1
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Switala L, Di L, Gao H, Asase C, Klos M, Rengasamy P, Fedyukina D, Maiseyeu A. Engineered nanoparticles promote cardiac tropism of AAV vectors. J Nanobiotechnology 2024; 22:223. [PMID: 38702815 PMCID: PMC11067271 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-024-02485-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Cardiac muscle targeting is a notoriously difficult task. Although various nanoparticle (NP) and adeno-associated viral (AAV) strategies with heart tissue tropism have been developed, their performance remains suboptimal. Significant off-target accumulation of i.v.-delivered pharmacotherapies has thwarted development of disease-modifying cardiac treatments, such as gene transfer and gene editing, that may address both rare and highly prevalent cardiomyopathies and their complications. Here, we present an intriguing discovery: cargo-less, safe poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) particles that drastically improve heart delivery of AAVs and NPs. Our lead formulation is referred to as ePL (enhancer polymer). We show that ePL increases selectivity of AAVs and virus-like NPs (VLNPs) to the heart and de-targets them from the liver. Serotypes known to have high (AAVrh.74) and low (AAV1) heart tissue tropisms were tested with and without ePL. We demonstrate up to an order of magnitude increase in heart-to-liver accumulation ratios in ePL-injected mice. We also show that ePL exhibits AAV/NP-independent mechanisms of action, increasing glucose uptake in the heart, increasing cardiac protein glycosylation, reducing AAV neutralizing antibodies, and delaying blood clearance of AAV/NPs. Current approaches utilizing AAVs or NPs are fraught with challenges related to the low transduction of cardiomyocytes and life-threatening immune responses; our study introduces an exciting possibility to direct these modalities to the heart at reduced i.v. doses and, thus, has an unprecedented impact on drug delivery and gene therapy. Based on our current data, the ePL system is potentially compatible with any therapeutic modality, opening a possibility of cardiac targeting with numerous pharmacological approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Switala
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA
| | - Lin Di
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA
| | - Huiyun Gao
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA
| | - Courteney Asase
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA
| | - Matthew Klos
- Department of Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA
| | - Palanivel Rengasamy
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA
| | - Daria Fedyukina
- Bioheights LLC, Cleveland, USA
- Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, ARPA-H, Washington, USA
| | - Andrei Maiseyeu
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Cardiovascular Research Institute, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, USA.
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2
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Asokan A, Shen S. Redirecting AAV vectors to extrahepatic tissues. Mol Ther 2023; 31:3371-3375. [PMID: 37805712 PMCID: PMC10727976 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2023.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Recombinant adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors are the current benchmark for systemic delivery of gene therapies to multiple organs in vivo. Despite clinical successes, safe and effective gene delivery to extrahepatic tissues has proven challenging due to dose limiting toxicity arising from high liver uptake of AAV vectors. Deeper understanding of AAV structure, receptor biology, and pharmacology has enabled the design and engineering of liver-de-targeted capsids ushering in several new vector candidates. This next generation of AAVs offers significant promise for extrahepatic gene delivery to cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and neurological tissues with improved safety profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aravind Asokan
- Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
| | - Shen Shen
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals, 50 Northern Avenue, Boston, MA, USA.
