Construction and delivery of gene therapy vector containing soluble TNFalpha receptor-IgGFc fusion gene for the treatment of allergic rhinitis

Resveratrol-loaded microemulsion based thermosensitive hydrogel for potential topical treatment of the vaginal inflammation

BACKGROUND

Vaginal inflammation is a prevalent gynecological condition. If left untreated, it can potentially spread to the urinary and reproductive systems.

METHODS

In this study, we propose a resveratrol-loaded microemulsion-based thermosensitive hydrogel (Res-Me-Tsgel) and compare it with a chitosan hydrogel-based Res-Me-Cogel. We characterized the different characters of Res-Me-Tsgel. The safety of Res-Me-Tsgel was also evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Finally, we measured the retention of Res in the vagina after drug administration.

RESULTS

The Res-Me-Tsgel we prepared is a transparent liquid solution at room temperature that rapidly forms a gel at 37oC. Compared to Res solution and Res-Me, both Res-Me-Cogel and Res-Me-Tsgel demonstrate superior sustained release properties. Both in vitro and in vivo studies confirm the excellent biosafety profile of Res-Me-Cogel and Res-Me-Tsgel. Vaginal administration of these formulations in rats results in prolonged retention of resveratrol within the vagina. Notably, due to its improved flow into vaginal folds after administration, the retention of Resveratrol was approximately three times higher for the Res-Me-Tsgel group compared to the Res-Me-Cogel group at 24 h post-administration. Overall, these findings highlight the potential application of Res-Me-Tsgel as an effective means for vaginal inflammation.

CONCLUSIONS

We developed a novel micromulsion based thermosensitive hydrogel for the delivery of Res. The sustained release of Res and favorable vaginal retention from Res-Me-Tsgel make them promise as a potential candidate for local intravaginal therapy.

Gene Therapy for Immunoglobulin E, Complement-Mediated, and Eosinophilic Disorders

Immunoglobulin E, complement, and eosinophils play an important role in host defense, but dysfunction of each of these components can lead to a variety of human disorders. In this review, we summarize how investigators have adapted gene therapy and antisense technology to modulate immunoglobulin E, complement, and/or eosinophil levels to treat these disorders.

Inhibition of Angiogenic Factor Productions by Quercetin In Vitro and In Vivo

Background: Angiogenesis is well known to be an important event in the tissue remodeling observed in allergic diseases. Although there is much evidence that quercetin, one of the most abundant dietary flavonoids, exerts anti-allergic effects in both human and experimental animal models of allergic diseases, the action of quercetin on angiogenesis has not been defined. Therefore, in this study, we first examined the action of quercetin on the secretion of angiogenic factors from murine mast cells in vitro. We also examined the action of quercetin on angiogenic factor secretion in the murine allergic rhinitis model in vivo. Methods: Mast cells (1 × 105 cells/mL) sensitized with ovalbumin (OVA)-specific murine IgE were stimulated with 10.0 ng/mL OVA in the presence or the absence of quercetin for 24 h. The concentrations of angiogenic factors, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-6 and IL-8 in the supernatants were examined by ELISA. BALB/c male mice immunized with OVA were challenged intranasally with OVA every other day, starting seven days after the final immunization. These mice were then orally administered quercetin once a day for five days, starting seven days after the final immunization. Clinical symptoms were assessed by counting the number of sneezes and nasal rubbing behaviors during the 10 min period just after OVA nasal provocation. The angiogenic factor concentrations in the nasal lavage fluids obtained 6 h after nasal antigenic provocation were examined by ELISA. Results: Quercetin significantly inhibited the production of angiogenetic factors induced by IgE-dependent mechanisms at 5.0 µM or more. Oral administration of 25.0 mg/kg quercetin into the mice also suppressed the appearance of angiogenetic factors in nasal lavage fluids, along with the attenuation of nasal symptoms. Conclusions: These results strongly suggest that the inhibitory action of quercetin on angiogenic factor secretion may be implicated in the therapeutic action of quercetin on allergic diseases, especially allergic rhinitis.

Genetic Modification of the Lung Directed Toward Treatment of Human Disease

Genetic modification therapy is a promising therapeutic strategy for many diseases of the lung intractable to other treatments. Lung gene therapy has been the subject of numerous preclinical animal experiments and human clinical trials, for targets including genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis and α1-antitrypsin deficiency, complex disorders such as asthma, allergy, and lung cancer, infections such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and Pseudomonas, as well as pulmonary arterial hypertension, transplant rejection, and lung injury. A variety of viral and non-viral vectors have been employed to overcome the many physical barriers to gene transfer imposed by lung anatomy and natural defenses. Beyond the treatment of lung diseases, the lung has the potential to be used as a metabolic factory for generating proteins for delivery to the circulation for treatment of systemic diseases. Although much has been learned through a myriad of experiments about the development of genetic modification of the lung, more work is still needed to improve the delivery vehicles and to overcome challenges such as entry barriers, persistent expression, specific cell targeting, and circumventing host anti-vector responses.

