Perspectives on viral vector design and applications.
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Low-molecular-weight polyethylenimine (LMW-PEI) was synthesized by the acid-catalyzed, ring-opening polymerization of aziridine and compared with commercially available high-molecular-weight PEI (HMW-PEI) of 25 kDa. Molecular weights were determined by size-exclusion chromatography in combination with multi-angle laser light scattering. The weight average molecular weight (M(w)) of synthesized LMW-PEI was determined as 5.4+/-0.5 kDa, whereas commercial HMW-PEI showed a M(w) of 48+/-2 kDa. DNA polyplexes of LMW-PEI and HMW-PEI were characterized with regard to DNA condensation (ethidium bromide fluorescence quenching), size (photon correlation spectroscopy) and surface charge (laser Doppler anemometry). Compared with HMW-PEI, DNA condensation of LMW-PEI was slightly impaired at lower N/P ratios. Complexes with plasmid DNA at a N/P ratio of 6.7 showed significantly increased hydrodynamic diameters (590+/-140 vs. 160+/-10 nm), while the zeta-potential measurements were similar (23+/-2 vs. 30+/-3 mV). The cytotoxicity of LMW-PEI in L929 fibroblasts was reduced by more than one order of magnitude compared with HMW-PEI, as shown by MTT assay. LMW-PEI exhibited increased transfection efficiency in six different cell lines. Reporter gene expression was found to be increased by a factor of 2.1-110. The pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of 125I-PEI in mice were similar for both molecular weights with an AUC of ca. 330+/-100% ID/ml min. Approximately half of the injected dose accumulated in the liver. LMW-PEI proved to be an efficient gene delivery system in a broad range of cell lines. Due to differences in polyplex structure, as well as its relatively low cytotoxicity, which makes the application of high N/P ratios possible, LMW-PEI appears to possess advantageous qualities with regard to transfection efficiency over PEI of higher molecular weight.
Induction of mucosal immunity to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) envelope (env; gp160) glycoprotein has been demonstrated with orally administered recombinant vaccinia virus (rVV) vectors and poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLG)-encapsulated plasmid DNA expressing gp160. In this study, we investigated the effect of an oral DNA-prime/rVV-boost vaccine regimen in conjunction with adjuvants on the level of gp160-specific cellular and humoral responses in BALB/c mice. We demonstrated that DNA priming followed by a booster with rVV expressing gp160 (vPE16) significantly augmented env-specific immunity in systemic and mucosal tissues of the immunized mice. Association of vPE16 with liposomes and coadministration of liposome-associated beta-glucan lentinan or IL-2/Ig-encoded plasmid DNA-encapsulated in PLG microparticles triggered the optimal cell-mediated immune (CMI) responses. Lentinan was found to increase env-specific type 1 cytokine production and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) activities but had no effect on humoral responses. On the other hand, IL-2/Ig-mediated increases in both type 1 and 2 activities were associated with higher levels of env-specific CTL and antibody responses. Results of these studies demonstrated the effectiveness of oral vaccines with DNA and rVV vectors in conjunction with immunomodulators in inducing specific immune responses in systemic and mucosal tissues.
Autologous peripheral blood progenitor cell (PBPC) grafts can be contaminated with tumour cells that potentially give rise to relapse following myeloablative therapy and PBPC transplantation. Adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based vectors produced by a new adenovirus-free technique are a gene delivery system which may be applicable for tumour cell purging. To test for the host range of these vectors, solid tumours of clinical relevance and normal CD34+ PBPC were selected as target cells for an AAV-vector, encoding the green-fluorescent protein (GFP) as the indicator gene. At a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 100: 79.94% +/- 14.36% (mean +/- SEM) of the connective tissue sarcoma cell line (HS-1) and 64.84% +/- 6.91% of the cervical carcinoma cell line cells (HeLa-RC) expressed GFP while the other cell lines tested (1 ovarian tumour, 1 germ cell tumour, 1 osteosarcoma, 2 small cell lung cancer) ranged between 2.82% and 11.94%. Optimising the transduction protocol by use of higher MOIs of up to 500 and by pretreatment with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, genistein, resulted in up to 95.97% and 94.10% green-fluorescent HS-1 and HeLa-RC cells, respectively. In contrast, only 1.39% +/- 0.51% of the normal haematopoietic CD34+ progenitor cells expressed GFP at a MOI of 100. The differential infectivity between HS-1 and CD34+ cells was maintained after tumour cell spiking in leucapheresis products. Our observations suggest that AAV-based vectors may prove useful for purging of autologous PBPC grafts from solid tumour cells.
Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors provide a useful way to deliver genes to the eye. They have a number of important properties which make them suitable for this purpose, not least their lack of significant pathogenicity and the potential for long-term transfection of retinal cells. The optimal methods for AAV-mediated gene delivery are determined by the location and characteristics of the target cell type. Efficient gene delivery to photoreceptors and pigment epithelial cells following subretinal injection of AAV has been achieved in various animal models. AAV-mediated gene therapy has been shown to slow photoreceptor loss in rodent models of primary photoreceptor diseases and in dogs with a naturally occurring disease similar to human Leber's congenital amaurosis (LCA). Efficient gene delivery to other cell types such as retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), however, has been more problematic. In this article, we review the potential uses of AAV-mediated gene delivery to the eye. We describe the selection of an appropriate AAV vector for ocular gene transfer studies and discuss the techniques used to deliver the virus to the eye and to assess ocular transfection. We emphasize our techniques for successful gene transfer to retinal ganglion cells, which have often proven challenging to transfect with high efficiency. Using a modified AAV incorporating a chicken beta-actin (CBA) promoter and the woodchuck hepatitis posttranscriptional regulatory element, we describe how our techniques allow approximately 85% of rat retinal ganglion cells to be transfected within 2 weeks of a single intravitreal virus injection. Our techniques facilitate the study of the pathogenesis of RGC diseases such as glaucoma and the development of novel new treatments based on gene therapy.