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3
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Gonzalez TJ, Mitchell-Dick A, Blondel LO, Fanous MM, Hull JA, Oh DK, Moller-Tank S, Castellanos Rivera RM, Piedrahita JA, Asokan A. Structure-guided AAV capsid evolution strategies for enhanced CNS gene delivery. Nat Protoc 2023; 18:3413-3459. [PMID: 37735235 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-023-00875-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Over the past 5 years, our laboratory has systematically developed a structure-guided library approach to evolve new adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsids with altered tissue tropism, higher transduction efficiency and the ability to evade pre-existing humoral immunity. Here, we provide a detailed protocol describing two distinct evolution strategies using structurally divergent AAV serotypes as templates, exemplified by improving CNS gene transfer efficiency in vivo. We outline four major components of our strategy: (i) structure-guided design of AAV capsid libraries, (ii) AAV library production, (iii) library cycling in single versus multiple animal models, followed by (iv) evaluation of lead AAV vector candidates in vivo. The protocol spans ~95 d, excluding gene expression analysis in vivo, and can vary depending on user experience, resources and experimental design. A distinguishing attribute of the current protocol is the focus on providing biomedical researchers with 3D structural information to guide evolution of precise 'hotspots' on AAV capsids. Furthermore, the protocol outlines two distinct methods for AAV library evolution consisting of adenovirus-enabled infectious cycling in a single species and noninfectious cycling in a cross-species manner. Notably, our workflow can be seamlessly merged with other RNA transcript-based library strategies and tailored for tissue-specific capsid selection. Overall, the procedures outlined herein can be adapted to expand the AAV vector toolkit for genetic manipulation of animal models and development of human gene therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor J Gonzalez
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Leo O Blondel
- Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Marco M Fanous
- Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Joshua A Hull
- Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Daniel K Oh
- Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Sven Moller-Tank
- Gene Therapy Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | | | - Jorge A Piedrahita
- North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Aravind Asokan
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
- Department of Surgery, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
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Sydney-Smith JD, Spejo AB, Warren PM, Moon LDF. Peripherally delivered Adeno-associated viral vectors for spinal cord injury repair. Exp Neurol 2021; 348:113945. [PMID: 34896114 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2021.113945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Via the peripheral and autonomic nervous systems, the spinal cord directly or indirectly connects reciprocally with many body systems (muscular, intengumentary, respiratory, immune, digestive, excretory, reproductive, cardiovascular, etc). Accordingly, spinal cord injury (SCI) can result in catastrophe for multiple body systems including muscle paralysis affecting movement and loss of normal sensation, as well as neuropathic pain, spasticity, reduced fertility and autonomic dysreflexia. Treatments and cure for an injured spinal cord will likely require access of therapeutic agents across the blood-CNS (central nervous system) barrier. However, some types of repair within the CNS may be possible by targeting treatment to peripherally located cells or by delivering Adeno-Associated Viral vectors (AAVs) by peripheral routes (e.g., intrathecal, intravenous). This review will consider some future possibilities for SCI repair generated by therapeutic peripheral gene delivery. There are now six gene therapies approved worldwide as safe and effective medicines of which three were created by modification of the apparently nonpathogenic Adeno-Associated Virus. One of these AAVs, Zolgensma, is injected intrathecally for treatment of spinal muscular atrophy in children. One day, delivery of AAVs into peripheral tissues might improve recovery after spinal cord injury in humans; we discuss experiments by us and others delivering transgenes into nerves or muscles for sensorimotor recovery in animal models of SCI or of stroke including human Neurotrophin-3. We also describe ongoing efforts to develop AAVs that are delivered to particular targets within and without the CNS after peripheral administration using capsids with improved tropisms, promoters that are selective for particular cell types, and methods for controlling the dose and duration of expression of a transgene. In conclusion, in the future, minimally invasive administration of AAVs may improve recovery after SCI with minimal side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jared D Sydney-Smith
- Neurorestoration Group, Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, King's College London, University of London, 16-20 Newcomen Street, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom
| | - Aline B Spejo
- Neurorestoration Group, Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, King's College London, University of London, 16-20 Newcomen Street, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom
| | - Philippa M Warren
- Neurorestoration Group, Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, King's College London, University of London, 16-20 Newcomen Street, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom
| | - Lawrence D F Moon
- Neurorestoration Group, Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases, King's College London, University of London, 16-20 Newcomen Street, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom.
