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Luo S, Jiang H, Li Q, Qin Y, Yang S, Li J, Xu L, Gou Y, Zhang Y, Liu F, Ke X, Zheng Q, Sun X. An adeno-associated virus variant enabling efficient ocular-directed gene delivery across species. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3780. [PMID: 38710714 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48221-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAVs) have emerged as promising gene therapy vectors due to their proven efficacy and safety in clinical applications. In non-human primates (NHPs), rAAVs are administered via suprachoroidal injection at a higher dose. However, high doses of rAAVs tend to increase additional safety risks. Here, we present a novel AAV capsid (AAVv128), which exhibits significantly enhanced transduction efficiency for photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, along with a broader distribution across the layers of retinal tissues in different animal models (mice, rabbits, and NHPs) following intraocular injection. Notably, the suprachoroidal delivery of AAVv128-anti-VEGF vector completely suppresses the Grade IV lesions in a laser-induced choroidal neovascularization (CNV) NHP model for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). Furthermore, cryo-EM analysis at 2.1 Å resolution reveals that the critical residues of AAVv128 exhibit a more robust advantage in AAV binding, the nuclear uptake and endosome escaping. Collectively, our findings highlight the potential of AAVv128 as a next generation ocular gene therapy vector, particularly using the suprachoroidal delivery route.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Luo
- Chengdu Origen Biotechnology Co. Ltd, Chengdu, 610036, China
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Biomedicine, Chengdu, 610036, China
| | - Hao Jiang
- Chengdu Origen Biotechnology Co. Ltd, Chengdu, 610036, China
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Biomedicine, Chengdu, 610036, China
| | - Qingwei Li
- Chengdu Origen Biotechnology Co. Ltd, Chengdu, 610036, China
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Biomedicine, Chengdu, 610036, China
| | - Yingfei Qin
- Chengdu Origen Biotechnology Co. Ltd, Chengdu, 610036, China
| | - Shiping Yang
- Chengdu Origen Biotechnology Co. Ltd, Chengdu, 610036, China
| | - Jing Li
- Chengdu Origen Biotechnology Co. Ltd, Chengdu, 610036, China
| | - Lingli Xu
- Chengdu Origen Biotechnology Co. Ltd, Chengdu, 610036, China
| | - Yan Gou
- Chengdu Origen Biotechnology Co. Ltd, Chengdu, 610036, China
| | - Yafei Zhang
- Chengdu Origen Biotechnology Co. Ltd, Chengdu, 610036, China
| | - Fengjiang Liu
- Innovative Center for Pathogen Research, Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou, 510005, China
| | - Xiao Ke
- Chengdu Origen Biotechnology Co. Ltd, Chengdu, 610036, China.
- Chengdu Kanghong Pharmaceuticals Group Co Ltd, Chengdu, 610036, China.
| | - Qiang Zheng
- Chengdu Origen Biotechnology Co. Ltd, Chengdu, 610036, China.
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Biomedicine, Chengdu, 610036, China.
| | - Xun Sun
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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2
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Hogwood J, Mulloy B, Lever R, Gray E, Page CP. Pharmacology of Heparin and Related Drugs: An Update. Pharmacol Rev 2023; 75:328-379. [PMID: 36792365 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.122.000684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Heparin has been used extensively as an antithrombotic and anticoagulant for close to 100 years. This anticoagulant activity is attributed mainly to the pentasaccharide sequence, which potentiates the inhibitory action of antithrombin, a major inhibitor of the coagulation cascade. More recently it has been elucidated that heparin exhibits anti-inflammatory effect via interference of the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps and this may also contribute to heparin's antithrombotic activity. This illustrates that heparin interacts with a broad range of biomolecules, exerting both anticoagulant and nonanticoagulant actions. Since our previous review, there has been an increased interest in these nonanticoagulant effects of heparin, with the beneficial role in patients infected with SARS2-coronavirus a highly topical example. This article provides an update on our previous review with more recent developments and observations made for these novel uses of heparin and an overview of the development status of heparin-based drugs. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This state-of-the-art review covers recent developments in the use of heparin and heparin-like materials as anticoagulant, now including immunothrombosis observations, and as nonanticoagulant including a role in the treatment of SARS-coronavirus and inflammatory conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Hogwood
- Sackler Institute of Pulmonary Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom (B.M., E.G., C.P.P.); National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, South Mimms, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom (J.H., E.G.) and School of Pharmacy, University College London, London, United Kingdom (R.L.)
