AAV在基因治疗中的靶向修饰研究进展

安全、有效、具有靶向性的病毒载体是基因治疗药物在临床上得以应用的关键。AAV是微小病毒科的一种,它能以其低的免疫原性及广泛的宿主性对人及灵长类进行感染,并且经过改造后的AAV病毒能更有效的靶向性特定组织及肿瘤细胞。重点对AAV病毒载体的衣壳蛋白基因工程修饰、转录调控修饰和转录后microRNA干扰表达修饰及衣壳蛋白化学修饰靶向机理,以及改造方法进行介绍。修饰后的AAV能改善其感染引起的性免疫反应、转染效率和肿瘤靶向性。     

腺相关病毒与人多药耐药基因重组载体的构建及在NIH3T3细胞中的表达

腺相关病毒 (adeno- associated virus,AAV)属细小病毒科 ,是一种最小的动物病毒 .具有其他病毒载体所没有的优点 ,在基因治疗中日益受到瞩目 .以 AAV的一种多克隆载体为基础 ,构建了携带 MDR1基因的重组腺相关病毒载体 (r AAV- MDR1 ) ,经 2 93细胞包装成重组病毒 .将重组质粒、重组病毒分别转染和感染 NIH3T3细胞 ,用 PCR和 MTT法检测了人 MDR1基因的转导及表达 .为 MDR1基因用于临床和腺相关病毒载体在基因治疗中的应用提供了依据     

腺相关病毒的衣壳装配和DNA衣壳化机制

重组腺相关病毒载体 (rAAV) 是基因治疗临床应用载体的选择之一。在简述野生型AAV基因组结构和复制机制的基础上,阐述了AAV包装过程中两个主要事件：衣壳蛋白的装配和基因组DNA的衣壳化。虽然对AAV的包装机制总体上已有一定的认识,但其详细的分子机制、构效关系仍需完善和充实。AAV病毒本身相关机制的深入研究有助于改善rAAV载体的制备技术,促进rAAV基因药物研发。     

AAV衣壳蛋白基因工程的修饰研究进展

腺相关病毒(AAV)作为栽体进行基因治疗已经越来越受人们的青睐,其安全性在帕金森病、囊性纤维病和视网膜疾病等单基因突变疾病临床治疗中得到证明.利用AAV栽体进行临床治疗的应用在逐渐增多,提高AAV靶向性和转染效率是人们期盼解决的一道难题.而目前对AAV衣壳蛋白基因工程的修饰,可以明显提高其转导效率和靶向性,一定程度上扫除了其广泛应用AAV的障碍.阐述重组AAV( rAAV)衣壳蛋白在基因工程修饰方面的研究进展及其对基因治疗应用前景的综述.     

DMD基因治疗中AAV载体优化的研究进展

杜氏肌营养不良症(Duchenne muscular dystrophy, DMD)是一种由抗肌萎缩蛋白(dystrophin)编码基因突变引起的进行性肌肉萎缩疾病,机体无法产生正常功能的dystrophin,最后由呼吸肌或心肌衰竭引发成年早期死亡。全身系统性基因治疗是最大程度治疗DMD的最有效方法。腺相关病毒(adeno-associated virus vector, AAV)是当前极具应用前景的基因治疗载体,在多种遗传性疾病的临床治疗中取得了前所未有的成功。然而,针对DMD的AAV载体基因治疗仍面临巨大挑战,包括无法容纳dystrophin全长编码序列,载体的肌肉靶向性不足且大量滞留在肝脏,AAV在体内大幅降解严重降低转导效率,机体对AAV衣壳蛋白产生免疫反应,AAV规模化制备的实施难度,以及安全性风险等。AAV载体优化旨在利用基因工程技术改变其相关特性以定制适用于DMD基因治疗的最佳载体。本文综述了AAV载体优化的方向及策略,以期跨越DMD基因治疗的障碍。     

重组腺相关病毒：很有潜力的基因治疗载体

腺相关病毒(AAV)是细小病毒家族的一员,为无包膜的线性单链DNA病毒.由于AAV具有长期潜伏于人体而不具有任何明显致病性等优点,人们对AAV作为一种理想的基因治疗载体给予了很大期望.但是,近来发现,这类载体在应用上有许多明显的缺陷,包括某些细胞膜上病毒受体数量极少,重组AAV载体位点特异性整合不足,AAV衣壳成分和转基因产物引起宿主的免疫反应等等.这些缺陷促使人们加大对AAV生物学特性和转染过程的研究,从而更好地对AAV载体进行改进,使新一代重组AAV载体具备基因治疗所必需的安全性、高效性和靶向性,以期更广泛地应用于临床.     

