, identify, and validate in vivo potentially novel antiangiogenic and/or antineoplastic genes.

Electroporation is widely used to transfect and load cells with various molecules. Traditional electroporation using a static mode is typically restricted to volumes less than 1 mL, which limits its use in clinical and industrial bioprocessing applications. Here we report efficient, large volume transfection results by using a scalable-volume electroporation system. Suspended (Jurkat) and adherent cells (10T1/2 and Huh-7) were tested. A large macromolecule, FITC-conjugated dextran (MW=500 kD) was used to measure cell uptake, while a plasmid carrying the gene coding for enhanced green fluorescence protein (eGFP) was used to quantitate the flow electrotransfection efficiency as determined by flow cytometry. The flow electroloading efficiency of FITC-dextran was >90%, while the cell viability was highly maintained (>90%). High flow electrotransfection efficiency (up to 75%) and cell viability (up to 90%) were obtained with processing volumes ranging from 1.5 to 50 mL. No significant difference of electrotransfection efficiency was observed between flow and static electrotransfection. When 50 mL of cell volume was processed and samples collected at different time points during electroporation, the transgene expression and cell viability results were identical. We also demonstrated that DNA plasmid containing EBNA1-OriP elements from Epstein-Barr virus were more efficient in transgene expression than standard plasmid without the elements (at least 500 too 1000-fold increase in expression level). Finally, to examine the feasibility of utilizing flow electrotransfected cells as a gene delivery vehicle, 10T1/2 cells were transfected with a DNA plasmid containing the gene coding for mIL12. mIL12 transfected cells were injected subcutaneously into mice, and produced functional mIL12, as demonstrated by anti-angiogenic activity. This is the first demonstration of efficient, large volume, flow electroporation and the in vivo efficacy of flow electrotransfected cells. This technology may be useful for clinical gene therapy and large-scale bioprocesses.

CD19-targeted chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered T/NK-cell therapies can result in durable clinical responses in B-cell malignancies. However, CAR-based immunotherapies have been less successful in solid cancers. This is partly due to specificity for shared tumor antigens also present on normal host tissues that leads to ‘on-target/off-tumor’ toxicity. We therefore developed a non-viral approach using repeated infusions of mesothelin-specific messenger RNA (mRNA) CAR-transfected T cells to permit prospective control of ‘on-target/off-tumor’ toxicity. Early trials provided preliminary evidence of the safety and anti-tumor activity of this strategy, but the ex vivo selection, activation and expansion of lymphocytes is laborious and expensive. We therefore explored the feasibility of using a rapid, automated, closed system for cGMP-compliant mRNA CAR transfection into freshly isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells for clinical scale manufacture (CARMA). The resulting cryopreserved cellular product expressed CAR in >95% of cells, and recognized and lysed tumor cells in an antigen-specific manner. Expression of CAR was detectable for 5-7 days in vitro, with a progressive decline of CAR expression related to in vitro cell expansion. In a murine ovarian cancer model, a single intra-peritoneal (IP) injection of CARMA resulted in the dose-dependent inhibition of tumor growth and prolonged the overall survival (OS) of mice. Multiple weekly IP injections of the optimal CARMA dose enhanced disease control and further prolonged OS, both of which improved with an increasing number of injections. No significant off-tumor toxicities were observed. These data support further investigation of serial IP CARMA administration as a potential treatment for ovarian cancer and other mesothelin-expressing tumors involving the peritoneum, and provide preclinical proof of principle of CARMA for solid tumors. Citation Format: Chien-Fu Hung, Xuequn Xu, Linhong Li, Ying Ma, Qiu Jin, Angelia Viley, Cornell Allen, Pachai Natarajan, Rama Shivakumar, Madhusudan V. Peshwa, Leisha A. Emens. Development of anti-human mesothelin chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) messenger RNA (mRNA) transfected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (CARMA) for the treatment of mesothelin-expressing cancers [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3748. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-3748