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5
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Abstract
One approach to improve the utility of adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based gene therapy is to engineer the AAV capsid to 1) overcome poor transport through tissue barriers and 2) redirect the broadly tropic AAV to disease-relevant cell types. Peptide- or protein-domain insertions into AAV surface loops can achieve both engineering goals by introducing a new interaction surface on the AAV capsid. However, we understand little about the impact of insertions on capsid structure and the extent to which engineered inserts depend on a specific capsid context to function. Here, we examine insert-capsid interactions for the engineered variant AAV9-PHP.B. The 7-amino-acid peptide insert in AAV9-PHP.B facilitates transport across the murine blood-brain barrier via binding to the receptor Ly6a. When transferred to AAV1, the engineered peptide does not bind Ly6a. Comparative structural analysis of AAV1-PHP.B and AAV9-PHP.B revealed that the inserted 7-amino-acid loop is highly flexible and has remarkably little impact on the surrounding capsid conformation. Our work demonstrates that Ly6a binding requires interactions with both the PHP.B peptide and specific residues from the AAV9 HVR VIII region. An AAV1-based vector that incorporates a larger region of AAV9-PHP.B-including the 7-amino-acid loop and adjacent HVR VIII amino acids-can bind to Ly6a and localize to brain tissue. However, unlike AAV9-PHP.B, this AAV1-based vector does not penetrate the blood-brain barrier. Here we discuss the implications for AAV capsid engineering and the transfer of engineered activities between serotypes. Importance Targeting AAV vectors to specific cellular receptors is a promising strategy for enhancing expression in target cells or tissues while reducing off-target transgene expression. The AAV9-PHP.B/Ly6a interaction provides a model system with a robust biological readout that can be interrogated to better understand the biology of AAV vectors' interactions with target receptors. In this work, we analyzed the sequence and structural features required to successfully transfer the Ly6a receptor-binding epitope from AAV9-PHP.B to another capsid of clinical interest: AAV1. We found that AAV1- and AAV9-based vectors targeted to the same receptor exhibited different brain-transduction profiles. Our work suggests that, in addition to attachment-receptor binding, the capsid context in which this binding occurs is important for a vector's performance.
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6
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Concilio SC, Russell SJ, Peng KW. A brief review of reporter gene imaging in oncolytic virotherapy and gene therapy. Mol Ther Oncolytics 2021; 21:98-109. [PMID: 33981826 PMCID: PMC8065251 DOI: 10.1016/j.omto.2021.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Reporter gene imaging (RGI) can accelerate development timelines for gene and viral therapies by facilitating rapid and noninvasive in vivo studies to determine the biodistribution, magnitude, and durability of viral gene expression and/or virus infection. Functional molecular imaging systems used for this purpose can be divided broadly into deep-tissue and optical modalities. Deep-tissue modalities, which can be used in animals of any size as well as in human subjects, encompass single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), and functional/molecular magnetic resonance imaging (f/mMRI). Optical modalities encompass fluorescence, bioluminescence, Cerenkov luminescence, and photoacoustic imaging and are suitable only for small animal imaging. Here we discuss the mechanisms of action and relative merits of currently available reporter gene systems, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of deep tissue versus optical imaging systems and the hardware/reagents that are used for data capture and processing. In light of recent technological advances, falling costs of imaging instruments, better availability of novel radioactive and optical tracers, and a growing realization that RGI can give invaluable insights across the entire in vivo translational spectrum, the approach is becoming increasingly essential to facilitate the competitive development of new virus- and gene-based drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kah-Whye Peng
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
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7
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Abstract
The move from reading to writing the human genome offers new opportunities to improve human health. The United States National Institutes of Health (NIH) Somatic Cell Genome Editing (SCGE) Consortium aims to accelerate the development of safer and more-effective methods to edit the genomes of disease-relevant somatic cells in patients, even in tissues that are difficult to reach. Here we discuss the consortium's plans to develop and benchmark approaches to induce and measure genome modifications, and to define downstream functional consequences of genome editing within human cells. Central to this effort is a rigorous and innovative approach that requires validation of the technology through third-party testing in small and large animals. New genome editors, delivery technologies and methods for tracking edited cells in vivo, as well as newly developed animal models and human biological systems, will be assembled-along with validated datasets-into an SCGE Toolkit, which will be disseminated widely to the biomedical research community. We visualize this toolkit-and the knowledge generated by its applications-as a means to accelerate the clinical development of new therapies for a wide range of conditions.
