Cardiac-specific gene expression facilitated by an enhanced myosin light chain promoter

BACKGROUND: Adenoviral gene transfer has been shown to be effective in cardiac myocytes in vitro and in vivo. A major limitation of myocardial gene therapy is the extracardiac transgene expression. METHODS: To minimize extracardiac gene expression, we have constructed a tissue-specific promoter for cardiac gene transfer, namely, the 250-bp fragment of the myosin light chain-2v (MLC-2v) gene, which is known to be expressed in a tissue-specific manner in ventricular myocardium followed by a luciferase (luc) reporter gene (Ad.4 x MLC250.Luc). Rat cardiomyocytes, liver and kidney cells were infected with Ad.4 x MLC.Luc or control vectors. For in vivo testing, Ad.4 x MLC250.Luc was injected into the myocardium or in the liver of rats. Kinetics of promoter activity were monitored over 8 days using a cooled CCD camera. RESULTS: In vitro: By infecting hepatic versus cardiomyocyte cells, we found that the promoter specificity ratio (luc activity in cardiomyocytes per liver cells) was 20.4 versus 0.9 (Ad.4 x MLC250.Luc vs. Ad.CMV). In vivo: Ad.4 x MLC250.Luc significantly reduced luc activity in liver (38.4-fold), lung (16.1-fold), and kidney (21.8-fold) versus Ad.CMV (p =.01); whereas activity in the heart was only 3.8-fold decreased. The gene expression rate of cardiomyocytes versus hepatocytes was 7:1 (Ad.4 x MLC.Luc) versus 1:1.4 (Ad.CMV.Luc). DISCUSSION: This new vector may be useful to validate therapeutic approaches in animal disease models and offers the perspective for selective expression of therapeutic genes in the diseased heart.     

转基因鸡生物反应器载体的构建及其表达特性分析

以增强型绿色荧光蛋白和萤火虫荧光素酶为报告基因,构建了鸡卵清蛋白启动子表达载体和慢病毒载体,以巨细胞病毒 (Cytomegalovirus,CMV)启动子表达载体为对照,转染或感染鸡原代输卵管上皮细胞、鸡胚成纤维细胞、鼠3T3-L1前脂肪细胞和牛乳腺上皮细胞,通过荧光和酶活性检测,旨在筛选出用于实现转基因鸡生物反应器的高效特异性表达载体。结果发现,鸡卵清蛋白启动子表达载体转染以上4种细胞后2种标记基因均有表达,没有表现出明显的细胞特异性,且荧光素酶检测结果表明其在各细胞组中表达活性都低于CMV启动子表达载体100倍以上;慢病毒载体感染以上4种细胞后2种标记基因均有表达,在鸡输卵管上皮细胞组感染单个细胞的病毒颗粒 (Multiplicity of infection,MOI) 为20时绿色荧光蛋白表达量就可以达到CMV启动子表达载体的水平。上述结果表明,基于卵清蛋白基因调控序列构建的表达载体无法实现外源基因的高效、特异性表达,而慢病毒载体在表达活性和广泛性上可以用于进行鸡输卵管生物反应器的研究。     

Ocular Localization and Transduction by Adenoviral Vectors Are Serotype-Dependent and Can Be Modified by Inclusion of RGD Fiber Modifications

Purpose

To evaluate localization and transgene expression from adenoviral vector of serotypes 5, 35, and 28, ± an RGD motif in the fiber following intravitreal or subretinal administration.

Methods

Ocular transduction by adenoviral vector serotypes ± RGD was studied in the eyes of mice receiving an intravitreous or subretinal injection. Each serotype expressed a CMV-GFP expression cassette and histological sections of eyes were examined. Transgene expression levels were examined using luciferase (Luc) regulated by the CMV promoter.

