AAV6 capsids (ELISA Control)

Few studies have directly compared the efficiencies of gene delivery methods that target normal lung cells versus lung tumor cells. We report the first study directly comparing the efficiency and toxicity of viral [adeno-associated virus (AAV2, 5, 6) and lentivirus], nonviral (Effectene, SuperFect and Lipofectamine 2000) and physical [particle-mediated gene transfer (PMGT)] methods of gene delivery in normal mouse lung cells and in mouse adenocarcinoma cells. Lentivirus pseudotyped with the vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein was the most efficient gene transfer method for normal mouse airway epithelial cells [25.95 (+/- 3.57) %] whereas AAV6 was most efficient for MLE-12 adenocarcinoma cells [68.2 (+/- 3.2) %]. PMGT was more efficient in normal mouse airway epithelial cells than AAV5, Lipofectamine 2000 and SuperFect. AAV5 displayed the lowest transfection efficiency at less than 10% in both cell types. PMGT was the only method that resulted in significant toxicity. In summary, for all of the gene delivery methods examined here, lung tumor cells were transfected more easily than normal lung cells. Lipofectamine 2000 is potentially highly selective for lung tumor cells whereas AAV6 and lentivirus vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein may be useful for gene delivery strategies that require targeting of both normal and tumor cells.

A major limitation to adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy is the generation of host immune responses to viral vector antigens and the transgene product. The ability to induce immune tolerance to foreign protein has the potential to overcome this host immunity. Acquisition and maintenance of tolerance to viral vector antigens and transgene products may also permit repeat administration thereby enhancing therapeutic efficacy. In utero gene transfer (IUGT) takes advantage of the immunologic immaturity of the fetus to induce immune tolerance to foreign antigens. In this large animal study, in utero administration of AAV6.2, AAV8 and AAV9 expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) to similar to 60 day fetal sheep (term:similar to 150 days) was performed. Transgene expression and postnatal immune tolerance to GFP and viral antigens were assessed. We demonstrate 1) hepatic expression of GFP 1 month following in utero administration of AAV6.2.GFP and AAV8.GFP, 2) in utero recipients of either AAV6.2.GFP or AAV8.GFP fail to mount an anti-GFP antibody response following postnatal GFP challenge and lack inflammatory cellular infiltrates at the intramuscular site of immunization, 3) a serotype specific anti-AAV neutralizing antibody response is elicited following postnatal challenge of in utero recipients of AAV6.2 or AAV8 with the corresponding AAV serotype, and 4) durable hepatic GFP expression was observed up to 6 months after birth in recipients of AAV8.GFP but expression was lost between 1 and 6 months of age in recipients of AAV6.2. GFP. The current study demonstrates, in a preclinical large animal model, the potential of IUGT to achieve host immune tolerance to the viral vector transgene product but also suggests that a single exposure to the vector capsid proteins at the time of IUGT is inadequate to induce tolerance to viral vector antigens.