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Srivastava A, Mallela KMG, Deorkar N, Brophy G. Manufacturing Challenges and Rational Formulation Development for AAV Viral Vectors. J Pharm Sci 2021; 110:2609-2624. [PMID: 33812887 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2021.03.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Adeno-associated virus (AAV) has emerged as a leading platform for gene delivery for treating various diseases due to its excellent safety profile and efficient transduction to various target tissues. However, the large-scale production and long-term storage of viral vectors is not efficient resulting in lower yields, moderate purity, and shorter shelf-life compared to recombinant protein therapeutics. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of upstream, downstream and formulation unit operation challenges encountered during AAV vector manufacturing, and discusses how desired product quality attributes can be maintained throughout product shelf-life by understanding the degradation mechanisms and formulation strategies. The mechanisms of various physical and chemical instabilities that the viral vector may encounter during its production and shelf-life because of various stressed conditions such as thermal, shear, freeze-thaw, and light exposure are highlighted. The role of buffer, pH, excipients, and impurities on the stability of viral vectors is also discussed. As such, the aim of this review is to outline the tools and a potential roadmap for improving the quality of AAV-based drug products by stressing the need for a mechanistic understanding of the involved processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arvind Srivastava
- Biopharma Production, Avantor, Inc., 1013 US Highway, 202/206, Bridgewater, NJ, United States.
| | - Krishna M G Mallela
- Center for Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12850 East Montview Boulevard, MS C238-V20, Aurora, CO 80045, United States.
| | - Nandkumar Deorkar
- Biopharma Production, Avantor, Inc., 1013 US Highway, 202/206, Bridgewater, NJ, United States
| | - Ger Brophy
- Biopharma Production, Avantor, Inc., 1013 US Highway, 202/206, Bridgewater, NJ, United States
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9
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Buscara L, Gross DA, Daniele N. Of rAAV and Men: From Genetic Neuromuscular Disorder Efficacy and Toxicity Preclinical Studies to Clinical Trials and Back. J Pers Med 2020; 10:E258. [PMID: 33260623 PMCID: PMC7768510 DOI: 10.3390/jpm10040258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuromuscular disorders are a large group of rare pathologies characterised by skeletal muscle atrophy and weakness, with the common involvement of respiratory and/or cardiac muscles. These diseases lead to life-long motor deficiencies and specific organ failures, and are, in their worst-case scenarios, life threatening. Amongst other causes, they can be genetically inherited through mutations in more than 500 different genes. In the last 20 years, specific pharmacological treatments have been approved for human usage. However, these "à-la-carte" therapies cover only a very small portion of the clinical needs and are often partially efficient in alleviating the symptoms of the disease, even less so in curing it. Recombinant adeno-associated virus vector-mediated gene transfer is a more general strategy that could be adapted for a large majority of these diseases and has proved very efficient in rescuing the symptoms in many neuropathological animal models. On this solid ground, several clinical trials are currently being conducted with the whole-body delivery of the therapeutic vectors. This review recapitulates the state-of-the-art tools for neuron and muscle-targeted gene therapy, and summarises the main findings of the spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and X-linked myotubular myopathy (XLMTM) trials. Despite promising efficacy results, serious adverse events of various severities were observed in these trials. Possible leads for second-generation products are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David-Alexandre Gross
- Genethon, 91000 Evry, France; (L.B.); (D.-A.G.)
