Adeno-associated Virus Vectors For Gene Therapy Research Articles

Adeno-associated virus 2 bound to its cellular receptor AAVR.

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is a leading vector for virus-based gene therapy. The receptor for AAV (AAVR; also named KIAA0319L) was recently identified, and the precise characterization of AAV-AAVR recognition is in immediate demand. Taking advantage of a particle-filtering algorithm, we report here the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the AAV2-AAVR complex at 2.8 Å resolution. This structure reveals that of the five Ig-like polycystic kidney disease (PKD) domains in AAVR, PKD2 binds directly to the spike region of the AAV2 capsid adjacent to the icosahedral three-fold axis. Residues in strands B and E, and the BC loop of AAVR PKD2 interact directly with the AAV2 capsid. The interacting residues in the AAV2 capsid are mainly in AAV-featured variable regions. Mutagenesis of the amino acids at the AAV2-AAVR interface reduces binding activity and viral infectivity. Our findings provide insights into the biology of AAV entry with high-resolution details, providing opportunities for the development of new AAV vectors for gene therapy.

Impact of the Assembly-Activating Protein on Molecular Evolution of Synthetic Adeno-Associated Virus Capsids.

Over the last decade, the role of the assembly-activating protein (AAP) has begun to be dissected for the formation of adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsids based on different viral serotypes. Recently, the authors' group has specifically studied AAP's relevance during production of AAV gene therapy vectors in mammalian or insect cells, and AAP was found to be essential for capsid protein stabilization and generation of functional vector particles. Here, the lingering question is additionally addressed of whether molecular AAV evolution via DNA family shuffling of viral capsid genes would perturb AAP functionality due to concurrent and inadvertent recombination of the AAP open reading frame. To this end, a battery of complementary experiments was conducted in which: (1) the ability of chimeric AAP from AAVDJ, a hybrid of serotypes 2, 8, and 9, was tested to rescue AAP knockouts in the three parental serotypes; (2) the functionality of 60 chimeric AAPs extracted from five shuffled, unselected capsid libraries was measured; (3) whether production of different shuffled libraries, 10 wild-type serotypes or 25 individual chimeric capsids, can be enhanced by overexpression of AAP cocktails was assessed; and (4) the activity of 12 chimeric AAPs isolated from a shuffled library that was iteratively selected in vivo in mouse livers was studied. Collectively, the data demonstrate a remarkable tolerance of AAP for recombination via DNA family shuffling, evidenced by the findings that (1) all chimeric AAPs studied here retained at least partial activity, even in cases where the cognate hybrid capsid may be non-functional, and that (2) ectopic AAP overexpression did not enhance production of shuffled AAV chimeras or libraries, implying that the inherently encoded hybrid AAP variants are sufficiently active. Together, this work provides compelling evidence that AAP is not rate limiting during AAV capsid shuffling and thereby relieves a major concern in the field of AAV vector evolution.

In Vivo Potency Assay for Adeno-Associated Virus-Based Gene Therapy Vectors Using AAVrh.10 as an Example.

The development of a drug product requires rigorous methods of characterization and quality control to assure drug potency. Gene therapy products, a relatively new strategy for drug design with very few licensed examples, represent a unique challenge for the measure of potency. Unlike traditional drugs, potency for a gene therapeutic is a tally of the measures of multiple steps, including infectivity, transcription, translation, protein modifications, proper localization of the protein product, and protein function. This is particularly challenging for products based on the adeno-associated virus (AAV) platform, which has poor in vitro infectivity, limiting the sensitivity and thus the usefulness of cell-based assays. A rigorous in vivo assay has been established that separately evaluates infection, transcription, and resulting protein levels with specifications for each based on real time polymerase chain reaction (DNA and RNA) and standard protein assays. For an acceptance criterion, an administered vector must have vector DNA, transgene mRNA, and transgene expressed protein each concurrently meet individual specifications or the production lot fails. Using the AAVrh.10 serotype as a model vector and three different transgenes as examples, the assay is based on intravenous administration of the vector to male mice. At 2 weeks, the harvested liver is homogenized and assessed for vector genome levels (to assess for vector delivery), mRNA (to assess vector infectivity and transcription), and protein in the liver or serum (to assess protein expression). For all AAV vectors, the assay is robust and reproducible: vector DNA (linearity 102-109 copies, coefficient of variation) intra-assay <0.8%, inter-assay <0.5%; mRNA intra-assay <3.3%, inter-assay <3.4%. The reproducibility of the assay for transgene expressed protein is product specific. This in vivo potency assay is a strategy for characterization and a quantitative lot release test, providing a path forward to meet regulatory drug requirements for any AAV gene therapy vectors.