| | - Barbara Mulloy
- Sackler Institute of Pulmonary Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom (B.M., E.G., C.P.P.); National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, South Mimms, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom (J.H., E.G.) and School of Pharmacy, University College London, London, United Kingdom (R.L.)
| | - Rebeca Lever
- Sackler Institute of Pulmonary Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom (B.M., E.G., C.P.P.); National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, South Mimms, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom (J.H., E.G.) and School of Pharmacy, University College London, London, United Kingdom (R.L.)
| | - Elaine Gray
- Sackler Institute of Pulmonary Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom (B.M., E.G., C.P.P.); National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, South Mimms, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom (J.H., E.G.) and School of Pharmacy, University College London, London, United Kingdom (R.L.)
| | - Clive P Page
- Sackler Institute of Pulmonary Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, London, United Kingdom (B.M., E.G., C.P.P.); National Institute for Biological Standards and Control, South Mimms, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom (J.H., E.G.) and School of Pharmacy, University College London, London, United Kingdom (R.L.)
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3
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Abstract
Neurons are highly interwoven to form intricate neural circuits that underlie the diverse functions of the brain. Dissecting the anatomical organization of neural circuits is key to deciphering how the brain processes information, produces thoughts, and instructs behaviors. Over the past decades, recombinant viral vectors have become the most commonly used tracing tools to define circuit architecture. In this review, we introduce the current categories of viral tools and their proper application in circuit tracing. We further discuss some advances in viral tracing strategy and prospective innovations of viral tools for future study.
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4
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Cabanes-Creus M, Hallwirth CV, Westhaus A, Ng BH, Liao SHY, Zhu E, Navarro RG, Baltazar G, Drouyer M, Scott S, Logan GJ, Santilli G, Bennett A, Ginn SL, McCaughan G, Thrasher AJ, Agbandje-McKenna M, Alexander IE, Lisowski L. Restoring the natural tropism of AAV2 vectors for human liver. Sci Transl Med 2021; 12:12/560/eaba3312. [PMID: 32908003 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aba3312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Recent clinical successes in gene therapy applications have intensified interest in using adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) as vectors for therapeutic gene delivery. Although prototypical AAV2 shows robust in vitro transduction of human hepatocyte-derived cell lines, it has not translated into an effective vector for liver-directed gene therapy in vivo. This is consistent with observations made in Fah-/-/Rag2-/-/Il2rg-/- (FRG) mice with humanized livers, showing that AAV2 functions poorly in this xenograft model. Here, we derived naturally hepatotropic AAV capsid sequences from primary human liver samples. We demonstrated that capsid mutations, likely acquired as an unintentional consequence of tissue culture propagation, attenuated the intrinsic human hepatic tropism of natural AAV2 and related human liver AAV isolates. These mutations resulted in amino acid changes that increased binding to heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG), which has been regarded as the primary cellular receptor mediating AAV2 infection of human hepatocytes. Propagation of natural AAV variants in vitro showed tissue culture adaptation with resulting loss of tropism for human hepatocytes. In vivo readaptation of the prototypical AAV2 in FRG mice with a humanized liver resulted in restoration of the intrinsic hepatic tropism of AAV2 through decreased binding to HSPG. Our results challenge the notion that high affinity for HSPG is essential for AAV2 entry into human hepatocytes and suggest that natural AAV capsids of human liver origin are likely to be more effective for liver-targeted gene therapy applications than culture-adapted AAV2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marti Cabanes-Creus
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Claus V Hallwirth
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute and Children's Hospital at Westmead, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney and Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Adrian Westhaus
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.,Great Ormond Institute of Child Health, University College London, WC1N 1EH London, UK
| | - Boaz H Ng
- Vector and Genome Engineering Facility, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Sophia H Y Liao
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Erhua Zhu