Results

GFP localization studies revealed that serotypes 5 and 28 given intravitreously transduced corneal endothelial, trabecular, and iris cells. Intravitreous delivery of the unmodified Ad35 serotype transduced only trabecular meshwork cells, but, the modification of the RGD motif into the fiber of the Ad35 viral vector base expanded transduction to corneal endothelial and iris cells. Incorporation of the RGD motif into the fiber knob with deletion of RGD from the penton base did not affect the transduction ability of the Ad5 vector base. Subretinal studies showed that RGD in the Ad5 knob shifted transduction from RPE cells to photoreceptor cells. Using a CMV-Luc expression cassette, intravitreous delivery of all the tested vectors, such as Ad5-, Ad35- and Ad28- resulted in an initial rapid induction of luciferase activity that thereafter declined. Subretinal administration of vectors showed a marked difference in transgene activity. Ad35-Luc gene expression peaked at 7 days and remained elevated for 6 months. Ad28-Luc expression was high after 1 day and remained sustained for one month.

Conclusions

Different adenoviral vector serotypes ± modifications transduce different cells within the eye. Transgene expression can be brief or extended and is serotype and delivery route dependent. Thus, adenoviral vectors provide a versatile platform for the delivery of therapeutic agents for ocular diseases.     

Use of a murine secreted alkaline phosphatase as a non-immunogenic reporter gene in mice

BACKGROUND: The development of any vector system as a gene delivery system requires its optimization in vitro and in vivo. Preliminary studies frequently involve the use of a reporter gene, which allows for the rapid and simple assay of vector function through monitoring expression levels of the reporter gene. However, evaluation of vector efficacy can be compromised by immune responses directed against immunogenic reporter proteins. METHODS: We have cloned a murine secreted alkaline phosphatase (mSEAP), and explored its use as a reporter gene in the context of an early region 1 (E1)-deleted adenovirus (Ad) vector. Studies involved characterization of gene expression in vitro and in vivo, and immunological responses after gene delivery to mice. RESULTS: In tissue culture, we show that mSEAP is easily measured quantitatively using a sensitive, commercially available chemiluminescent assay, or visualized directly using histological staining. The level of transgene expression from AdmSEAP was similar to that observed for an Ad vector encoding the human placental secreted alkaline phosphatase (hSEAP). After intravenous administration in mice, AdmSEAP continued to express at high levels for the duration of the experiment (1 month), whereas expression from AdhSEAP declined to background levels over the course of the experiment. Although cytotoxic T-lymphocytes were not detected against either the murine or human SEAP proteins in mice, antibodies were readily detected against the human protein. No antibodies were detected to mSEAP. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these data illustrate that mSEAP is a sensitive, non-immunogenic reporter gene for preclinical mouse studies.     

Transgene expression from CpG-reduced lentiviral gene delivery vectors in vitro

Current viral gene delivery vectors for gene therapy are inefficient due to short-lived transgene expression attributed to the cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) motifs in the transgene. Here we assessed the effects of CpG motif reduction in lentiviral (LV) gene delivery context on the level and duration of reporter gene expression in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells, Human Immortalized Myelogenous Leukemia (K562) cells and hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). The cells were transduced with LV carrying Zero-CpG green fluorescent protein (ZGFP) reporter gene, LV/CMV/ZGFP. The GFP expression was compared to its non CpG-depleted GFP reporter gene LV (LV/CMV/GFP) counterpart. The LV/CMV/ZGFP exhibited prolonged transgene expression in CHO cells and HSCs up to 10 days and 14 days, in the respective cells. This effect was not seen in the transduced K562 cells, which may be due to the DNA hypomethylation status of the cancer cell line. Transgene copy number analysis verified that the GFP expression was not from pseudo-transduction and the transgene remained in the genome of the cells throughout the period of the study. The modest positive effects from the LV/CMV/ZGFP suggest that the reduction of CpG in the LV construct was not substantial to generate higher and more prolonged transgene expression.     

Construction of an adenovirus type 7a E1A- vector.

A strategy for constructing replication-defective adenovirus vectors from non-subgroup C viruses has been successfully demonstrated with adenovirus type 7 strain a (Ad7a) as the prototype. An E1A-deleted Ad7a reporter virus expressing the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene from the cytomegalovirus promoter enhancer was constructed with DNA fragments isolated from Ad7a, an Ad7a recombination reporter plasmid, and the 293 cell line. The Ad7a-CAT virus particle transduces A549 cells as efficiently as Ad5-based vectors. Intravenous infections in a murine model indicate that the Ad7a-CAT virus infects a variety of tissues, with maximal levels of CAT gene expression found in the liver. The duration of Ad7a-CAT transgene expression in the liver was maximally maintained 2 weeks postinfection, with a decline to baseline activity by the week 4 postinfection. Ad7a-CAT represents the first example of a non-subgroup C E1A- adenovirus gene transfer vector.     

