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Transduction of human hematopoietic progenitor cells with retroviral vectors based on the gibbon ape leukemia virus.

Gene transfer into human hematopoietic stem cells continues to be complicated by issues of transfer efficiency. We have examined the capacity of newly described retroviral vectors based on the gibbon ape leukemia virus (GaLV) to introduce genes into human hematopoietic progenitor cells. Total nucleated human bone marrow cells were transduced using GaLV vectors packaged with either amphotropic or GaLV envelopes. Transduction efficiency was assayed by the generation of G418-resistant colony forming units. We found that GaLV vectors could transduce both BFU-E and CFU-C hematopoietic progenitors, and that their efficiency was at least equivalent to an amphotropically packaged Moloney mouse leukemia virus (MoMLV)-based vector. Moreover, vectors derived from the GaLV-SEATO strain and bearing amphotropic envelope were best for gene transfer into BFU-E, whereas vectors derived from the GaLV-SF strain and bearing GaLV envelope transduced CFU-C at higher efficiency. Thus, GaLV-based retroviral vectors are promising new tools for gene transfer into human hematopoietic cells.

Animals↗

Vectors with hidden cloning sites.

A general strategy is described for using the cleavage site of restriction enzymes in vectors for cloning regardless of how many sites the given enzymes have in the vector. The application of this method allows one to open any vector at its cloning site with protruding ends which can be compatible with almost every commercially available Class II restriction enzyme. By employing this method, the laborious construction of new vectors can be simplified considerably. This general strategy is based on the known ability of Class IIS restriction enzymes to cut any sequence located outside of their recognition site; the introduction of a linker containing recognition site(s) for Class IIS restriction enzyme(s), not present originally in the vector, gives rise to the possibility of opening the vector so as to produce overhangs of arbitrary sequence. In particular, when a symmetrical short sequence representing the protruding end of any Class II enzyme is situated at the cutting position of the Class IIS enzyme, cleavage with the Class IIS enzyme exposes the hitherto hidden, "unique" cloning site. This technique is demonstrated by cloning the cDNA of the multidrug resistance protein to an expression vector.

Animals↗

Characterization of the cyclooxygenase-2 promoter in an adenoviral vector and its application for the mitigation of toxicity in suicide gene therapy of gastrointestinal cancers.

The application of adenoviral molecular chemotherapy for systemic malignant disease using herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase has been limited by ectopic transgene expression in the liver due to the vector hepatotropism. The aim of this study was to mitigate this hepatotoxicity using the promoter of cyclooxygenase-2, inactive in liver but active in many gastrointestinal cancers. To analyze the specificity of transgene expression driven by cyclooxygenase-2 (cox-2) promoters, promoters of two different lengths were incorporated into adenoviral vectors to drive luciferase expression. The specific cytocidal effect and in vivo toxicity were analyzed with thymidine kinase expression vectors. The specificity of the cox-2 promoter was well preserved in the adenoviral vector. In vivo, the cox-2 promoter (-1432/+59) showed very little activity in the liver but attained high activity, comparable to that of the cytomegalovirus promoter, in cyclooxygenase-2-positive subcutaneous tumors. The cox-2 promoter-driven thymidine kinase-expressing vectors showed a cytocidal effect specifically in cyclooxygenase-2-positive cells. When mice were treated with the thymidine kinase-expressing vector and ganciclovir, the cox-2 promoter successfully mitigated the fatal hepatotoxicity, which was observed with the cytomegalovirus promoter-driven vector. The cox-2 promoter successfully mitigated the adverse effects of adenoviral suicide gene therapy by minimizing transgene expression in the liver.

Adenoviridae↗

Functional correction of fanconi anemia group C hematopoietic cells by the use of a novel lentiviral vector.