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute and Children's Hospital at Westmead, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney and Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Renina Gale Navarro
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Grober Baltazar
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Matthieu Drouyer
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Suzanne Scott
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute and Children's Hospital at Westmead, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney and Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.,Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), North Ryde, NSW 2113, Australia
| | - Grant J Logan
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute and Children's Hospital at Westmead, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney and Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Giorgia Santilli
- Great Ormond Institute of Child Health, University College London, WC1N 1EH London, UK
| | - Antonette Bennett
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Structural Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Samantha L Ginn
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute and Children's Hospital at Westmead, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney and Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Geoff McCaughan
- Liver Injury and Cancer Program, Centenary Research Institute, A.W Morrow Gastroenterology and Liver Centre, Australian National Liver Transplant Unit, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Adrian J Thrasher
- Great Ormond Institute of Child Health, University College London, WC1N 1EH London, UK
| | - Mavis Agbandje-McKenna
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Structural Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Ian E Alexander
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute and Children's Hospital at Westmead, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney and Sydney Children's Hospitals Network, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.,Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Leszek Lisowski
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia. .,Vector and Genome Engineering Facility, Children's Medical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.,Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Biological Threats Identification and Countermeasure Centre, 24-100 Puławy, Poland
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5
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Effects of Altering HSPG Binding and Capsid Hydrophilicity on Retinal Transduction by AAV. J Virol 2021; 95:JVI.02440-20. [PMID: 33658343 PMCID: PMC8139652 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02440-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) have recently emerged as the leading vector for retinal gene therapy. However, AAV vectors which are capable of achieving clinically relevant levels of transgene expression and widespread retinal transduction are still an unmet need. Using rationally designed AAV2-based capsid variants, we investigate the role of capsid hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity as it relates to retinal transduction. We show that hydrophilic, single amino acid (aa) mutations (V387R, W502H, E530K, L583R) in AAV2 negatively impact retinal transduction when heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) binding remains intact. Conversely, addition of hydrophobic point mutations to an HSPG binding deficient capsid (AAV2ΔHS) lead to increased retinal transduction in both mouse and macaque. Our top performing vector, AAV2(4pMut)ΔHS, achieved robust rod and cone photoreceptor (PR) transduction in macaque, especially in the fovea, and demonstrates the ability to spread laterally beyond the borders of the subretinal injection (SRI) bleb. This study both evaluates biophysical properties of AAV capsids that influence retinal transduction, and assesses the transduction and tropism of a novel capsid variant in a clinically relevant animal model.ImportanceRationally guided engineering of AAV capsids aims to create new generations of vectors with enhanced potential for human gene therapy. By applying rational design principles to AAV2-based capsids, we evaluated the influence of hydrophilic and hydrophobic amino acid (aa) mutations on retinal transduction as it relates to vector administration route. Through this approach we identified a largely deleterious relationship between hydrophilic aa mutations and canonical HSPG binding by AAV2-based capsids. Conversely, the inclusion of hydrophobic aa substitutions on a HSPG binding deficient capsid (AAV2ΔHS), generated a vector capable of robust rod and cone photoreceptor (PR) transduction. This vector AAV2(4pMut)ΔHS also demonstrates a remarkable ability to spread laterally beyond the initial subretinal injection (SRI) bleb, making it an ideal candidate for the treatment of retinal diseases which require a large area of transduction.