Adenovirus vectors targeting alphaV integrin or heparan sulfate receptors display different distribution of transgene activity after intramuscular injection

BACKGROUND: Modification of the fiber proteins in replication-deficient adenoviral (Ad) vectors through incorporation of specific receptor-binding motifs may represent a strategy to enhance their tissue targeting capabilities. METHODS: In this study, we compared an unmodified Ad (GV10) with two mutated vectors obtained by insertion of specific target sequences that redirect binding, either toward alpha(V) integrin (RGD) or heparan sulfate (UTV) cellular receptors, for reporter gene expression spatial distribution in the rabbit skeletal muscle. In a first series of experiments, injection volume was kept constant and activity of a lacZ transgene was evaluated 48 h after injection of the Ad vectors at different doses. In separate experiments, the effects of different volumes of injection at a constant dose of Ad vector were monitored. RESULTS: All vectors evaluated showed a significant increase in the number of lacZ-positive muscle segments, with increasing vector dose. However, in muscles treated with the UTV vector, fewer muscle fibers were beta-gal-positive than in GV10 or RGD vector treated animals. In fact, total beta-gal activity increased in a dose-dependent fashion in the GV10- and RGD-treated muscles, but not in the UTV-treated ones. Remarkably, in samples from UTV-treated animals, a volume-dependent enhancement of transgene expression was observed during experiments performed at the same dose and different injection volumes. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study demonstrate that altering Ad affinity for cellular receptors modulates the level and distribution of transgene activity, conferring characteristics that may allow for treatment customization.     

Enhancement of in vivo adenovirus-mediated gene transfer and expression by prior depletion of tissue macrophages in the target organ.

Based on the hypothesis that tissue macrophages present an obstacle for adenovirus (Ad) vector-mediated gene transfer to internal organs, this study evaluated the consequences of transient depletion of Kupffer cells on subsequent transfer of the Ad vector genome and Ad vector-directed gene expression in the livers of experimental animals. Depletion of Kupffer cells in mice by intravenous administration of multilamellar liposomes containing dichloromethylene-bisphosphonate permitted subsequent intravenous administration of an Ad vector to provide a higher input of recombinant adenoviral DNA to the liver, an absolute increase in transgene expression, and a delayed clearance of the vector DNA and transgene expression. These observations suggest that the tissue macrophages pose a significant hurdle to Ad vector-mediated gene transfer and that strategies to transiently suppress macrophage defenses might be useful in enhancing the efficiency of this in vivo gene transfer system.     

一种高效感染血液细胞的新型靶向性腺病毒载体的构建

人C组5型腺病毒(Ad5)载体能够有效感染上皮来源的细胞,但对造血细胞的感染效率很低,限制了其在造血调控基础研究以及血液病基因治疗中的应用。为了建立高效感染血液细胞的新型靶向性腺病毒载体系统,对5型腺病毒载体的纤维顶球进行了改造,以AdEasy系统为基础,应用递归PCR的方法人工合成人B组11p型腺病毒的部分纤维(fiber)基因,采用一系列分子生物学方法将其替换AdEasy骨架质粒中的人5型腺病毒的fiber基因,得到新的腺病毒骨架质粒命名为pAdEasy-1/F11p,应用带有GFP报告基因的穿梭质粒pShuttle-GFP与AdEasy-1/F11p腺病毒DNA在BJ5183细菌内重组得到重组腺病毒质粒,将其转染293细胞获得重组腺病毒,命名为Ad5F11p-GFP。以Ad5-GFP作对照,同时感染K562、U937等白血病细胞系,流式细胞仪检测GFP的表达。初步检测结果显示:在10MOI时,Ad5F11p-GFP能够有效感染K562、U937等白血病细胞系,感染细胞效率>90%,对照Ad5-GFP感染细胞效率<30%,这表明改建后的腺病毒AdEasy-1/F11p可以高效介导基因转移到血液细胞,是一种很好的血液细胞靶向性腺病毒载体。     

Adenovirus vector-infected cells can escape adenovirus antigen-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte killing in vivo.