Lentiviral vectors transduce nondividing hematopoietic cells more efficiently than other currently available vector systems. Here we report the results of human hematopoietic cell gene transfer using lentiviral vectors based upon human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) and equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV). EIAV is a nonprimate lentivirus and is severely restricted in its host range to horses and closely related equines. We employed the EIAV vector system to test for gene transfer to human Fanconi anemia (FA) hematopoietic cells by comparison with HIV-1- and Moloney murine leukemia virus-based systems. Fanconi anemia is characterized by bone marrow failure secondary to stem cell dysfunction. Fanconi anemia group C EBV-transformed lymphoblasts were transduced with all three viral vectors. Phenotypic correction of FA cells, as measured by mitomycin C drug resistance, was observed with a similar efficiency in all vector systems. This is the first description of lentiviral correction of FA cells and suggests that lentiviral vectors may be useful for FA gene transfer.

Cell Cycle↗

A Cre-expressing cell line and an E1/E2a double-deleted virus for preparation of helper-dependent adenovirus vector.

Adenoviral vectors are attractive for the delivery of transgenes into mammalian cells because of their efficient transduction, high titer, and stability. The major concerns with using E1-deleted adenoviral vectors in gene therapy are the pathogenic potential of the virus backbone and the leaky viral protein synthesis that leads to host immune responses and a short duration of transgene expression. Helper-dependent (HD) adenoviral vectors that are devoid of all viral protein-coding sequences have significantly increased the safety and reduced the immunogenicity of these vectors. Currently available HD vectors depend on an E1-deleted adenovirus as a helper to provide viral proteins in trans. As a consequence, contamination with helper virus cannot be avoided in the HD vector preparation though it can be decreased to 0.01% using a Cre/loxP mechanism. Since the presence of E1-deleted helper virus may have substantial unwanted effects, we have developed a new Cre-expressing cell line based on an E1- and E2a-complementing cell. This new cell line can efficiently cleave the packaging region in the helper virus genome. We have also developed an E1 and E2a double-deleted helper virus. By using the CreE cell with the helper virus deleted in both the E1 and the E2a genes it may be possible to further improve the safety of the vectors.

Adenoviridae↗

High and sustained transgene expression in vivo from plasmid vectors containing a hybrid ubiquitin promoter.

Sustained transgene expression will be required for the successful treatment of most genetic diseases being considered for gene therapy. The initially high levels of expression attained with plasmid DNA (pDNA) vectors containing viral promoters, such as that from cytomegalovirus (CMV), decline precipitously to near-background levels within two to three weeks. Here we constructed pDNA vectors containing the human cellular UBB (encoding ubiquitin B; Ub) promoter and evaluated their expression in the mouse lung. Cationic lipid-pDNA complexes were instilled intranasally (IN) or injected intravenously (IV) into immunodeficient BALB/c mice. Chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter gene expression from the UBB promoter was initially very low at day 2 post-administration, but by day 35 exceeded the level of expression attained from a CMV promoter vector by four- to ninefold. Appending a portion of the CMV enhancer 5' of the UBB promoter (CMV-Ub) increased CAT expression to nearly that of the CMV promoter and expression persisted in the lung for at least 3 months, with 50% of day 2 levels remaining at day 84. In the liver, expression from the CMV-Ub hybrid promoter was sustained for 42 days. As previous studies have shown that eliminating immunostimulatory CpG motifs in pDNA vectors reduces their toxicity, we constructed a CpG-deficient version of the CMV-Ub vector expressing alpha-galactosidase A, the enzyme deficient in Fabry disease, a lysosomal storage disorder. After IN or IV administration, levels of alpha-galactosidase A from this vector were not only undiminished but increased 500% to 1500% by day 35. Our results indicate that CpG-reduced plasmid vectors containing a CMV-Ub hybrid promoter may provide the long-term expression required for a practical gene therapeutic.

Administration, Intranasal↗

Infectious delivery of 120-kilobase genomic DNA by an epstein-barr virus amplicon vector.