Abstract 127: Phosphorylation of Serum Responsive Factor by p90 Ribosomal S6 Kinase 3 Promotes Concentric Growth of Cardiac Myocytes

p90 Ribosomal S6 Kinase 3 (RSK3) is required for the induction of concentric hypertrophy in hearts subjected to pressure overload and catecholamine infusion, as well as in a model for Noonan Syndrome-associated hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Serving important roles in both cardiac development and adult function, the transcription factor Serum Responsive Factor (SRF) regulates genes expression involved in myocyte growth and sarcomeric assembly. It has been reported that SRF can be phosphorylated by RSK protein kinases on residue Ser-103, but the function of that post-translational modification has remained uncertain. We now show that SRF is a substrate for RSK3 associated with muscle A-Kinase-Anchoring-Protein (mAKAP) scaffold in cardiac myocytes, contributing to the regulation of concentric myocyte growth. By co-immunoprecipitation assay, SRF and RSK3 were both associated with the mAKAP scaffold in heart extracts, such that a ternary complex could be detected when recombinant proteins were expressed in cells. Silencing RSK3 or mAKAP expression by siRNA transfection reduced phenylephrine-induced SRF(S103) phosphorylation in neonatal cardiac myocytes. Similar results were acquired following expression of a peptide comprising the mAKAP RSK3-binding domain (RBD) that competed the binding of the kinase to the scaffold. Overexpression of either a SRF S103A phosphoablative mutant or the RBD peptide diminished the increase in width of adult cardiac myocytes stimulated by phenylephrine. In contrast, overexpression of RSK3 or a SRF S103D phosphomimetic mutant promoted adult cardiac myocyte concentric hypertorphy in vitro. While baseline SRF S103 phosphorylation in the heart was inhibited by mAKAP or RSK3 gene knock-out in mice, acute transverse aortic constriction significantly increased SRF S103 phosphorylation in the heart. Based upon these results, we porpose that RSK3 phosphorylation of SRF at mAKAP signalosomes is an important regulator of concentric cardiac myocyte growth. These results are consistent with additional findings that an adeno-associated virus gene therapy vector that expresses RBD in the cardiac mycoyte attenuates pathological hypertrophy and prevents heart failure in response to pressure overload.

595. Enhanced Liver Transduction and Efficient Protection from Pre-Existing Neutralizing Antibodies with Exosome-Associated AAV8 Vectors