The recent findings that prolonged expression of certain adenovirus (Ad) vector-encoded proteins, including human alpha1-antitrypsin (huAAT), mouse erythropoietin (EPO), and human factor IX, can be achieved in animals that do not mount an immune response to the reporter protein were obtained with mouse strains which have been shown to be capable of mounting a cellular immune response against Ad vector antigens. This suggests either that Ad vectors expressing nonimmunogenic transgenes fail to elicit a cellular immune response or that an Ad-specific cellular immune response does develop but is ineffective against cells expressing nonimmunogenic transgenes. Here we demonstrate that an Ad vector expressing huAAT administered by intravenous injection does stimulate an Ad-specific cellular immune response but that this response fails to abolish vector-directed gene expression in vivo. Moreover, expression of huAAT remained stable in animals stimulated by concurrent and multiple administrations of different Ad vectors or viruses. We also demonstrate prolonged expression of huAAT in CD1 mice transgenic for the huAAT gene, indicating that long-term expression is not restricted to C57BL/6 mice. These results demonstrate that under some circumstances, an Ad vector can direct prolonged expression of a nonimmunogenic transgene despite the presence of a robust Ad-specific cellular immune response.     

Adenovirus vectors with the 100K gene deleted and their potential for multiple gene therapy applications

The 100K protein has a number of critical roles vital for successful completion of the late phases of the adenovirus (Ad) life cycle. We hypothesized that the introduction of deletions within the 100K gene would allow for the production of a series of new classes of Ad vector, including one that is replication competent but blocked in the ability to carry out many late-phase Ad functions. Such a vector would have potential for several gene therapy applications, based upon its ability to increase the copy number of the transgene encoded by the vector (via genome replication) while decreasing the side effects associated with Ad late gene expression. To efficiently produce 100K-deleted Ad ([100K-]Ad) vectors, an E1- and 100K-complementing cell line (K-16) was successfully isolated. Transfection of an [E1-,100K-]Ad vector genome into the K-16 cells readily yielded high titers of the vector. After infection of noncomplementing cells, we demonstrated that [100K-]Ad vectors have a significantly decreased ability to express several Ad late genes. Additionally, if the E1 gene was present in the infected noncomplementing cells, [100K-]Ad vectors were capable of replicating their genomes to high copy number, but were significantly blocked in their ability to efficiently encapsidate the replicated genomes. Injection of an [E1-,100K-]Ad vector in vivo also correlated with significantly decreased hepatotoxicity, as well as prolonged vector persistence. In summary, the unique properties of [100K-]Ad vectors suggest that they may have utility in a variety of gene therapy applications.     

细菌内同源重组法制备mIL-12腺病毒载体及其体外高效表达

利用细菌内同源重组法构建含 m IL- 1 2双顺反子重组腺病毒载体 ,其中由 polio IRES连接的 m IL- 1 2 p40和 p35双亚基目的基因片段用 Not +Xho 酶自真核表达载体 pc DNA3/m IL- 1 2中切出 ,亚克隆至经同样酶切的腺病毒穿梭质粒中 ,形成转移质粒 p Adtrack- CMV/m IL- 1 2 ,对之线性化后与腺病毒基因组质粒 p Adeasy- 1共转化 BJ51 83菌 ,抽提经鉴定含目的基因的重组体质粒DNA,转染 2 93细胞 ,包装成重组体腺病毒 Ad- m IL - 1 2 . Southern杂交证实 ,p40和 p35基因已被克隆至 Ad- m IL - 1 2基因组中 ;RT- PCR结果显示 ,Ad- m IL- 1 2感染的 MM45T· Li肿瘤细胞中有p40和 p35基因的表达 ,ELISA检测感染 48h细胞的上清中 m IL- 1 2的含量达 88ng每 1 0 6细胞 ,其体外能刺激小鼠脾脏淋巴细胞的增殖 ,提高 NK细胞活性及诱导 干扰素的产生 .结果表明 ,利用细菌内同源重组法制备的 Ad- m IL- 1 2重组腺病毒载体是一种方便、高效、成功率高的方法 ,所制备的重组体腺毒在体外能有效表达具有生物活性的 m IL- 1 2 ,为今后的体内应用奠定了基础 .