Gene therapy-mediated reprogramming tumor infiltrating T cells using IL-2 and inhibiting NF-κB signaling improves the efficacy of immunotherapy in a brain cancer model

Immune-mediated gene therapy using adenovirus expressing Flt3 ligand and thymidine kinase followed by ganciclovir administration (Flt3/TK) effectively elicits tumor regression in preclinical glioma models. Herein, we assessed new strategies to optimize Flt3L/TK therapeutic efficacy in a refractory RG2 orthotopic glioblastoma model. Specifically, we aimed to optimize the therapeutic efficacy of Flt3L/TK treatment in the RG2 model by overexpressing the following genes within the brain tumor microenvironment: 1) a TK mutant with enhanced cytotoxicity (SR39 mutant TK), 2) Flt3L-IgG fusion protein that has a longer half-life, 3) CD40L to stimulate DC maturation, 4) T helper cell type 1 polarizing dendritic cell cytokines interleukin-12 or C-X-C motif ligand 10 chemokine (CXCL)-10, 5) C-C motif ligand 2 chemokine (CCL2) or C-C motif ligand 3 chemokine (CCL3) to enhance dendritic cell recruitment into the tumor microenvironment, 6) T helper cell type 1 cytokines interferon-γ or interleukin-2 to enhance effector T-cell functions, and 7) IκBα or p65RHD (nuclear factor kappa-B [NF-κB] inhibitors) to suppress the function of Foxp3+ Tregs and enhanced effector T-cell functions. Anti-tumor immunity and tumor specific effector T-cell functions were assessed by cytotoxic T lymphocyte assay and intracellular IFN-γ staining. Our data showed that overexpression of interferon-γ or interleukin-2, or inhibition of the nuclear factor kappa-B within the tumor microenvironment, enhanced cytotoxic T lymphocyte-mediated immune responses and successfully extended the median survival of rats bearing intracranial RG2 when combined with Flt3L/TK. These findings indicate that enhancement of T-cell functions constitutes a critical therapeutic target to overcome immune evasion and enhance therapeutic efficacy for brain cancer. In addition, our study provides novel targets to be used in combination with immune-therapeutic strategies for glioblastoma, which are currently being tested in the clinic.

Role of muscarinic receptor activation in regulating immune cell activity in nasal mucosa

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of airway inflammatory disorders keeps rising; its pathogenic mechanism is still not fully understood.

OBJECTIVE

The present study aimed to investigate the role of muscarinic receptor (M receptor) in regulating the immune cell activity in nasal mucosa by using surgical removed nasal mucosa from patients with nasal polyposis (NP) as a study platform.

METHODS

Human nasal mucosal sample was collected from inferior turbinectomy of 86 patients with NP or/and allergic rhinitis. Expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), M receptor, OX40 ligand was measured in nasal mucosa by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, flow cytometry, and Western blotting assay.

RESULTS

When compared with non-NP (nNP) nasal mucosa, contents of TNF-alpha and TNF-alpha+ cells markedly increased in NP nasal mucosa; immune staining colocalized M3 receptor+ and TNF-alpha+ cells in NP nasal mucosa; exposure of isolated CD4+ T cells to methacholine induced the release of TNF-alpha. We also found CD11c+/M3 receptor+ cells in NP nasal mucosa. Methacholine increased the expression of OX40L in dendritic cells. Staphylococcal (S) aureus and S. enterotoxin B (SEB) were detected in NP nasal mucosa. Exposure of dendritic cells or naïve CD4+ T cells to SEB initiated the expression of M3 receptor at mRNA and protein levels.

CONCLUSIONS

The present data demonstrate that parasympathetic activity has the capacity to activate dendritic cells to release OX40 ligand, the latter induces CD4+ T cells to produce IL-4 and TNF-alpha that may further contribute to the pathogenesis of NP.

Vector-mediated gene transfer engenders long-lived neutralizing activity and protection against SIV infection in monkeys

The holy grail for HIV vaccine development is an immunogen that elicits persisting antibodies with broad neutralizing activity against field strains of the virus. Unfortunately, very little progress has been made in finding or designing such immunogens. Using the SIV model, we have taken a markedly different approach: delivery of an adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene transfer vector to muscle for the expression of antibodies or antibody-like immunoadhesins having predetermined anti-SIV specificity. With this approach, anti-SIV molecules are endogenously synthesized in myofibers and passively distributed to the circulatory system. Using such an approach in monkeys, we have now generated long-lasting neutralizing activity in serum and observed complete protection against intravenous challenge with virulent SIV. In essence, this strategy bypasses the adaptive immune system and holds significant promise as a novel approach to an effective HIV vaccine.