Mutations in the NF1 tumor suppressor gene cause neurofibromatosis type I (NF1), a disease characterized by the formation of cutaneous neurofibromas infiltrated with a high density of degranulating mast cells. A hallmark of cell lines generated from NF1 patients or Nf1-deficient mice is their propensity to hyperproliferate. Neurofibromin, the protein encoded by NF1, negatively regulates p21(ras) activity by accelerating the conversion of Ras-GTP to Ras-GDP. However, identification of alterations in specific p21(ras) effector pathways that control proliferation in NF1-deficient cells is incomplete and critical for understanding disease pathogenesis. Recent studies have suggested that the proliferative effects of p21(ras) may depend on signaling outputs from the small Rho GTPases, Rac and Rho, but the physiologic importance of these interactions in an animal disease model has not been established. Using a genetic intercross between Nf1(+/)- and Rac2(-)(/)- mice, we now provide genetic evidence to support a biochemical model where hyperactivation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) via the hematopoietic-specific Rho GTPase, Rac2, directly contributes to the hyperproliferation of Nf1-deficient mast cells in vitro and in vivo. Further, we demonstrate that Rac2 functions as mediator of cross-talk between phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI-3K) and the classical p21(ras)-Raf-Mek-ERK pathway to confer a distinct proliferative advantage to Nf1(+/)- mast cells. Thus, these studies identify Rac2 as a novel mediator of cross-talk between PI-3K and the p21(ras)-ERK pathway which functions to alter the cellular phenotype of a cell lineage involved in the pathologic complications of a common genetic disease.

Genetic modification for enhancing cellular function has been continuously pursued for fighting diseases. Messenger RNA (mRNA) transfection is found to be a promising solution in modifying hematopoietic and immune cells for therapeutic purpose. We have developed a flow electroporation-based system for large volume electroporation of cells with various molecules, including mRNA. This allows robust and scalable mRNA transfection of primary cells of different origin. Here we describe transfection of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) mRNA into NK cells to modulate the ability of NK cells to target tumor cells. High levels of CAR expression in NK cells can be maintained for 3-7 days post transfection. CD19-specific CAR mRNA transfected NK cells demonstrate targeted lysis of CD19-expressing tumor cells OP-1, primary B-CLL tumor cells, and autologous CD19+ B cells in in vitro assays with enhanced potency:80% lysis at effector-target ratio of 1:1. This allows current good manufacturing practices (cGMP) and regulatory compliant manufacture of CAR mRNA transfected NK cells for clinical delivery.

Genetic modification for enhancing cellular function has been continuously pursued for fighting diseases. Messenger RNA (mRNA) transfection is found to be a promising solution in modifying hematopoietic and immune cells for therapeutic purpose. We have developed a flow electroporation-based system for large volume electroporation of cells with various molecules, including mRNA. This allows robust and scalable mRNA transfection of primary cells of different origin. Here we describe transfection of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) mRNA into NK cells to modulate the ability of NK cells to target tumor cells. High levels of CAR expression in NK cells can be maintained for 3-7 days post transfection. CD19-specific CAR mRNA transfected NK cells demonstrate targeted lysis of CD19-expressing tumor cells OP-1, primary B-CLL tumor cells, and autologous CD19+ B cells in in vitro assays with enhanced potency: >80% lysis at effector-target ratio of 1:1. This allows current good manufacturing practices (cGMP) and regulatory compliant manufacture of CAR mRNA transfected NK cells for clinical delivery.

Lentiviral vectors are beginning to emerge as a viable choice for human gene therapy. Here, we describe a method that combines the convenience of a suspension cell line with a scalable, nonchemically based, and GMP-compliant transfection technique known as flow electroporation (EP). Flow EP parameters for serum-free adapted HEK293FT cells were optimized to limit toxicity and maximize titers. Using a third generation, HIV-based, lentiviral vector system pseudotyped with the vesicular stomatitis glycoprotein envelope, both small- and large-volume transfections produced titers over 1×108 infectious units/mL. Therefore, an excellent option for implementing large-scale, clinical lentiviral productions is flow EP of suspension cell lines.