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) based vectors are ideal tools for in vivo gene transfer. The excellent safety profile and the highly efficient targeting of hepatocytes in vivo have been demonstrated in both preclinical studies and clinical trials. Although AAV vectors are not strongly immunogenic, they can give rise to both cellular and humoral immune responses. Additionally, as a result of exposure to wild-type AAV, an important fraction of humans harbor pre-existing neutralizing antibodies against the viral capsid, which can prevent successful transduction by AAV vectors. This pose a serious obstacle to the widespread use of AAV vectors in gene therapy. Recently, we have shown that AAV can associate with exosomes (exo-AAV) ultracentrifuged media samples from 293T producer cells. Exosome-associated AAV1, 2, and 9 serotype capsids were tested and found to have enhanced transduction and antibody evasion capabilities compared to conventional AAV vectors. With the goal of developing an enhanced vector for liver directed gene therapy, we sought to characterize the in vivo transduction and biodistribution profile of exo-AAV8 compared to conventional cell-lysated harvested, iodixanol-gradient purified AAV8 vectors purified from the same preparation. The efficiency of liver targeting of conventional AAV8 vs. exo-AAV8 expressing human factor IX (F.IX) under the control of liver specific promotor were tested in naive and pre-immunized animals. C57BL/6 mice (n=5/group) were passively immunized with intravenous human immunoglobulin (IVIg) intraperitoneally, followed 24h later by the intravenous administration of either conventional AAV8 or exo-AAV8 vectors expressing coagulation factor IX (F.IX, 5×1010 vg/mouse). exo-AAV8 completely shielded the capsid vector from neutralizing antibodies at IVIg doses between 0.5mg and 2mg/mouse (NAb titer ~ 1:3.16), resulting in equivalent levels of F.IX transgene expression to naive animals treated with conventional AAV8 vector. At the highest IVIg dose tested (8mg/mouse), residual levels of F.IX transgene expression were about 30% of naive animals treated with conventional AAV8 vectors. We next evaluated the efficiency of exo-AAV8 vs. AAV8 vectors in naive animals. In male mice, no statistically significant difference in F.IX transgene expression levels was observed between the two vector types; also indicated by the similar pattern of vector genome biodistribution. Interestingly, female mice (in which the efficiency of liver transduction with AAV is extremely low compared with male animals) treated with exo-AAV8 showed a dramatic increase in transgene expression, comparable to that of male mice receiving conventional AAV8 vectors. In conclusion, exo-AAV8 vectors present an enhanced liver transduction profile compared with conventionally purified AAV vectors, both in naive female animals and in animals carrying anti-capsid neutralizing antibodies.

257. Selection of Next Generation AAV Gene Therapy Vectors for Specific and Precise Gene Delivery

The ultimate goal in human gene therapy is the specific and exclusive modification of the desired target cells upon systemic vector administration. Especially vectors derived from adeno-associated virus (AAV) are among the most promising gene transfer systems for in vivo application and have received broad attention due to substantial clinical benefit. However, AAV specificity for a particular target cell or tissue has been hampered by the broad tropism of different AAV serotypes. Over the last several years, new approaches have been initiated to create and select for more effective and selective recombinant AAV vectors by genetically modifying the capsid protein. These methods include random and/or rationale amino acid substitutions, creation of chimeric capsid variant libraries and various selection screens, and/or peptide insertion. A different approach involves the incorporation of highly specific binding molecules (DARPins) into the AAV capsid. DARPins are derived from ankyrin-repeat proteins that have been developed as alternative to antibody-based scaffolds, which are selected by high-throughput screens from DARPin libraries. At present, the bottleneck remains the cumbersome selection of DARPin molecules and the low number of functional DARPin capsid chimeras, which are able to assemble into a functional vector and still bind their intended extracellular target. Thus after months of screening and analysis the majority of the pre-selected DARPins are found not to be suitable for AAV targeting approaches. Here we describe a novel reliable and faster selection approach. First we eliminate the cumbersome and often misleading prokaryotic selection steps. To do this, we incorporate an entire DARPin library into the AAV capsid as VP2-fusion protein, generating either replication deficient or competent AAV library systems allowing for direct screening on therapeutically relevant cell types in vitro or in vivo. Our studies show that replicating deficient and replicating AAV libraries can be generated with high diversity up to 5×107 and high functional titers retaining their infectivity. We have generated a DARPin-capsid library in AAV-DJ (serotype with diverse cellular tropism) and AAV-LK03 (human selective serotype) and after only two selection rounds, found up to 10% of selected DARPins sharing identical repeat motifs responsible for target receptor binding in the pancreas and the liver. We are currently making vectors from these chimeric capsids and will determine their target specificity both in vivo and in vitro. This new approach takes only six days per selection cycle, allowing discovery of novel DARPin molecules and selection for targeted vectors in substantially reduced time. This approach expands the potential diversity in creating and defining novel rAAV vectors with medically relevant transduction properties. Such viral vectors will not only open the door for an array of new approaches to treat acquired human diseases but also push the development of new AAV-based gene therapy vectors to the next level.