It has been shown in a wide variety of contexts that persistent gene expression can best be obtained by using the genomic locus of a transgene. However, the size of most genomic loci precludes their use in current viral gene therapy vectors. Large transgene capacity and extrachromosomal persistence make Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) a promising vector to deliver genomic transgenes for gene therapy. We constructed an EBV amplicon vector that contains the EBV lytic origin of replication, the terminal repeats for viral packaging, and the EBV latent origin of replication for episomal persistence. This vector was able to deliver inserts of 60-123 kb to B-cell lines in culture in three steps. First, clonal packaging cells lines were generated that produce infectious amplicons at a titer of approximately 3-4x10(6) transducing units/ml after concentration. Second, we show infectious vector delivery to the Loukes B-cell line and three different EBV-immortalized lymphoblastoid cell lines. This infectious delivery system was 2000 times more efficient than transfection in B cells. Third, clonal cell lines from infection of Loukes contained persistent episomes of recircularized infectious vector. This first demonstration of infectious delivery of 120 kb of genomic DNA shows the potential of this high-capacity vector system.

B-Lymphocytes↗

Intramuscular administration of recombinant adeno-associated virus 2 alpha-1 antitrypsin (rAAV-SERPINA1) vectors in a nonhuman primate model: safety and immunologic aspects.

We performed a series of studies in baboons to evaluate the safety of intramuscular administration of rAAV vector expressing the alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) gene (SERPINA1) in a nonhuman primate model. Initial experiments performed with an rAAV vector expressing the human SERPINA1 gene (at doses of up to 5 x 10(12) vector genomes/kg) resulted in the generation of anti-human AAT antibodies, which correlated with a loss of detectable transgene expression. Subsequent studies made use of the baboon SERPINA1 gene tagged with a short (10-amino-acid) c-myc tag. When animals were sacrificed, 4 months after vector injection, transduced myofibers showed efficient transgene expression without detectable humoral immune responses. Mild inflammation was observed in and near the sites of injection in some vector- and saline-injected animals, but serum creatine kinase (CK) values were normal in nearly every case. Real-time PCR was also performed 4 months after injection on gonadal tissue to evaluate the risk of germline transmission. No vector sequences were detected in the gonadal tissues from these animals. These studies indicate that the risks of immune reaction and germline transmission after intramuscular injection of rAAV-SERPINA1 in nonhuman primates are relatively low within the range of vector doses studied.

Animals↗

Overexpression of gibbon ape leukemia virus (GALV) receptor (GLVR1) on human CD34(+) cells increases gene transfer mediated by GALV pseudotyped vectors.

Retroviral transduction of CD34(+) cells on Retronectin using gibbon ape leukemia virus (GALV) pseudotyped vectors is inhibited by high concentrations of vector containing medium (VCM). Furthermore, this inhibitory activity is stable for at least 48 hours at 37 degrees C and partially blocks a second hit with a GALV pseudotyped vector. We hypothesized that this inhibition was due to interference at the receptor level between infectious and noninfectious vector particles and that it might be possible to overcome it by increasing receptor expression on target cells. Activation of protein kinase C in CD34(+) cells with the phorbol ester PMA (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate) increased the mRNA level of the GALV receptor (GLVR1) and the transduction efficiency (TE), and fully reversed the inhibition of transduction seen with high-titer GALV VCM. A murine stem cell virus (MSCV) vector with the GLVR1 receptor and green fluorescent protein cDNAs (MGLIG) was used to transduce fibroblasts, and clones expressing different levels of GLVR1 were isolated. The TE of these cells using a GALV vector correlated with the level of GLVR1 expression. When CD34(+) cells or K562 cells were first transduced with MGLIG and then with high-titer GALV VCM, no inhibition of transduction was seen. The low level of GLVR1 expression limits gene transfer to K562 and CD34(+) cells using GALV pseudotyped vectors, especially in the presence of high-titer VCMs.

Antigens, CD34↗

Production of recombinant adeno-associated type 5 (rAAV5) vectors using recombinant herpes simplex viruses containing rep and cap.