Results from multiple human studies have continued to spur the development of dendritic cells (DCs) as therapeutic vaccines for the treatment of cancer, chronic viral infections, and autoimmune diseases. The antigen-specific activity of DCs is dependent on the ability of the DCs to take up and process tumor-associated antigens for presentation to the immune system. Although immature DCs have been shown to naturally take up tumor-associated antigens by phagocytosis, approaches that significantly affect antigen delivery need further evaluation, especially if such methodologies can be demonstrated to result in the elicitation of more robust and comprehensive immune responses. We have developed a rapid, robust, scalable, and regulatory-compliant process for loading DCs with whole tumor lysate. The use of whole tumor lysate facilitates the generation of a more robust immune response targeting multiple unique antigenic determinants in patient's tumors and likely reduces the tumor's potential of immune escape. We demonstrate that DCs electroloaded with tumor lysate elicit significantly stronger antitumor responses both in a tumor challenge model and in a therapeutic vaccination model for preexisting metastasic disease. These effects are observed in a processing scheme that requires 20- to 40-fold lower amounts of tumor lysate when compared with the standard coincubation/coculture methods employed in loading DCs.

Results from multiple human studies have continued to spur the development of dendritic cells (DCs) as therapeutic vaccines for the treatment of cancer, chronic viral infections, and autoimmune diseases. The antigen-specific activity of DCs is dependent on the ability of the DCs to take up and process tumor-associated antigens for presentation to the immune system. Although immature DCs have been shown to naturally take up tumor-associated antigens by phagocytosis, approaches that significantly affect antigen delivery need further evaluation, especially if such methodologies can be demonstrated to result in the elicitation of more robust and comprehensive immune responses. We have developed a rapid, robust, scalable, and regulatory-compliant process for loading DCs with whole tumor lysate. The use of whole tumor lysate facilitates the generation of a more robust immune response targeting multiple unique antigenic determinants in patient's tumors and likely reduces the tumor's potential of immune escape. We demonstrate that DCs electroloaded with tumor lysate elicit significantly stronger antitumor responses both in a tumor challenge model and in a therapeutic vaccination model for preexisting metastasic disease. These effects are observed in a processing scheme that requires 20- to 40-fold lower amounts of tumor lysate when compared with the standard coincubation/coculture methods employed in loading DCs.

Viral vectors show promise as gene therapy treatments for a number of diseases. However, it has been difficult to develop a robust system for generating large volumes of high-titer viral vectors based on lentivirus, alphavirus and adeno-associated virus (AAV) that are needed for clinical applications. Problems stem from the lack of stable producer cell lines and inherent inefficiencies associated with introducing multiple plasmids into adherent monolayer cells by conventional transient transfection techniques (i.e., calcium phosphate precipitation or cationic lipids). Other researchers have demonstrated that suspension cells of lymphoid origin, which can be grown at much higher density than adherent cells, can be converted into efficient retroviral vector producer cell lines (Chan et al., 2001. Gene Ther. 8: 697). However, commercially available transient transfection systems are not optimal for large volume co-transfection of suspension cells, especially hematopoietic cells. MaxCyte's proprietary high-throughput electroporation technology provides a closed, robust, scalable system for high efficiency transfection of both adherent and suspension cells. The MaxCyte system previously was used to produce high titer alphaviral vectors from >10 x109 Vero cells and lentiviral vectors from >1 x109 adherent HEK 293T cells. To improve the efficiency of lentiviral vector production at large scale and to demonstrate the feasibility of lentivector production in suspension cells, we used the MaxCyte system to transfect large volumes (38 x109 cells in 380 mL) of K562 human hematopoietic cells rapidly (within 20 minutes) with a plasmid encoding the green fluorescent protein (GFP) marker gene. The transfected cells were collected in fractions of 35-40 mL. Cells were cultured from each fraction or pooled samples to monitor consistency of the high- throughput electroporation. Greater than 90% of the cells expressed GFP when analyzed by flow cytometry at 48 hrs post-electroporation for all fractionated and pooled cell samples. Propidium iodide (PI) exclusion revealed the cell viability of all the fractionated and pooled cell samples to be greater than 90%. In addition, we were able to produce lentivirus in K562 cells by small- scale electroporation of 10 x106 cells with four plasmids encoding components of a lentiviral vector derived from HIV carrying the eGFP marker gene. In conclusion, these studies will demonstrate that use of suspension cells processed by MaxCyte's high- throughput electroporation-based transfection system is a feasible approach for generating large volumes of high-titer viral vectors suitable for clinical / commercial applications in human gene therapy.