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6
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Cabanes-Creus M, Navarro RG, Liao SHY, Baltazar G, Drouyer M, Zhu E, Scott S, Luong C, Wilson LOW, Alexander IE, Lisowski L. Single amino acid insertion allows functional transduction of murine hepatocytes with human liver tropic AAV capsids. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2021; 21:607-620. [PMID: 34095344 PMCID: PMC8142051 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2021.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Recent successes in clinical gene therapy applications have intensified the interest in using adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) as vectors for gene delivery into human liver. An inherent intriguing characteristic of AAVs is that vector variants vary substantially in their ability to transduce hepatocytes from different species. This has historically limited the value of preclinical studies using rodent models for predicting the efficiency of AAV vectors in liver-targeted gene therapy clinical studies. In this work, we aimed to investigate the key determinants of the observed differential interspecies transduction abilities among AAV variants. We took advantage of domain swapping strategies between AAV-KP1, a newly identified variant with enhanced murine liver tropism, and AAV3b, which functions poorly in mice. The systematic in vivo comparison of AAV3b/AAV-KP1 chimeric variants allowed us to identify a threonine insertion at position 265 within variable region I (VR-I) as the key residue that confers murine hepatic transduction to human-derived clade B (AAV2-like) and clade C (AAV3b-like) variants. We propose to use this insertion to generate phylogenetically related AAV surrogates in support of toxicology and dosing studies in the murine liver model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marti Cabanes-Creus
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Renina Gale Navarro
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Sophia H Y Liao
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Grober Baltazar
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Matthieu Drouyer
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Erhua Zhu
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute and The Children's Hospital at Westmead, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Suzanne Scott
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute and The Children's Hospital at Westmead, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.,Australian e-Health Research Centre, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Sydney, NSW 2113, Australia
| | - Clement Luong
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Laurence O W Wilson
- Australian e-Health Research Centre, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Sydney, NSW 2113, Australia
| | - Ian E Alexander
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute and The Children's Hospital at Westmead, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.,Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Leszek Lisowski
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.,Vector and Genome Engineering Facility, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.,Military Institute of Medicine, Laboratory of Molecular Oncology and Innovative Therapies, 04-141 Warsaw, Poland
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7
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Wang J, Zhang L. Retrograde Axonal Transport Property of Adeno-Associated Virus and Its Possible Application in Future. Microbes Infect 2021; 23:104829. [PMID: 33878458 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2021.104829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Gene therapy has become a treatment method for many diseases. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is one of the most common virus vectors, is also widely used in the gene therapy field. During the past 2 decades, the retrograde axonal transportability of AAV has been discovered and utilized. Many studies have worked on the retrograde axonal transportability of AAV, and more and more people are interested in this field. This review described the current application, influence factors, and mechanism of retrograde axonal transportability of AAV and predicted its potential use in disease treatment in near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Central Hospital of Tianjin, 83 Jintang Road, Hedong District, Tianjin, 300170, China
| | - Liqin Zhang
- Department of Otolaryngology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Dongcheng Qu, Beijing, 100730, China.
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8
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Cabanes-Creus M, Westhaus A, Navarro RG, Baltazar G, Zhu E, Amaya AK, Liao SHY, Scott S, Sallard E, Dilworth KL, Rybicki A, Drouyer M, Hallwirth CV, Bennett A, Santilli G, Thrasher AJ, Agbandje-McKenna M, Alexander IE, Lisowski L. Attenuation of Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycan Binding Enhances In Vivo Transduction of Human Primary Hepatocytes with AAV2. MOLECULAR THERAPY-METHODS & CLINICAL DEVELOPMENT 2020; 17:1139-1154. [PMID: 32490035 PMCID: PMC7260615 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2020.