大鼠瘦素基因重组腺相关病毒的构建及在原代神经元细胞中的过表达

目的构建携带大鼠瘦素(leptin)基因的重组腺相关病毒(adeno-associated virus,AAV),并鉴定其在原代鼠神经元细胞中介导的瘦素过表达,为肥胖症基因治疗研究奠定实验基础。方法提取大鼠脂肪组织总RNA,利用RT-PCR技术,获取目的基因瘦素cDNA,通过重组DNA技术,得到瘦素cDNA与pGEM-T载体的重组质粒,阳性重组子用PCR及测序分析鉴定。用Spe I和EcoR V双酶切将pGEM-Leptin中的瘦素基因片段切出,再克隆到AAV2表达质粒pTR-UF22中,构建瘦素重组AAV2载体pAAV2-CBA-leptin。以pDG作为辅助质粒用HEK293细胞包装AAV2-CBA-Leptin,并用一步重力流柱法纯化病毒,由荧光定量PCR测定病毒基因组DNA的拷贝数即为病毒滴度。然后将AAV2-CBA-Leptin及对照病毒AAV2-CBA-EGFP感染大鼠原代神经元细胞,分别用免疫染色和Western blotting鉴定外源基因在神经元的表达。结果测序证实瘦素基因与GenBank提供的原始序列完全一致。重组载体经酶切鉴定与预期结果完全一致,HEK293细胞包装病毒效果良好,得到滴度为1.5×1012vg/mL纯化的重组瘦素病毒AAV2-CBA-Leptin。Western blotting检测显示AAV2-CBA-Leptin能介导瘦素在大鼠神经元细胞中过表达,并随着病毒量的增加而增强。AAV2-CBA-EGFP感染鼠神经元细胞5d后95%左右的细胞有明显的绿色荧光,免疫染色和DAPI核酸染色显示荧光细胞均为神经元而神经胶质细胞无荧光。结论成功构建并包装了瘦素重组AAV2病毒并可介导瘦素在神经元细胞中高效、特异表达,从而为研究瘦素在中枢神经系统控制体重和糖尿病等方面的功能及基因治疗研究打下基础。     

用腺相关病毒载体介导人血管内皮生长因子受体KDR胞外区基因的表达

新生血管大量形成在实体瘤的生长和转移中起着关键的作用。血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)是介导肿瘤血管生成的最主要因素。从原代培养的人脐静脉血管内皮细胞(HUVEC)提取细胞总RNA,采用逆转录PCR(RT-PCR)方法得到VEGF受体KDR胞外区cDNA片段。将获得的受体基因克隆到AAV基因治疗载体pSNAV中,得到重组质粒pSNAV/KDR。重组质粒转染BHK细胞,加入辅助病毒后,获得了表达目的蛋白的重组AAV。重组病毒表达的KDR在体外实验中具有与VEGF结合的活性。在体内实验中,重组AAV感染的黑色素瘤细胞在小鼠中形成肿瘤的血管化程度明显低于对照组。     

用腺相关病毒载体介导人血管内皮生长因子受体KDR胞外区基因的有达

新生血管大量形成在实体瘤的生长和转移中起着关键的作用。血管内皮生长因子 (VEGF)是介导肿瘤血管生成的最主要因素。从原代培养的人脐静脉血管内皮细胞 (HUVEC)提取细胞总RNA ,采用逆转录PCR(RT PCR)方法得到VEGF受体KDR胞外区cDNA片段。将获得的受体基因克隆到AAV基因治疗载体pSNAV中 ,得到重组质粒pSNAV KDR。重组质粒转染BHK细胞 ,加入辅助病毒后 ,获得了表达目的蛋白的重组AAV。重组病毒表达的KDR在体外实验中具有与VEGF结合的活性。在体内实验中 ,重组AAV感染的黑色素瘤细胞在小鼠中形成肿瘤的血管化程度明显低于对照组。     