We developed a scaleable production system for adeno-associated virus type 5 (AAV5)-based vectors using a replication-defective recombinant herpes simplex type 1 virus (rHSV) containing the rep and cap genes of AAV5. Multiple rHSV isolates containing AAV5 rep and cap with normal or altered p5 promoter elements were constructed and tested in vector production. Compared with rAAV5 vector yields obtained by plasmid transfection, yields of rAAV5 using any of the rHSV isolates were low. Evidence suggests that the low vector yields are a consequence of the extensive and early cytopathology induced by the rHSV isolates. In addition, we found a correlation between the amount of Rep52 or Rep40 proteins and the amount of vector produced by each rHSV isolate, suggesting that packaging of vector DNA into virus particles is rate-limiting when using rHSV to generate rAAV5 vectors.

DNA Replication↗

Eukaryotic expression vectors that replicate to low copy number in bacteria: transient expression of the Menkes protein.

A set of low copy number plasmid vectors for mammalian gene expression has been constructed. These vectors are derived from the previously described bacterial low copy number expression vectors, pWSK29 and pWKS30, which are present at six to eight copies per cell. The new plasmids also have the following useful properties: (1) they contain antibiotic resistance markers for the selection of stable mammalian cell lines; (2) they have either constitutive or inducible promoters; (3) a chimeric intron, for enhancing gene expression, is present; (4) they contain unique cloning sites; (5) they have an SV40 polyadenylation signal, and a subset of the vectors have an SV40 origin of replication for episomal replication and transient gene expression. A cDNA encoding the Menkes disease protein was cloned into two of these vectors, and transient expression studies in COS-7 cells showed that both constitutive and inducible expression was possible. This set of expression vectors will provide a useful tool for the manipulation, in Escherichia coli, of mammalian genes or cDNAs that are unstable in the high copy number vectors that are currently available.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Harvey murine sarcoma virus/MDR1 retroviral vectors: efficient virus production and foreign gene transduction using MDR1 as a selectable marker.

Retroviruses are used for a variety of applications requiring the delivery of exogenous genes to cells and animals. For many of these applications, including gene therapy, safer and more efficient retroviral vectors are needed. Vectors based on Harvey murine sarcoma virus (HaMSV) are attractive because nearly all their viral sequences outside of the LTRs are derived from rat endogenous VL30 retroviruses. These sequences are not homologous to the functional viral mRNAs in commonly used retrovirus packaging cell lines, the packaging and dimerization domains of HaMSV are small and contain no splice donor sites, and the 5' sequences of HaMSV appear to confer efficient packaging and stability on genomic RNAs. HaMSV/MDR1 vectors use the human multidrug resistance gene as a dominant, selectable, amplifiable marker for gene delivery, but current versions of these vectors are large, with over 3300 nt of HaMSV sequences downstream of MDR1. We analyzed the requirement for these downstream sequences in HaMSV vectors and found that modified HaMSV/MDR1 vectors lacking virtually all viral sequences downstream of MDR1 support the production of high-titer retroviruses and the efficient transduction, selection, and amplification of MDR1. A reduced-size HaMSV/MDR1 vector was further modified to include a second heterologous gene under the control of an internal SV40 promoter. Using MDR1 as a selectable marker, we obtained efficient virus production, gene transduction, and expression of MDR1 plus the heterologous gene.

3T3 Cells↗

Role of Mason-Pfizer monkey virus (MPMV) constitutive transport element (CTE) in the propagation of MPMV vectors by genetic complementation using homologous/heterologous env genes.