Vectors derived from adeno-associated viruses (AAV) represent a promising tool for retinal gene transfer in pre-clinical and clinical settings. AAV vectors efficiently transduce dividing and non-dividing cells, escape cellular immunity and result in long-non-term transduction. In addition, they may be targeted to specific retinal cell types by taking advantage of surface proteins from various AAV serotypes thus limiting transfer of therapeutic genes to those cells requiring correction. This review will provide an overview of the properties of AAV vectors followed by a detailed report of their use in retinal gene transfer for mendelian and non-mendelian disorders.
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Hematopoietic cells, in particular hematopoietic stem cells, are important targets for the development of gene therapy for hematological and other disorders. So far, simple retroviral vectors based on Murine Leukemia Virus (MLV) have been the main delivery vehicles for the transfer of corrective genes into primary hematopoietic cells. While the gene transfer efficiency of progenitor cells has been very efficient using these vectors, it has been much more problematic to obtain efficient gene transfer into repopulating human hematopoietic stem cells. The main reason for this is due to the quiescent nature of these cells and the fact that MLV-based vectors require dividing target cells. It may be that efficient gene transfer into hematopoietic stem cells can be accomplished by stimulating the cells to divide in vitro or by developing new vector systems that can isolate transduced cells or that can deliver genes permanently into nondividing target cells. This review will discuss the progress and problems of these approaches in developing effective gene therapy for hematopoietic cells.
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Hyperthermia can be produced by near-infrared laser irradiation of gold nanoparticles present in tumors and thus induce tumor cell killing via a bystander effect. To be clinically relevant, however, several problems still need to be resolved. In particular, selective delivery and physical targeting of gold nanoparticles to tumor cells are necessary to improve therapeutic selectivity. Considerable progress has been made with respect to retargeting adenoviral vectors for cancer gene therapy. We therefore hypothesized that covalent coupling of gold nanoparticles to retargeted adenoviral vectors would allow selective delivery of the nanoparticles to tumor cells, thus feasibilizing hyperthermia and gene therapy as a combinatorial therapeutic approach. For this, sulfo-N-hydroxysuccinimide labeled gold nanoparticles were reacted to adenoviral vectors encoding a luciferase reporter gene driven by the cytomegalovirus promoter (AdCMVLuc). We herein demonstrate that covalent coupling could be achieved, while retaining virus infectivity and ability to retarget tumor-associated antigens. These results indicate the possibility of using adenoviral vectors as carriers for gold nanoparticles.
PURPOSE: Low molecular weight branched polyethylenimine (LMW-PEI) was synthesized and studied as a DNA carrier for gene delivery with regard to physico-chemical properties, cytotoxicity, and transfection efficiency. METHODS: The architecture of LMW-PEI, synthesized by acid catalyzed ring-opening polymerization of aziridine was characterized by size exclusion chromatography in combination with laser light scattering and 13C-NMR-spectroscopy. In vitro cytotoxic effects were quantified by LDH and MTT assay and visualized by transmission electron microscopy. The potential for transgene expression was monitored in ECV304 cells using luciferase driven by a SV40 promotor as reporter gene system. RESULTS: LMW-PEI (Mw 11'900 D) with a low degree of branching was synthesized as a DNA carrier for gene delivery. In contrast to high molecular weight polyethylenimines (HMW-PEI; Mw 1'616'000 D), the polymer described here showed a different degree of branching and was less cytotoxic in a broad range of concentrations. As demonstrated by transmission electron microscopy the LMW-PEI formed only small aggregates which were efficiently taken up by different cells in the presence of serum, most likely by an endocytic pathway. LMW-PEI yielded transfection efficiencies measured via expression of the reporter gene luciferase which were up to two orders of magnitude higher than those obtained with HMW-PEI. The reporter gene expression was concentration dependent, but in contrast to lipofection independent of serum addition. CONCLUSIONS: The LMW-PEI described here is a new, highly efficient, and non-cytotoxic vector with a favorable efficiency/toxicity profile for gene therapeutic applications.
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Limb-girdle muscular dystrophies 2C-F represent a family of autosomal recessive diseases caused by defects in sarcoglycan genes. The cardiomyopathic hamster is a naturally occurring model for limb-girdle muscular dystrophy caused by a primary deficiency in delta-sarcoglycan. We show here that acute sarcolemmal disruption occurs in this animal model during forceful muscle contraction. A recombinant adeno-associated virus vector encoding human delta-sarcoglycan conferred efficient and stable genetic reconstitution in the adult cardiomyopathic hamster when injected directly into muscle. A quantitative assay demonstrated that vector-transduced muscle fibers are stably protected from sarcolemmal disruption; there was no associated inflammation or immunologic response to the vector-encoded protein. Efficient gene transduction with rescue of the sarcoglycan complex in muscle fibers of the distal hindlimb was also obtained after infusion of recombinant adeno-associated virus into the femoral artery in conjunction with histamine-induced endothelial permeabilization. This study provides a strong rationale for the development of gene therapy for limb-girdle muscular dystrophy.
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