肿瘤基因治疗的靶向策略

对肿瘤组织的靶向性可以提高基因治疗的效果 ,避免对正常组织的损伤 ,并且能降低作为载体的微生物对机体的危害。对于瘤内注射的给药方法 ,靶向性似乎显得不是特别重要 ,但是如果要系统给药 ,靶向性是很关键的一个问题。靶向基因治疗肿瘤可以通过靶向基因导入和靶向基因表达来实现。近年来 ,在靶向基因导入方面的研究有很多进展 ,例如 ,用双亲性的桥连分子协助腺病毒和逆转录病毒靶向转导 ;在各种病毒载体的衣壳蛋白中插入靶向性的小肽或较大的多肽靶向结构域 ;增殖病毒作为一种很有前途的抗肿瘤制剂可有效地靶向杀伤肿瘤细胞。受体介导的DNA或DNA 脂质体复合物的靶向系统和其他一些靶向性的有疗效的载体 ,如细菌 ,也处于研究中。其中的一些载体已经进入临床实验。为了实现基因的靶向可调控表达 ,组织或肿瘤特异性的启动子和人工合成的可调控表达系统被用来调控治疗基因的表达。反义核酸、核酶以及脱氧核酶 (DNAzyme)被用来靶向抑制与肿瘤发生密切相关基因的表达。     

Efficient generation and amplification of high-capacity adeno-associated virus/adenovirus hybrid vectors

Effective gene therapy is dependent on safe gene delivery vehicles that can achieve efficient transduction and sustained transgene expression. We are developing a hybrid viral vector system that combines in a single particle the large cloning capacity and efficient cell cycle-independent nuclear gene delivery of adenovirus (Ad) vectors with the long-term transgene expression and lack of viral genes of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors. The strategy being pursued relies on coupling the AAV DNA replication mechanism to the Ad encapsidation process through packaging of AAV-dependent replicative intermediates provided with Ad packaging elements into Ad capsids. The generation of these high-capacity AAV/Ad hybrid vectors takes place in Ad early region 1 (E1)-expressing cells and requires an Ad vector with E1 deleted to complement in trans both AAV helper functions and Ad structural proteins. The dependence on a replicating helper Ad vector leads to the contamination of AAV/Ad hybrid vector preparations with a large excess of helper Ad particles. This renders the further propagation and ultimate use of these gene delivery vehicles very difficult. Here, we show that Cre/loxP-mediated genetic selection against the packaging of helper Ad DNA can reduce helper Ad vector contamination by 99.98% without compromising hybrid vector rescue. This allowed amplification of high-capacity AAV/Ad hybrid vectors to high titers in a single round of propagation.     

Novel AAV serotypes for improved ocular gene transfer

Some of the most successful gene therapy results have been obtained using recombinant viral vectors to treat animal models of inherited and acquired ocular diseases. Clinical trials using adenovirus vector systems have been initiated for two ocular diseases. Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) represent an attractive alternative to adenoviral vector systems as they enable stable and long-term expression and can target a variety of different ocular cell types depending on the capsid serotype; recently clinical trails for congenital blindness was initiated with a vector-based AAV serotype 2. High levels of retinal gene transfer have been achieved using vectors based on AAV serotypes 1, 2, 4 and 5. This report compares the gene transfer efficacy and stability of expression of vector systems based on three novel AAV serotypes: AAV7, 8, 9, with the established vectors AAV1, 2, 5. We show here that AAV7 and 8 enable superior long-term transduction of retinal and also anterior chamber structures.     

近红外荧光蛋白标记乳腺癌细胞外泌体的构建及鉴定

外泌体(Exosomes)是一种大小为30~100 nm的细胞外膜囊泡,与细胞的生物学功能及细胞间的信号传递有着密切的关系,尤其在癌症的诊断及治疗等领域发挥重要作用。为将外泌体更好地应用于乳腺癌肿瘤传递机制的研究,本文首先通过分子克隆手段将近红外荧光蛋白iRFP682基因和外泌体标记蛋白CD63基因克隆到含腺相关病毒(Adeno-associated virus,AAV)末端倒置重复序列(Inverted repeat terminal,ITR)的质粒载体上,构建融合表达近红外荧光蛋白和CD63蛋白的重组真核表达载体。然后再与辅助质粒共转染AAV-293细胞,包装重组腺相关病毒、纯化测量滴度后用于感染乳腺癌细胞,最后通过荧光筛选出稳定表达近红外荧光蛋白的乳腺癌细胞株。通过对乳腺癌稳定株的分离、纯化及鉴定,最终得到一个新型生物标记物：iRFP682标记的乳腺癌细胞来源的外泌体,为后续研究外泌体在乳腺癌肿瘤微环境中的分布及信号传递提供保障。     