To study Mason-Pfizer monkey virus (MPMV) replication over a single round, virus particles were generated that contain a replication-defective vector encoding a dominant selectable marker, the hygromycin B phosphotransferase (hyg) gene. Genetic complementation with a homologous MPMV envelope glycoprotein (Env-gp) or pseudotyping by several heterologous Env-gps from a variety of viruses resulted in infectious MPMV particles containing the replication-defective RNA. Recently, it has been shown that human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) Rev and Rev-responsive element (RRE) functions can be substituted in vitro by a cis-acting sequence, the constitutive transport element (CTE), from simian type D retroviruses like MPMV and simian retrovirus type 1 (SRV-1). To determine whether CTE of MPMV is necessary for MPMV nucleic acid propagation, an MPMV vector that lacked the terminally located CTE was generated. Propagation of this vector was completely abrogated in the absence of CTE, showing the importance of CTE in MPMV replication. Insertion of CTE back into the MPMV genome in the sense orientation rescued replication to wild-type levels. Slot-blot analysis of nuclear versus cytoplasmic RNA fractions revealed that most of the messages were sequestered in the nucleus of cells transfected with the CTE(-) vectors and very little was transported to the cytoplasm. To test whether HIV-1 or SIV RREs could complement CTE function, the HIV-1 or SIV RREs were inserted in the CTE(-) vectors, trans complementation of CTE(-)RRE(+) vectors with Env-and Rev-expression plasmids rescued propagation of the CTE(-) vectors. Computer analysis predicted an RNA secondary structure in MPMV CTE analogous to the HIV-1 and SIV RREs that could form three stable stem loops, the first of which contains a site similar to the Rev-binding domain in the HIV-1 RRE. The presence of a higher-order CTE structure was analyzed by mutational analysis. We conclude that CTE is important in the replication of MPMV and affects the nucleocytoplasmic transport and/or stability of viral messages similar to the Rev/RRE regulatory system of HIV-1 and SIV.

Animals↗

Inducible gene expression of the human immunodeficiency virus LTR in a replication-incompetent herpes simplex virus vector.

Although replication-incompetent herpes simplex virus (HSV) vectors have the capability to express foreign genes, successful development of these vectors for gene delivery would require that expression of the foreign gene be regulated. To investigate the feasibility of obtaining inducible expression of a foreign gene in such a vector, a replication-incompetent HSV vector, vd120/LTR beta, was developed that used the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) long terminal repeat (LTR) to express the Escherichia coli lacZ gene. Examination of lacZ expression from the HIV-1 LTR in vd120/LTR beta-infected cells indicated that the LTR was active as a promoter under both replicating and nonreplicating conditions, although expression of lacZ under nonreplicating conditions was approximately 4-fold lower. In addition, the LTR expressed lacZ in a manner distinct from that of well-characterized HSV-1 promoters of each temporal class. The effect of the HIV-1 regulatory protein Tat on expression from the LTR in vd120/LTR beta was examined by infection of two different HeLa-derived cell lines that constitutively expressed Tat, HL2/3, and HLtat. Compared to infection of HeLa cells, lacZ expression from vd120/LTR beta-infected HL2/3 and HLtat cells increased from 4- to 24-fold, depending on the multiplicity of vector infection. Sustained expression of lacZ from the LTR in vd120/LTR beta-infected cells was not observed even in the continuous presence of Tat, although vector could be recovered for up to 5 days after infection. However, the amount of recoverable vector decreased during this time, suggesting that cellular cytotoxicity may account for some of the decrease in Tat-mediated expression from the LTR.

Animals↗

Variable transduction efficiency of murine leukemia retroviral vector on mammalian cells: role of cellular glycosylation.

To elucidate the cellular tropism of Moloney murine leukemia virus (MuLV), we have studied the transduction efficiency of a recombinant MuLV vector carrying the beta-galactosidase reporter gene on a variety of rodent cells. Under optimal conditions for in vitro cell transduction, primary cultures of adult rat fibroblasts derived from various organs were very poorly transduced by the ecotropic MuLV vector (0.02-0.12%) when compared to immortalized cells such as the F2408 (42%) and 3Y1 (defined as 100%) lines. Primary cultures of fibroblasts from neonatal (3.7%) or embryonic rat tissues (4.6%) and primary cultures of rat mammary epithelial cells (3-4%) were somewhat more susceptible. Immortalization of rodent fibroblasts with Polyomavirus Large T. SV40 Large T, and E6-E7 genes of human papilloma virus resulted in a modest or minimal increase in transduction efficiency, and introduction of the transforming genes v-Src, v-Ras, and v-Raf was in most instances associated with a decrease in MuLV vector entry. Variability of transduction efficiency was not related to differences in cellular growth rate and treatment of MuLV vectors in vitro with deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates and treatment of cells in culture with protease inhibitors failed to modify cellular entry of the MuLV vector. On the other hand, inhibition of cellular glycosylation with swansonine, 1-deoxymannojirimycin and, primarily, tunicamycin enhanced entry of the ecotropic vector by up to 220-fold, particularly into cells which were otherwise highly resistant. These findings demonstrate major differences in transduction efficiency of the ecotropic MuLV vector on rodent cells and indicate that cellular glycosylation plays a critical role in determining MuLV cellular tropism.