Electroporation of dendritic cells (DCs) with tumor lysate elicited greater antitumor responses in vitro and in vivo, using less lysate than standard coincubation. Electroloaded DCs had normal surface marker expression and matured into competent antigen-presenting cells. In a renal carcinoma (RENCA) model, mice were pretreated with lysate-loaded DCs before tumor challenge. Mice that received DCs electroloaded with RENCA lysate had significantly smaller tumors (9 ± 6 mm 2 ) than mice given DCs coincubated with the same lysate (23 ± 5 mm 2 ). To evaluate a metastatic therapeutic tumor model, mice were first injected with Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) and then given 2 doses of cryopreserved LLC lysate-loaded DCs. Mice treated with electroloaded DCs had a 50% reduction in lung metastases compared with control mice that received no DCs or DCs loaded with liver lysate. In contrast, DCs coincubated with LLC lysate were indistinguishable from controls. Tumor lysate-electroloaded but not-coincubated DCs also primed syngeneic mouse splenocytes in vitro to produce interferon-γ and, specifically, lyse tumor cells. The electroloaded DCs elicited specific T-cell responses with less lysate than the amount reported in standard coincubation procedures. This approach may be particularly useful when small amounts of tumor material are available.

Interactions between CD40 and CD40 ligand (CD154) are essential in the regulation of both humoral and cellular immune responses. Forced expression of human CD154 in B chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) cells can upregulate costimulatory and adhesion molecules and restore antigen-presenting capacity. Unfortunately, B-CLL cells are resistant to direct gene manipulation with most currently available gene transfer systems. In this report, we describe the use of a nonviral, clinical-grade, electroporation-based gene delivery system and a standard plasmid carrying CD154 cDNA, which achieved efficient (64+/-15%) and rapid (within 3 h) transfection of primary B-CLL cells. Consistent results were obtained from multiple human donors. Transfection of CD154 was functional in that it led to upregulated expression of CD80, CD86, ICAM-I and MHC class II (HLA-DR) on the B-CLL cells and induction of allogeneic immune responses in MLR assays. Furthermore, sustained transgene expression was demonstrated in long-term cryopreserved transfected cells. This simple and rapid gene delivery technology has been validated under the current Good Manufacturing Practice conditions, and multiple doses of CD154-expressing cells were prepared for CLL patients from one DNA transfection. Vaccination strategies using autologous tumor cells manipulated ex vivo for patients with B-CLL and perhaps with other hematopoietic malignancies could be practically implemented using this rapid and efficient nonviral gene delivery system.

Primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) is a progressive disease of unknown pathogenesis with a bleak prognosis for affected patients. The available treatment options utilize vasorelaxants such as continuously infused prostaglandin analogs or inhaled nitric oxide (NO). We are developing a cell-based gene therapy approach that administers NO in situ and utilizes a non-viral gene delivery system. We present here preclinical in vivo data on a model system that utilizes PH induced by a chemical agent, monocrotaline (MCT), in the rat and intravenous (IV) administration of fibroblasts transfected with endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS).

The identification of the chemokine receptor CCR5 as the major co-receptor required for HIV entry into CD4 T-cells has made the targeted disruption of CCR5 an attractive potential therapeutic approach for treating HIV-infected patients. Yet, no current method permits the efficient therapeutic disruption of a chosen gene in the human genome. We have developed designed zinc-finger protein nucleases (ZFNs) that specifically target the coding sequence of the CCR5 gene. Using standard delivery methods, we have shown these ZFNs can efficiently stimulate the formation of a double strand break (DSB) in the CCR5 locus to allow the natural DNA repair pathways, including Non-Homologous End Joining (NHEJ), to subsequently repair the DSB. Importantly, however, NHEJ is error prone and thus can result in frameshift mutations, leading to permanent disruption in >10% of K562 cells.