Adeno-associated virus gene therapy vector scAAVIGF-I for transduction of equine articular chondrocytes and RNA-seq analysis

IGF-I is one of several anabolic factors being investigated for the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA). Due to the short biological half-life, extended administration is required for more robust cartilage healing. Here we create a self-complimentary adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy vector utilizing the transgene for IGF-I. Various biochemical assays were performed to investigate the cellular response to scAAVIGF-I treatment vs an scAAVGFP positive transduction control and a negative for transduction control culture. RNA-sequencing analysis was also performed to establish a differential regulation profile of scAAVIGF-I transduced chondrocytes. Biochemical analyses indicated an average media IGF-I concentration of 608 ng/ml in the scAAVIGF-I transduced chondrocytes. This increase in IGF-I led to increased expression of collagen type II and aggrecan and increased protein concentrations of cellular collagen type II and media glycosaminoglycan vs both controls. RNA-seq revealed a global regulatory pattern consisting of 113 differentially regulated GO categories including those for chondrocyte and cartilage development and regulation of apoptosis. This research substantiates that scAAVIGF-I gene therapy vector increased production of IGF-I to clinically relevant levels with a biological response by chondrocytes conducive to increased cartilage healing. The RNA-seq further established a set of differentially expressed genes and gene ontologies induced by the scAAVIGF-I vector while controlling for AAV infection. This dataset provides a static representation of the cellular transcriptome that, while only consisting of one time point, will allow for further gene expression analyses to compare additional cartilage healing therapeutics or a transient cellular response.

Overcoming the Cystic Fibrosis Sputum Barrier to Leading Adeno-associated Virus Gene Therapy Vectors

Gene therapy has not yet improved cystic fibrosis (CF) patient lung function in human trials, despite promising preclinical studies. In the human CF lung, inhaled gene vectors must penetrate the viscoelastic secretions coating the airways to reach target cells in the underlying epithelium. We investigated whether CF sputum acts as a barrier to leading adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene vectors, including AAV2, the only serotype tested in CF clinical trials, and AAV1, a leading candidate for future trials. Using multiple particle tracking, we found that sputum strongly impeded diffusion of AAV, regardless of serotype, by adhesive interactions and steric obstruction. Approximately 50% of AAV vectors diffused >1,000-fold more slowly in sputum than in water, with large patient-to-patient variation. We thus tested two strategies to improve AAV diffusion in sputum. We showed that an AAV2 mutant engineered to have reduced heparin binding diffused twice as fast as AAV2 on average, presumably because of reduced adhesion to sputum. We also discovered that the mucolytic N-acetylcysteine could markedly enhance AAV diffusion by altering the sputum microstructure. These studies underscore that sputum is a major barrier to CF gene delivery, and offer strategies for increasing AAV penetration through sputum to improve clinical outcomes.

Covert Warfare Against the Immune System: Decoy Capsids, Stealth Genomes, and Suppressors

In part owing to their low immune profile, adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors have long been viewed as ideal for in vivo gene transfer. They are based on a small, nonpathogenic virus that is composed of a single-stranded DNA genome and a protein capsid. As compared with many other viral vectors, recombinant AAVs are better at avoiding activation signals, are less efficient in transducing professional antigen-presenting cells, and elicit weaker and more transient innate inflammatory responses.1 Ultimately, these naturally stealthy vectors have been able to express various transgenes for months if not years in numerous immune-competent animal models. Many serotypes with differing tropism that are capable of transducing various cell types in vivo have been identified. Induction of immune tolerance to transgene products has been demonstrated for hepatic gene transfer, which induces regulatory T cells (Tregs).2,3