Robust in vivo transduction of a genetically stable Epstein-Barr virus episome to hepatocytes in mice by a hybrid viral vector

To make a safe, long-lasting gene delivery vehicle, we developed a hybrid vector that leverages the relative strengths of adenovirus and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). A fully gene-deleted helper-dependent adenovirus (HDAd) is used as the delivery vehicle for its scalability and high transduction efficiency. Upon delivery, a portion of the HDAd vector is recombined to form a circular plasmid. This episome includes two elements from EBV: an EBV nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) expression cassette and an EBNA1 binding region. Along with a human replication origin, these elements provide considerable genetic stability to the episome in replicating cells while avoiding insertional mutagenesis. Here, we demonstrate that this hybrid approach is highly efficient at delivering EBV episomes to target cells in vivo. We achieved nearly 100% transduction of hepatocytes after a single intravenous injection in mice. This is a substantial improvement over the transduction efficiency of previously available physical and viral methods. Bioluminescent imaging of vector-transduced mice demonstrated that luciferase transgene expression from the hybrid was robust and compared well to a traditional HDAd vector. Quantitative PCR analysis confirmed that the EBV episome was stable at approximately 30 copies per cell for up to 50 weeks and that it remained circular and extrachromosomal. Approaches for adapting the HDAd-EBV hybrid to a variety of disease targets and the potential benefits of this approach are discussed.

Inhibition of angiogenic factor production from murine mast cells by an antiallergic agent (epinastine hydrochloride) in vitro

Angiogenesis is an important event both in the development of allergic inflammatory responses and in the pathophysiology of tissue remodeling in allergic diseases. In the present study, therefore, we examined the influence of antihistamines on angiogenesis through the choice of epinastine hydrochloride (EP) and murine mast cells in vitro. Mast cells (5 × 10⁵ cells/mL) presensitized with murine IgE specific for ovalbumin (OVA) were stimulated with 10 ng/mL OVA in the presence of various concentrations of EP for 4 hours. The levels of angiogenesis factors, keratinocyte-derived chemokine (KC), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in culture supernatants, were examined by ELISA. We also examined mRNA expression for the angiogenesis factors by RT-PCR. EP significantly inhibited the production of KC, TNF, and VEGF induced by IgE-dependent mechanism at more than 25 ng/mL. Semiquantitative analysis using RT-PCR showed that EP also significantly reduced mRNA expressions for KC, TNF, and VEGF. These results strongly suggest that EP suppresses angiogenesis factor production through the inhibition of mRNA expression in mast cells and results in favorable modification of clinical conditions of allergic diseases.

Effects of intranasal TNFalpha on granulocyte recruitment and activity in healthy subjects and patients with allergic rhinitis

Background

TNFα may contribute to the pathophysiology of airway inflammation. For example, we have recently shown that nasal administration of TNFα produces late phase co-appearance of granulocyte and plasma exudation markers on the mucosal surface. The objective of the present study was to examine indices of granulocyte presence and activity in response to intranasal TNFα challenge.

Methods

Healthy subjects and patients with allergic rhinitis (examined out of season) were subjected to nasal challenge with TNFα (10 μg) in a sham-controlled and crossover design. Nasal lavages were carried out prior to and 24 hours post challenge. Nasal biopsies were obtained post challenge. Nasal lavage fluid levels of myeloperoxidase (MPO) and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) were analyzed as indices of neutrophil and eosinophil activity. Moreover, IL-8 and α₂-macroglobulin were analyzed as markers of pro-inflammatory cytokine production and plasma exudation. Nasal biopsy numbers of neutrophils and eosinophils were monitored.

Results

Nasal lavage fluid levels of MPO recorded 24 hours post TNFα challenge were increased in healthy subjects (p = 0.0081) and in patients with allergic rhinitis (p = 0.0081) (c.f. sham challenge). Similarly, α₂-macroglobulin was increased in healthy subjects (p = 0.014) and in patients with allergic rhinitis (p = 0.0034). Lavage fluid levels of ECP and IL-8 were not affected by TNFα challenge. TNFα increased the numbers of subepithelial neutrophils (p = 0.0021), but not the numbers of eosinophils.

Conclusion

TNFα produces a nasal inflammatory response in humans that is characterised by late phase (i.e., 24 hours post challenge) neutrophil activity and plasma exudation.