- Université Paris-Saclay, Univ Evry, Inserm, Genethon, Integrare Research Unit UMR_S951, 91000 Evry, France
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10
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Carbonaro-Sarracino DA, Tarantal AF, Lee CCI, Kaufman ML, Wandro S, Jin X, Martinez M, Clark DN, Chun K, Koziol C, Hardee CL, Wang X, Kohn DB. Dosing and Re-Administration of Lentiviral Vector for In Vivo Gene Therapy in Rhesus Monkeys and ADA-Deficient Mice. Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev 2020; 16:78-93. [PMID: 31871959 PMCID: PMC6909201 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtm.2019.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Adenosine deaminase (ADA)-deficient mice and healthy rhesus monkeys were studied to determine the impact of age at treatment, vector dosage, dosing schedule, repeat administration, biodistribution, and immunogenicity after systemic delivery of lentiviral vectors (LVs). In Ada -/- mice, neonatal treatment resulted in broad vector marking across all tissues analyzed, whereas adult treatment resulted in marking restricted to the liver, spleen, and bone marrow. Intravenous administration to infant rhesus monkeys also resulted in dose-dependent marking in the liver, spleen, and bone marrow. Using an ELISA to monitor anti-vector antibody development, Ada -/- neonatal mice did not produce an antibody response, whereas Ada -/- adult mice produced a strong antibody response to vector administration. In mice and monkeys with repeat administration of LV, a strong anti-vector antibody response was shown in response to the second LV administration, which resulted in LV inactivation. Three separate doses administered to immune competent mice resulted in acute toxicity. Pegylation of the vesicular stomatitis virus G protein (VSV-G)-enveloped LVs showed a less robust anti-vector response but did not prevent the inactivation of the second LV administration. These studies identify important factors to consider related to age and timing of administration when implementing systemic delivery of LVs as a potential therapeutic agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denise A. Carbonaro-Sarracino
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Alice F. Tarantal
- Center for Fetal Monkey Gene Transfer for Heart, Lung, and Blood Diseases, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Departments of Pediatrics and Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, School of Medicine, and California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - C. Chang I. Lee
- Center for Fetal Monkey Gene Transfer for Heart, Lung, and Blood Diseases, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Departments of Pediatrics and Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, School of Medicine, and California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Michael L. Kaufman
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Stephen Wandro
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Xiangyang Jin
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Michele Martinez
- Center for Fetal Monkey Gene Transfer for Heart, Lung, and Blood Diseases, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- Departments of Pediatrics and Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, School of Medicine, and California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Danielle N. Clark
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Krista Chun
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Colin Koziol
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Cinnamon L. Hardee
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Xiaoyan Wang
- Department of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Donald B. Kohn
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- The Eli & Edythe Broad Center for Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
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11
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In vivo engineering of lymphocytes after systemic exosome-associated AAV delivery. Sci Rep 2020; 10:4544. [PMID: 32161326 PMCID: PMC7066196 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-61518-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Ex-vivo gene therapy using stem cells or T cells transduced by retroviral or lentiviral vectors has shown remarkable efficacy in the treatment of immunodeficiencies and cancer. However, the process is expensive, technically challenging, and not readily scalable to large patient populations, particularly in underdeveloped parts of the world. Direct in vivo gene therapy would avoid these issues, and such approaches with adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors have been shown to be safe and efficacious in clinical trials for diseases affecting differentiated tissues such as the liver and CNS. However, the ability to transduce lymphocytes with AAV in vivo after systemic delivery has not been carefully explored. Here, we show that both standard and exosome-associated preparations of AAV8 vectors can effectively transduce a variety of immune cell populations including CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, B cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells after systemic delivery in mice. We provide direct evidence of T cell transduction through the detection of AAV genomes and transgene mRNA, and show that intracellular and transmembrane proteins can be expressed. These findings establish the feasibility of AAV-mediated in vivo gene delivery to immune cells which will facilitate both basic and applied research towards the goal of direct in vivo gene immunotherapies.
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12
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Kim SH, Lee S, Lee H, Cho M, Schaffer DV, Jang JH. AAVR-Displaying Interfaces: Serotype-Independent Adeno-Associated Virus Capture and Local Delivery Systems. MOLECULAR THERAPY. NUCLEIC ACIDS 2019; 18:432-443. [PMID: 31670142 PMCID: PMC6831863 DOI: 10.1016/j.omtn.2019.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 09/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Interfacing gene delivery vehicles with biomaterials has the potential to play a key role in diversifying gene transfer capabilities, including localized, patterned, and controlled delivery. However, strategies for modifying biomaterials to interact with delivery vectors must be redesigned whenever new delivery vehicles and applications are explored. We have developed a vector-independent biomaterial platform capable of interacting with various adeno-associated viral (AAV) serotypes. A water-soluble, cysteine-tagged, recombinant protein version of the recently discovered multi-AAV serotype receptor (AAVR), referred to as cys-AAVR, was conjugated to maleimide-displaying polycaprolactone (PCL) materials using click chemistry. The resulting cys-AAVR-PCL system bound to a broad range of therapeutically relevant AAV serotypes, thereby providing a platform capable of modulating the delivery of all AAV serotypes. Intramuscular injection of cys-AAVR-PCL microspheres with bound AAV vectors resulted in localized and sustained gene delivery as well as reduced spread to off-target organs compared to a vector solution. This cys-AAVR-PCL system is thus an effective approach for biomaterial-based AAV gene delivery for a broad range of therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Hyun Kim
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Slgirim Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea; Simpson Querrey Institute for BioNanotechnology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Heehyung Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - Mira Cho
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea
| | - David V Schaffer
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3220, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3220, USA; Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-3220, USA.
| | - Jae-Hyung Jang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Yonsei University, Seoul 120-749, Korea.