Humoral Immune Response to AAV

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is a member of the family Parvoviridae that has been widely used as a vector for gene therapy because of its safety profile, its ability to transduce both dividing and non-dividing cells, and its low immunogenicity. AAV has been detected in many different tissues of several animal species but has not been associated with any disease. As a result of natural infections, antibodies to AAV can be found in many animals including humans. It has been shown that pre-existing AAV antibodies can modulate the safety and efficacy of AAV vector-mediated gene therapy by blocking vector transduction or by redirecting distribution of AAV vectors to tissues other than the target organ. This review will summarize antibody responses against natural AAV infections, as well as AAV gene therapy vectors and their impact in the clinical development of AAV vectors for gene therapy. We will also review and discuss the various methods used for AAV antibody detection and strategies to overcome neutralizing antibodies in AAV-mediated gene therapy.

The TLR9-MyD88 pathway is critical for adaptive immune responses to adeno-associated virus gene therapy vectors in mice

Recombinant adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) have been used widely for in vivo gene therapy. However, adaptive immune responses to AAV have posed a significant hurdle in clinical application of AAV vectors. Recent advances have suggested a crucial role for innate immunity in shaping adaptive immune responses. How AAV activates innate immunity, and thereby promotes AAV-targeted adaptive immune responses, remains unknown. Here we show that AAV activates mouse plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) via TLR9 to produce type I IFNs. In vivo, the TLR9-MyD88 pathway was crucial to the activation of CD8+ T cell responses to both the transgene product and the AAV capsid, leading to loss of transgene expression and the generation of transgene product-specific and AAV-neutralizing antibodies. We further demonstrate that TLR9-dependent activation of adaptive immunity targeting AAV was mediated by type I IFNs and that human pDCs could be activated in vitro to induce type I IFN production via TLR9. These results reveal an essential role for the TLR9-MyD88-type I IFN pathway in induction of adaptive immune responses to AAV and suggest that strategies that interfere with this pathway may improve the outcome of AAV-mediated gene therapy in humans.

Overexpression of Galgt2 Reduces Dystrophic Pathology in the Skeletal Muscles of Alpha Sarcoglycan-Deficient Mice

Recent studies have shown that a number of genes that are not mutated in various forms of muscular dystrophy may serve as surrogates to protect skeletal myofibers from injury. One such gene is Galgt2, which is also called cytotoxic T cell GalNAc transferase in mice. In this study, we show that Galgt2 overexpression reduces the development of dystrophic pathology in the skeletal muscles of mice lacking alpha sarcoglycan (Sgca), a mouse model for limb girdle muscular dystrophy 2D. Galgt2 transgenic Sgca(-/-) mice showed reduced levels of myofiber damage, as evidenced by i) normal levels of serum creatine kinase activity, ii) a lack of Evans blue dye uptake into myofibers, iii) normal levels of mouse locomotor activity, and iv) near normal percentages of myofibers with centrally located nuclei. In addition, the overexpression of Galgt2 in the early postnatal period using an adeno-associated virus gene therapy vector protected Sgca(-/-) myofibers from damage, as observed using histopathology measurements. Galgt2 transgenic Sgca(-/-) mice also had increased levels of glycosylation of alpha dystroglycan with the CT carbohydrate, but showed no up-regulation of beta, gamma, delta, or epsilon sarcoglycan. These data, coupled with results from our previous studies, show that Galgt2 has therapeutic effects in three distinct forms of muscular dystrophy and may, therefore, have a broad spectrum of therapeutic potential for the treatment of various myopathies.