Feasibility of Generating Adeno-Associated Virus Packaging Cell Lines Containing Inducible Adenovirus Helper Genes

The adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector system is based on nonpathogenic and helper-virus-dependent parvoviruses. The vector system offers safe, efficient, and long-term in vivo gene transfer in numerous tissues. Clinical trials using AAV vectors have demonstrated vector safety as well as efficiency. The increasing interest in the use of AAV for clinical studies demands large quantities of vectors and hence a need for improvement in vector production. The commonly used transient-transfection method, although versatile and free of adenovirus (Ad), is not cost-effective for large-scale production. While the wild-type-Ad-dependent AAV producer cell lines seem to be cost-effective, this method faces the problem of wild-type Ad contamination. To overcome these shortcomings, we have explored the feasibility of creating inducible AAV packaging cell lines that require neither transfection nor helper virus infection. As a first step toward that goal, we have created a cell line containing highly inducible Ad E1A and E1B genes, which are essential for AAV production. Subsequently, the AAV Rep and Cap genes and an AAV vector containing a green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter gene were stably introduced into the E1A-E1B cell line, generating inducible AAV-GFP packaging cell lines. Upon induction of E1A and E1B genes and infection with replication-defective Ad with E1A, E1B, and E3 deleted, the packaging cells yielded high-titer AAV-GFP vectors. Finally, the E2, E4, and VA genes of Ad, under the control of their endogenous promoters, were also introduced into these cells. A few producer cell lines were obtained, which could produce AAV-GFP vectors upon simple drug induction. Although future improvement is necessary to increase the stability and vector yield of the cells, our study has nonetheless demonstrated the feasibility of generating helper-virus-free inducible AAV producer cell lines.     

Adeno-associated virus serotypes 1 to 5 mediated tumor cell directed gene transfer and improvement of transduction efficiency

BACKGROUND: Gene therapy is an attractive new approach for the treatment of cancer. Therefore, the development of efficient vector systems is of crucial importance in this field. Different adeno-associated virus (AAV) serotypes have been characterized so far, which show considerable differences in tissue tropism. Consequently, we aimed to characterize the most efficient serotype for this application. METHODS: To exclude all influences other than those provided by the capsid, all serotypes contained the same transgene cassette flanked by the AAV2 inverted terminal repeats. We systematically compared these vectors for efficiency in human cancer cell directed gene transfer. In order to identify limiting steps, the influence of second-strand synthesis and proteasomal degradation of AAV in a poorly transducible cell line were examined. RESULTS: AAV2 was the most efficient serotype in all solid tumor cells and primary melanoma cells with transduction rates up to 98 +/- 0.3%. Transduction above 70% could be reached with serotypes 1 (in cervical and prostate carcinoma) and 3 (in cervical, breast, prostate and colon carcinoma) using 1000 genomic particles per cell. In the colon carcinoma cell line HT-29 proteasomal degradation limited AAV1-AAV4-mediated gene transfer. Moreover, inefficient second-strand synthesis prevents AAV2-mediated transgene expression in this cell line. CONCLUSIONS: Recent advances in AAV-vector technology suggest that AAV-based vectors can be used for cancer gene therapy. Our comparative analysis revealed that, although AAV2 is the most promising candidate for such an application, serotypes 1 and 3 are valid alternatives. Furthermore, the use of self-complementary AAV vectors and proteasome inhibitors significantly improves cancer cell transduction.     

Impact of VP1-Specific Protein Sequence Motifs on Adeno-Associated Virus Type 2 Intracellular Trafficking and Nuclear Entry

Adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV2) has gained much interest as a gene delivery vector. A hallmark of AAV2-mediated gene transfer is an intracellular conformational change of the virus capsid, leading to the exposure of infection-relevant protein domains. These protein domains, which are located on the N-terminal portion of the structural proteins VP1 and VP2, include a catalytic phospholipase A(2) domain and three clusters of basic amino acids. We have identified additional protein sequence motifs located on the VP1/2 N terminus that also proved to be obligatory for virus infectivity. These motifs include signals that are known to be involved in protein interaction, endosomal sorting and signal transduction in eukaryotic cells. Among different AAV serotypes they are highly conserved and mutation of critical amino acids of the respective motifs led to a severe infection-deficient phenotype. In particular, mutation of a YXXQ-sequence motif significantly reduced accumulation of virus capsids around the nucleus in comparison to wild-type AAV2. Interestingly, intracellular trafficking of AAV2 was shown to be independent of PLA(2) activity. Moreover, mutation of three PDZ-binding motifs, which are located consecutively at the very tip of the VP1 N terminus, revealed a nuclear transport-defective phenotype, suggesting a role in nuclear uptake of the virus through an as-yet-unknown mechanism.     