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Use of the prototypical adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV2) capsid delivered unexpectedly modest efficacy in an early liver-targeted gene therapy trial for hemophilia B. This result is consistent with subsequent data generated in chimeric mouse-human livers showing that the AAV2 capsid transduces primary human hepatocytes in vivo with low efficiency. In contrast, novel variants generated by directed evolution in the same model, such as AAV-NP59, transduce primary human hepatocytes with high efficiency. While these empirical data have immense translational implications, the mechanisms underpinning this enhanced AAV capsid transduction performance in primary human hepatocytes are yet to be fully elucidated. Remarkably, AAV-NP59 differs from the prototypical AAV2 capsid by only 11 aa and can serve as a tool to study the correlation between capsid sequence/structure and vector function. Using two orthogonal vectorological approaches, we have determined that just 2 of the 11 changes present in AAV-NP59 (T503A and N596D) account for the enhanced transduction performance of this capsid variant in primary human hepatocytes in vivo, an effect that we have associated with attenuation of heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) binding affinity. In support of this hypothesis, we have identified, using directed evolution, two additional single amino acid substitution AAV2 variants, N496D and N582S, which are highly functional in vivo. Both substitution mutations reduce AAV2's affinity for HSPG. Finally, we have modulated the ability of AAV8, a highly murine-hepatotropic serotype, to interact with HSPG. The results support our hypothesis that enhanced HSPG binding can negatively affect the in vivo function of otherwise strongly hepatotropic variants and that modulation of the interaction with HSPG is critical to ensure maximum efficiency in vivo. The insights gained through this study can have powerful implications for studies into AAV biology and capsid development for preclinical and clinical applications targeting liver and other organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marti Cabanes-Creus
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Adrian Westhaus
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.,Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Renina Gale Navarro
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Grober Baltazar
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Erhua Zhu
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.,Gene Therapy Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute & The Children's Hospital at Westmead, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Anais K Amaya
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute & The Children's Hospital at Westmead, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Sophia H Y Liao
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Suzanne Scott
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute & The Children's Hospital at Westmead, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.,Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), North Ryde, NSW 2113, Australia
| | - Erwan Sallard
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Kimberley L Dilworth
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Arkadiusz Rybicki
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Matthieu Drouyer
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Claus V Hallwirth
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute & The Children's Hospital at Westmead, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia
| | - Antonette Bennett
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Structural Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Giorgia Santilli
- Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Adrian J Thrasher
- Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Mavis Agbandje-McKenna
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Structural Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Ian E Alexander
- Gene Therapy Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute & The Children's Hospital at Westmead, University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.,Discipline of Child and Adolescent Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Leszek Lisowski
- Translational Vectorology Research Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.,Vector and Genome Engineering Facility, Children's Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia.,Military Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Biological Threats Identification and Countermeasure Center, 24-100 Puławy, Poland
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9
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Gorbatyuk MS, Starr CR, Gorbatyuk OS. Endoplasmic reticulum stress: New insights into the pathogenesis and treatment of retinal degenerative diseases. Prog Retin Eye Res 2020; 79:100860. [PMID: 32272207 DOI: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2020.100860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2019] [Revised: 03/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Physiological equilibrium in the retina depends on coordinated work between rod and cone photoreceptors and can be compromised by the expression of mutant proteins leading to inherited retinal degeneration (IRD). IRD is a diverse group of retinal dystrophies with multifaceted molecular mechanisms that are not fully understood. In this review, we focus on the contribution of chronically activated unfolded protein response (UPR) to inherited retinal pathogenesis, placing special emphasis on studies employing genetically modified animal models. As constitutively active UPR in degenerating retinas may activate pro-apoptotic programs associated with oxidative stress, pro-inflammatory signaling, dysfunctional autophagy, free cytosolic Ca2+ overload, and altered protein synthesis rate in the retina, we focus on the regulatory mechanisms of translational attenuation and approaches to overcoming translational attenuation in degenerating retinas. We also discuss current research on the role of the UPR mediator PERK and its downstream targets in degenerating retinas and highlight the therapeutic benefits of reprogramming PERK signaling in preclinical animal models of IRD. Finally, we describe pharmacological approaches targeting UPR in ocular diseases and consider their potential applications to IRD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina S Gorbatyuk
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Optometry and Vision Science, School of Optometry, USA.
| | - Christopher R Starr
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Optometry and Vision Science, School of Optometry, USA
| | - Oleg S Gorbatyuk
- The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Optometry and Vision Science, School of Optometry, USA
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