Transient expression of genes delivered to newborn rat liver using recombinant adeno‐associated virus 2/8 vectors

In vivo adeno-associated virus (AAV) delivery to adult liver results in sustained expression of the transgene. However, it has been suggested that AAV delivery to the newborn liver may result in transient expression. In the present study, we analysed transgene expression after AAV8 delivery of a therapeutic or a marker gene to newborn rat liver. Recombinant AAV 8 vectors carrying either the human UGT1A1 cDNA or the lacZ gene were injected intravenously in 2-day-old Gunn or Wistar rats. Serum bilirubin level was recorded in Gunn rats and beta-galactosidase expression was monitored by immunohistochemistry or enzyme activity. The molecular forms of AAV genome were analysed by the polymerase chain reaction and Southern blotting in whole liver and by the quantitative polymerase chain reaction in macroscopically dissected beta-galactosidase clusters. In Gunn rat, complete serum bilirubin normalization occurred after AAV delivery but hyperbilirubinemia resumed thereafter. Similarly, beta-galactosidase expression was maximum at day 7, but only a few (less than 1%) beta-galactosidase positive cells were recorded at 1 or 3 months. These cells gathered in small clusters and the AAV copy number was 75-fold higher in positive cell clusters than in the surrounding parenchyma. The results obtained in the present study show that in vivo AAV delivery to newborn rats results in transient expression in most hepatocytes. Expression of the trangene was persistent in small clusters of cells and preliminary data support the hypothesis that integration of the viral genome occurs in these clusters. Altogether, our data confirm the low efficiency of AAV vectors for gene therapy of liver diseases when delivered in the newborn period.

Adeno-Associated Virus-Mediated Gene Transfer in Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells as a Therapeutic Tool

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) have unique properties of self-renewal, differentiation and proliferation. HSCs are easily accessible, and can be readily delivered back to patients by autologous transplantation, which renders them as attractive targets for ex vivo gene therapy. The adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors have to date not been associated with any malignant disease, and have gained attention as a potentially safer alternative to the more commonly used retroviral vectors for HSC gene therapy. Although conflicting data exist with regard to HSC transduction by AAV vectors, in this review, we provide an overview of AAV-mediated HSC gene transfer - obstacles as well strategies to improve the transduction efficiency - and the potential use of AAV vectors for gene therapy of human diseases involving HSCs.

Heparin binding directs activation of T cells against adeno-associated virus serotype 2 capsid

Activation of T cells to the capsid of adeno-associated virus (AAV) serotype 2 vectors has been implicated in liver toxicity in a recent human gene therapy trial of hemophilia B. To further investigate this kind of toxicity, we evaluated T-cell responses to AAV capsids after intramuscular injection of vectors into mice and nonhuman primates. High levels of T cells specific to capsids of vectors based on AAV2 and a phylogenetically related AAV variant were detected. Vectors from other AAV clades such as AAV8 (ref. 3), however, did not lead to activation of capsid-specific T cells. Through the generation of AAV2-AAV8 hybrids and the creation of site-directed mutations, we mapped the domain that directs the activation of T cells to the RXXR motif on VP3, which was previously shown to confer binding of the virion to heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG). Evaluation of natural and engineered AAV variants showed direct correlations between heparin binding, uptake into human dendritic cells (DCs) and activation of capsid-specific T cells. The role of heparin binding in the activation of CD8(+) T cells may be useful in modulating the immunogenicity of antigens and improving the safety profile of existing AAV vectors for gene therapy.

Direct Exposure of Mouse Spermatozoa to Very High Concentrations of a Serotype-2 Adeno-Associated Virus Gene Therapy Vector Fails to Lead to Germ Cell Transduction

In a clinical safety trial involving an adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy vector encoding human factor IX, intrahepatic administration of the vector was associated with the finding of vector DNA in semen that persisted for several weeks. Uncertainty remains as to the route by which the vector reached semen, but the finding raised the prospect that mature sperm could be exposed to the vector and sustain integration of vector DNA. To provocatively test for the ability of AAV vectors to transduce mature sperm, we exposed mouse sperm to concentrations of the same vector used in clinical studies at concentrations ranging from 840 to 3400 particles per sperm cell, performed in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer, and evaluated newborn pups by Southern analysis for the presence of vector sequences. Of 102 pups analyzed, none showed evidence of vector DNA integration. We conclude from these studies that exposure of mature sperm to AAV gene therapy vectors is highly unlikely to lead to germline transduction.