基于腺相关病毒的多手段联合肿瘤治疗策略

腺相关病毒(adeno-associated virus,AAV)本身具有抗肿瘤活性,以其为基础构建的重组腺相关病毒(rAAV)作为肿瘤基因治疗载体已应用于临床试验研究。与其他的药物一样,单一的AAV基因药物,可能无法对肿瘤这一多基因、多步骤的复杂疾病发挥有效的治疗作用。国内外实验研究发现,多种化疗药物和放疗手段,不但可以提高rAAV载体的基因表达效率,也能促进AAV病毒本身的复制;反过来,AAV可以提高肿瘤细胞对放化疗的敏感性。联合AAV与其他的肿瘤治疗策略将有助于优化肿瘤治疗效果。     

Induction of robust immune responses against human immunodeficiency virus is supported by the inherent tropism of adeno-associated virus type 5 for dendritic cells

The ability of adeno-associated virus serotype 1 to 8 (AAV1 to AAV8) vectors expressing the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Env gp160 (AAV-HIV) to induce an immune response was evaluated in BALB/c mice. The AAV5 vector showed a higher tropism for both mouse and human dendritic cells (DCs) than did the AAV2 vector, whereas other AAV serotype vectors transduced DCs only poorly. AAV1, AAV5, AAV7, and AAV8 were more highly expressed in muscle cells than AAV2. An immunogenicity study of AAV serotypes indicates that AAV1, AAV5, AAV7, and AAV8 vectors expressing the Env gp160 gene induced higher HIV-specific humoral and cell-mediated immune responses than the AAV2 vector did, with the AAV5 vector producing the best responses. Furthermore, mice injected with DCs that had been transduced ex vivo with an AAV5 vector expressing the gp160 gene elicited higher HIV-specific cell-mediated immune responses than did DCs transduced with AAV1 and AAV2 vectors. We also found that AAV vectors produced by HEK293 cells and insect cells elicit similar levels of antigen-specific immune responses. These results demonstrate that the immunogenicity of AAV vectors depends on their tropism for both antigen-presenting cells (such as DCs) and non-antigen-presenting cells (such as muscular cells) and that AAV5 is a better vector than other AAV serotypes. These results may aid in the development of AAV-based vaccine and gene therapy.     

Repeat transduction in the mouse lung by using adeno-associated virus vectors with different serotypes

Vectors derived from adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV2) promote gene transfer and expression in the lung; however, we have found that while gene expression can persist for at least 8 months in mice, it was reduced dramatically in rabbits over a period of 2 months. The efficiency and persistence of AAV2-mediated gene expression in the human lung have yet to be determined, but it seems likely that readministration will be necessary over the lifetime of an individual. Unfortunately, we have found that transduction by a second administration of an AAV2 vector is blocked, presumably due to neutralizing antibodies generated in response to the primary vector exposure. Here, we have explored the use of AAV2 vectors pseudotyped with capsid proteins from AAV serotypes 2, 3, and 6 for readministration in the mouse lung. We found that an AAV6 vector transduced airway epithelial and alveolar cells in the lung at rates that were at least as high as those of AAV2 pseudotype vectors, while transduction rates mediated by AAV3 were much lower. AAV6 pseudotype vector transduction was unaffected by prior administration of an AAV2 or AAV3 vector, and transduction by an AAV2 pseudotype vector was unaffected by prior AAV6 vector administration, showing that cross-reactive neutralizing antibodies against AAV2 and AAV6 are not generated in mice. Interestingly, while prior administration of an AAV2 vector completely blocked transduction by a second AAV2 pseudotype vector, prior administration of an AAV6 vector only partially inhibited transduction by a second administration of an AAV6 pseudotype vector. Analysis of sera obtained from mice and humans showed that AAV6 is less immunogenic than AAV2, which helps explain this finding. These results support the development of AAV6 vectors for lung gene therapy both alone and in combination with AAV2 vectors.