We are developing the Sleeping Beauty (SB) transposon system as a non-viral gene therapy for treatment of blood related disorders. The goal of this study is to characterize the efficacy of SB transposon vectors to elicit long-term gene expression after introduction into hematopoietic cells by electroporation. Ex vivo, non-viral gene therapy strategies have the potential to be safer than viral strategies because of (1) reduced potential to generate an immune response, (2) the ability to more stringently control the manufacturing process, and (3) the essentially random insertion into the genome. The SB transposase mediates integration of the associated transposon into chromosomes via a precise cut and paste mechanism. To evaluate the potential of SB transposon plasmids to mediate long-term expression in hematopoietic cell populations, we constructed a transposon containing a PGK promoter to regulate transcription of a bicistronic mRNA encoding eGFP and neomycin phosphotransferase. SB transposase was provided by a separate plasmid carrying the SB gene regulated by an ubiquitin promoter. These two plasmids were transfected into K562 - undifferentiated myeloid cells at 1:1 ratio via a clinically approved electroporation-based cell loading system (MaxCyte GT). Greater than 90% of the cells expressed GFP when analyzed by flow cytometry at 24 hrs post-electroporation. Propidium iodide (PI) exclusion revealed the transfected cell viability to be greater than 95%. To study subpopulations of K562 cells that exhibit long-term expression of eGFP, the transfected cells were plated in methylcellulose in the presence or absence of G418. The results showed that cotransfection of the transposon and SB gene gave rise to 40% 9.5% G418 resistant colony formation, while G418 resistant colonies were not observed after cotransfection of the transposon with an SB deleted plasmid. Several G418 resistant colonies were isolated and are currently being characterized molecularly for transposition vs. random recombination.

Top of pageAbstract There is considerable interest in the use of genetically modified activated or malignant B cells as antigen presenting cells for immunotherapy applications. However, these cells are difficult targets for gene transfer by both viral and non-viral methodologies. Under optimal conditions, we previously demonstrated approximately 50% transfection efficiency by electroporating chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) patients' malignant B cells with DNA plasmid encoding the eGFP marker gene. We next investigated whether transgene expression could be further increased by transfecting mRNA reasoning that in vitro transcribed RNA can be translated simultaneously when it is delivered to the cytosol. Here, we report that transfecting CLL-B cells with mRNA resulted in superior transgene expression. We first electroporated CLL -B cells with 5′-end capped mRNA encoding for the marker gene, eGFP, which was obtained by in vitro transcription of the full length cDNA (on pCI backbone) with a commercially available T7 polymerase kit (Ambion). The transfected cells were analyzed by FACS for transfection efficiency measuring eGFP expression and for cell viability by PI exclusion. Data showed that both cell viability and transfection efficiency were 90% at 3 hr post transfection. CLL patients' malignant B are ineffective antigen-presenting cells, due to the decreased cell surface expression of the co-stimulatory molecules needed to activate T cells after the engagement of T-cell receptor. Forced expression of hCD40L has been shown to up-regulate the expression of co-stimulatory and adhesion molecules and render them to be more efficient antigen-presenting cells, however, its expression has been difficult to achieve in human CLL-B cells. Full length hCD40L mRNA was obtained by the same procedure as described for eGFP and electroporated into CLL-B cells. The transfected cells were immunostained using a FITC-conjugated monoclonal antibody to hCD40L (BD Pharmingen) and analyzed by FACS. The cell surface expression of hCD40L was achieved in greater than 50% of the CLL-B cells as early as 2 hrs post transfection and persisted for at least 48 hrs. Cell viability, when normalized against the control cells was 90%. FACS analysis of the co-stimulatory molecules revealed that hCD40L expression correlated with an up-regulation of both CD80/CD86. Significant up-regulation of CD86 was detected as early as 2 – 4 hr post transfection. The mean fluorescence intensity of CD86 expression was increased approximately 10 fold vs. control cells. mRNA transfection eliminates the concern of genomic modification, gives rise to superior gene expression, safety and cell viability, and offers significant advantages over other gene transfer methodology. Transient gene expression by mRNA transfection should be sufficient and possibly preferable for both in vivo and ex vivo (CTL generation, adoptive) immunotherapy. A scalable, electroporation based system has been developed which will be a useful tool for clinical applications that require large volume mRNA transfection.