407. Direct Exposure of Mouse Sperm to High Concentrations of an Adeno-Associated Virus Gene Therapy Vector Fails To Lead to Germ Cell Transduction

407. Direct Exposure of Mouse Sperm to High Concentrations of an Adeno-Associated Virus Gene Therapy Vector Fails To Lead to Germ Cell Transduction

Transduction of renal cells in vitro and in vivo by adeno-associated virus gene therapy vectors.

There has been an increasing interest recently in the possibility of treating renal diseases using gene therapy. The ability to pursue gene therapy for renal diseases has been limited by the availability of an adequate system for gene delivery to the kidney. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is a defective virus of the parvovirus family that has a number of properties attractive for renal gene delivery: recombinant AAV contains no viral genes; expression of genes delivered by these vectors does not activate cell-mediated immunity; the virus is able to transduce nondividing as well as dividing cells; and both wild-type and recombinant AAV integrate into the host chromosome resulting in long-term gene expression. Studies were performed to determine whether AAV can deliver reporter genes to kidney cells in vitro and in vivo. These studies show that AAV can deliver reporter genes with approximately equal efficiency to human mesangial, proximal tubule, thick ascending limb, collecting tubule, and renal cell carcinoma cells in primary culture. Immortalized mouse mesangial cells are transduced at a much greater efficiency. Transduction can be enhanced by pharmaceutical agents up to sevenfold in primary cells (transducing up to 20% of primary cells per well) and as much as 400-fold in immortalized mesangial cells. AAV delivered in vivo by intraparenchymal injection results in at least 3 mo of reporter gene expression in tubular epithelial, but not glomerular or vascular, cells at the injection site. These data indicate that AAV can deliver genes to renal cells both in vitro and in vivo resulting in prolonged gene expression, and thus AAV can be a useful tool for renal gene delivery.

Optimization of packaging of adeno-associated virus gene therapy vectors using plasmid transfections

Adeno-associated Virus (AAV) is attracting wide attention as a potential human gene therapy vector. The advantages of this vector system are that it is naturally defective, it readily integrates into the target cell’s genome and is considered to be nonpathogenic. AAV infects a wide variety of cell and tissue types. The major disadvantages of the vector are its small size and the labor-intensive procedures required to prepare large amounts of the vector for clinical studies. In this manuscript we have systematically tested a number of variables in the packaging procedure to determine the optimal conditions for successful vector preparation. Using an AAV vector that expresses the green fluorescent protein and the most commonly used packaging plasmid, pAAV/Ad, we determined the optimal conditions for; lysis of the transfected cultures, ratio of packaging to vector plasmids, day of harvest after transfection, storage conditions, multiplicity of infection of helper adenovirus, and the time of adenovirus infection. These results have important relevance for investigators that are using AAV vectors for heterologous gene transfer studies.

Transcription-positive cofactor 4 enhances rescue of adeno-associated virus genome from an infectious clone.

While Rep proteins are required for adeno-associated virus (AAV) replication, little is known about cellular proteins that interact with Rep. We demonstrate here that transcription-positive cofactor 4 (PC4, p15) fused to Gal4-activating domain interacted with both AAV-2 and AAV-3 Rep proteins fused to Gal4 DNA-binding domain, leading to reporter activation in the yeast two-hybrid system. In addition to its coactivating function, PC4 recently has been shown to be involved in replication of simian virus 40. To study a functional role for the PC4-Rep protein interaction, 293-31 cells were cotransfected with a PC4 expression plasmid and an infectious clone of AAV-3, followed by super-infection with helper adenovirus. A significantly increased number of AAV-3 genomes were rescued in PC4 transfected cells. Our results support a possible involvement of PC4 in AAV replication and may be used in efficient production of AAV vectors for gene therapy.