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13
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Hordeaux J, Hinderer C, Buza EL, Louboutin JP, Jahan T, Bell P, Chichester JA, Tarantal AF, Wilson JM. Safe and Sustained Expression of Human Iduronidase After Intrathecal Administration of Adeno-Associated Virus Serotype 9 in Infant Rhesus Monkeys. Hum Gene Ther 2019; 30:957-966. [PMID: 31017018 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2019.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Many neuropathic diseases cause early, irreversible neurologic deterioration, which warrants therapeutic intervention during the first months of life. In the case of mucopolysaccharidosis type I, a recessive lysosomal storage disorder that results from a deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme α-l-iduronidase (IDUA), one of the most promising treatment approaches is to restore enzyme expression through gene therapy. Specifically, administering pantropic adeno-associated virus (AAV) encoding IDUA into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) via suboccipital administration has demonstrated remarkable efficacy in large animals. Preclinical safety studies conducted in adult nonhuman primates supported a positive risk-benefit profile of the procedure while highlighting potential subclinical toxicity to primary sensory neurons located in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG). This study investigated the long-term performance of intrathecal cervical AAV serotype 9 gene transfer of human IDUA administered to 1-month-old rhesus monkeys (N = 4) with half of the animals tolerized to the human transgene at birth via systemic administration of an AAV serotype 8 vector expressing human IDUA from the liver. Sustained expression of the transgene for almost 4 years is reported in all animals. Transduced cells were primarily pyramidal neurons in the cortex and hippocampus, Purkinje cells in the cerebellum, lower motor neurons, and DRG neurons. Both tolerized and non-tolerized animals were robust and maintained transgene expression as measured by immunohistochemical analysis of brain tissue. However, the presence of antibodies in the non-tolerized animals led to a loss of measurable levels of secreted enzyme in the CSF. These results support the safety and efficiency of treating neonatal rhesus monkeys with AAV serotype 9 gene therapy delivered into the CSF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliette Hordeaux
- 1Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Christian Hinderer
- 1Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Elizabeth L Buza
- 1Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Jean-Pierre Louboutin
- 2Section of Anatomy, Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica
| | - Tahsin Jahan
- 1Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Peter Bell
- 1Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Jessica A Chichester
- 1Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Alice F Tarantal
- 3Center for Fetal Monkey Gene Transfer for Heart, Lung, and Blood Diseases, Departments of Pediatrics and Cell Biology and Human Anatomy, School of Medicine, and California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, California
| | - James M Wilson
- 1Gene Therapy Program, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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14
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Naso MF, Tomkowicz B, Perry WL, Strohl WR. Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) as a Vector for Gene Therapy. BioDrugs 2018; 31:317-334. [PMID: 28669112 PMCID: PMC5548848 DOI: 10.1007/s40259-017-0234-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 724] [Impact Index Per Article: 120.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
There has been a resurgence in gene therapy efforts that is partly fueled by the identification and understanding of new gene delivery vectors. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is a non-enveloped virus that can be engineered to deliver DNA to target cells, and has attracted a significant amount of attention in the field, especially in clinical-stage experimental therapeutic strategies. The ability to generate recombinant AAV particles lacking any viral genes and containing DNA sequences of interest for various therapeutic applications has thus far proven to be one of the safest strategies for gene therapies. This review will provide an overview of some important factors to consider in the use of AAV as a vector for gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael F Naso
- Janssen Research and Development, 200 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, 19477, USA.