Animals↗

Coreceptor Switch of [MLV(SIVagm)] pseudotype vectors by V3-loop exchange.

Retroviral vectors derived from murine leukemia virus (MLV) have been pseudotyped with a variant of the envelope glycoprotein (Env) of nonpathogenic simian immunodeficiency virus from African green monkeys (SIVagm) to result in [MLV(SIVagm-wt)] vector particles. The variant env gene encodes a full-length surface envelope glycoprotein (SU) and a C-terminally truncated transmembrane protein (TM). To change the coreceptor usage of this vector from CCR5 to CXCR4, which is predominant on human CD4-positive lymphocytes, the putative V3-loop of SIVagm SU was replaced by that of the T cell tropic HIV-1 variant BH10. The resulting [MLV(SIVagm-X4)] vectors were shown to specifically transduce CD4/CXCR4-positive cell lines, demonstrating the equivalent function in cell entry and choice of coreceptor usage of the V3-loops of SIVagm and HIV-1. These modified vectors were able to transduce primary human lymphocytes and were resistant to neutralization by sera from HIV-1-infected individuals. The [MLV(SIVagm-X4)] pseudotype vector generated is thus a promising candidate vector, e.g., for in vivo gene therapy of HIV-1 infection.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

A new packaging cell line for SV40 vectors that eliminates the generation of T-antigen-positive, replication-competent recombinants.

Simian virus 40 (SV40) vectors are efficient vehicles for gene delivery to hematopoietic and hepatic cells. To ensure their replication incompetence and because of safety considerations, it is critical that the vectors do not contain T-antigen sequences. Available packaging cell lines for T-antigen replacement vectors, COS and CMT4, contain considerable sequence identity with the vectors, leading to homologous recombination and reacquisition of the T-antigen gene. We constructed a packaging cell line, COT18, with minimal sequence identity to the vector. Vector stocks produced by passaging on COT18 had high transducing activity and undetectable levels of T-antigen-positive, replication-competent contaminants. This cell line provides a means for the preparation of safe SV40 vector stocks.

Animals↗

The replication of bluetongue virus in Culicoides vectors.

BTV is maintained in nature by an endless series of alternating cycles of replication in Culicoides midges and various mammalian ruminant species. Experimentation has shown that the ability of the virus to infect Culicoides persistently and be transmitted by them is restricted to a relatively small number of species. In essence, therefore, the world distribution map of BTV is little more than a distribution map of competent insect vectors. Once ingested by a competent vector, BTV attaches to the luminal surface of the mid-gut cells, infects these cells and replicates in them. Progeny virus is then released through the basement lamina into the haemocoel from where the secondary target organs including the salivary glands are infected. Subsequent to virus replication in the salivary glands transmission can taken place. The whole cycle from infection to transmission takes between 10-15 days at 25 degrees C and individual vectors once infected usually remain so for life. Not all female midges within a vector species are susceptible to infection with BTV, or if infected, are competent to transmit the virus. A series of barriers or constraints exists within certain individuals of a vector species which either prevents virus infection or else restricts it in such a way as to stop transmission. Each population of a vector species of Culicoides has a variable proportion of these so-called refractory midges. The refractory and susceptible traits for BTV within a vector species are under genetic control, and by selective breeding, highly susceptible or completely insusceptible populations can be obtained. However, the mechanisms by which these traits are expressed are poorly understood. Further studies are therefore urgently required to determine the precise biochemical nature of these mechanisms and their mode of operation.

Animals↗