| | - Brian Tomkowicz
- Janssen Research and Development, 200 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, 19477, USA
| | - William L Perry
- Janssen Research and Development, 200 McKean Road, Spring House, PA, 19477, USA
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15
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Kenny J, Forsythe E, Beales P, Bacchelli C. Toward personalized medicine in Bardet–Biedl syndrome. Per Med 2017; 14:447-456. [DOI: 10.2217/pme-2017-0019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Personalized medicine is becoming routine in the treatment of common diseases such as cancer, but has lagged behind in the field of rare diseases. It is currently in the early stages for the treatment of Bardet–Biedl syndrome. Advances in the understanding of ciliary biology and diagnostic techniques have opened up the prospect of treating BBS in a patient-specific manner. Owing to their structure and function, cilia provide an attractive therapeutic target and genetic therapies are being explored in ciliopathy treatment. Promising avenues include gene therapy, gene editing techniques and splice-correcting and read-through therapies. Targeted drug design has been successful in the treatment of genetic disease and research is underway in the discovery of known and novel drugs to treat Bardet–Biedl syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Kenny
- NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guildford St, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Elizabeth Forsythe
- NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guildford St, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Philip Beales
- NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guildford St, London WC1N 1EH, UK
| | - Chiara Bacchelli
- NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, 30 Guildford St, London WC1N 1EH, UK
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16
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Therapeutic advances in musculoskeletal AAV targeting approaches. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2017; 34:56-63. [PMID: 28743034 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2017.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2017] [Revised: 06/24/2017] [Accepted: 07/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The use of recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAVs) is highly prevalent in musculoskeletal gene therapies due to their versatility, high transduction efficiency, natural tropism and vector genome persistence for years. As the largest organ in the body, treatment of skeletal muscle for widespread and sufficient therapeutic gene expression is highly challenging. In addition to disease-specific hurdles, vector genome loss, off-target gene transfer and immune responses to treatment can diminish the overall benefit of rAAV therapies. A variety of approaches have been developed to overcome these challenges and improve musculoskeletal targeting of rAAVs. This review focuses on recent advancements and remaining obstacles in creating optimal rAAV-based therapies for musculoskeletal application.
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17
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Yao T, Zhou X, Zhang C, Yu X, Tian Z, Zhang L, Zhou D. Site-Specific PEGylated Adeno-Associated Viruses with Increased Serum Stability and Reduced Immunogenicity. Molecules 2017; 22:molecules22071155. [PMID: 28696391 PMCID: PMC6152081 DOI: 10.3390/molecules22071155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2017] [Revised: 07/05/2017] [Accepted: 07/07/2017] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is one of the most extensively studied and utilized viral vectors in clinical gene transfer research. However, the serum instability and immunogenicity of AAV vectors significantly limit their application. Here, we endeavored to overcome these limitations by developing a straightforward approach for site-specific PEGylation of AAV via genetic code expansion. This technique includes incorporation of the azide moiety into the AAV capsid protein followed by orthogonal and stoichiometric conjugation of a variety of polyethylene glycols (PEGs) through click chemistry. Using this approach, only the chosen site(s) was consistently PEGylated under mild conditions, preventing nonselective conjugation. Upon a series of in vitro examinations, AAVs conjugated with 20-kD PEG at sites Q325+1, S452+1, and R585+1 showed a 1.7- to 2.4-fold stability improvement in pooled human serum and a nearly twofold reduction in antibody recognition. Subsequent animal research on Sprague Dawley rats displayed a promising 20% reduction in antibody inducement and a higher virus titer in the blood. Together, our data demonstrate successful protection of an AAV vector from antibody neutralization and blood clearance, thereby increasing the efficiency of therapeutic gene delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianzhuo Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, 100191 Beijing, China.
| | - Xueying Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, 100191 Beijing, China.
| | - Chuanling Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, 100191 Beijing, China.
| | - Xiaojuan Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, 100191 Beijing, China.
| | - Zhenyu Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, 100191 Beijing, China.
| | - Lihe Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, 100191 Beijing, China.
| | - Demin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, 100191 Beijing, China.
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18
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VandenDriessche T. AAV Capsid Engineering: Zooming in on the Target. Hum Gene Ther 2017; 28:373-374. [DOI: 10.1089/hum.2017.29042.tva] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Thierry VandenDriessche
- European Editor—Human Gene Therapy, Department of Gene Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, Free University of Brussels (VUB), Brussels, Belgium
- Center for Molecular and Vascular Biology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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