重组人骨形态发生蛋白4基因腺相关病毒载体对兔骨髓基质干细胞生物学行为的影响

目的应用重组人骨形态发生蛋白4基因腺相关病毒载体(AAV-hBMP4)转染兔骨髓基质干细胞(BMSCs),观察其对BMSCs生物学行为的影响,从而为骨组织工程寻找理想的病毒载体及种子细胞。方法全骨髓法培养兔BMSCs,按感染复数(MOI)值不同设定为四组,分别转染兔BMSCs,观察病毒量对细胞形态的影响。选取影响最小的MOI值,进行后续实验。转染兔BMSCs,MTT法描记细胞生长曲线,观察AAV对细胞增殖活性的影响。以重组增强型绿色荧光蛋白基因的腺相关病毒载体(AAV-EGFP)为参照,行流式细胞仪检测,计算转染效率。AAV-hBMP4与对照病毒AAV-EGFP分别转染细胞,观察细胞形态,行碱性磷酸酶(ALP)染色、Von Kossa染色及ALP含量测定,观察成骨活性。兔肌袋实验观察异位成骨情况。结果MOI值为5×10~4 vg/cell时,AAV对细胞形态影响最小,以此值进行后续实验。AAV转染后,细胞增殖活性良好,转染效率为55％～65％。AAV-hBMP4转染后,细胞形态呈现典型的成骨改变,ALP染色及Von Kossa染色均出现成骨的特征性改变,而AAV-EGFP组无上述改变。细胞上清ALP含量测定显示,实验组ALP含量显著增高,与对照组比较差异有统计学意义(t=218．65,P＜0．01)。兔肌袋实验术后4周组织学检测可见大量钙盐沉积,矿化结节形成。结论AAV-hBMP4转染效率高,对BMSCs的增殖活性影响小,AAV-hBMP4转染的BMSCs可望成为组织工程化骨的理想种子细胞。     

Striatal delivery of CERE-120, an AAV2 vector encoding human neurturin, enhances activity of the dopaminergic nigrostriatal system in aged monkeys.

Neurturin (NTN) is a potent survival factor for midbrain dopaminergic neurons. CERE-120, an adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV2) vector encoding human NTN (AAV2-NTN), is currently being developed as a potential therapy for Parkinson's disease. This study examined the bioactivity and safety/tolerability of AAV2-NTN in the aged monkey model of nigrostriatal dopamine insufficiency. Aged rhesus monkeys received unilateral injections of AAV2-NTN into the caudate and putamen, with each animal therefore serving as its own control. Robust expression of NTN within the nigrostriatal system was observed 8 months postadministration. (18)F-fluorodopa imaging using positron emission tomography revealed statistically significant increases in (18)F-fluorodopa uptake in the injected striatum compared with the uninjected side at 4 and 8 months. In addition, at 8 months postadministration, a significant enhancement in tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive fibers and an increase in the number of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive cells was observed in the AAV2-NTN injected striatum compared with the uninjected side. Robust activation of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase immunoreactivity in the substantia nigra was also observed. Histopathological analyses revealed no adverse effects of AAV2-NTN in the brain. Collectively, these results are consistent with the neurotrophic effects of NTN on the dopaminergic nigrostriatal system and extend the growing body of evidence supporting the concept that AAV2-NTN may have therapeutic benefit for Parkinson's disease.     

Characterization of a nuclear localization signal in the C-terminus of the adeno-associated virus Rep68/78 proteins

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) replicates in the nucleus of infected cells, and therefore multiple nuclear import events are required for productive infection. We analyzed nuclear import of the viral Rep proteins and characterized a nuclear localization signal (NLS) in the C-terminus. We demonstrate that basic residues in this region constitute an NLS that is transferable and mediates interaction with the nuclear import receptor importin alpha in vitro. Mutant Rep proteins are predominantly cytoplasmic and are severely compromised for interactions with importin alpha, but retain their enzymatic functions in vitro. Interestingly, mutations of the NLS had significantly less effect on importin alpha interaction and replication in the context of Rep78 than when incorporated into the Rep68 protein. Together, our results demonstrate that a bipartite NLS exists in the shared part of Rep68 and Rep78, and suggest that an alternate entry mechanism may also contribute to nuclear localization of the Rep78 protein.     

Inverted terminal repeat sequences of adeno-associated virus enhance the antibody and CD8(+) responses to a HIV-1 p55Gag/LAMP DNA vaccine chimera

The immune responses to an HIV-1 p55Gag vaccine encoded as a DNA chimera with the lysosomal associated membrane protein-1 (LAMP) have been examined for the effect of the addition of the inverted terminal repeat (ITR) sequences of the adeno-associated virus (AAV) to the DNA plasmid construct, and of packaging the LAMP/gag gene as a recombinant AAV vector (rAAV). DNA plasmids encoding Gag and the LAMP/Gag protein chimera were constructed in two vectors, the pcDNA3.1 and a corresponding plasmid containing the ITR sequences (pITR) flanking the expression elements of the plasmid, and the pITR LAMP/gag DNA plasmid was encapsidated in the rAAV vector. Human 293 cells transfected in vitro with LAMP/gag plasmids either in pcDNA3.1 or pITR produced much Gag protein in cell extracts (1.6 and 2.2 ng of Gag/mg of protein, respectively). The immune responses of mice to immunization with these constructs were examined under three protocols: DNA prime/DNA boost, DNA prime/rAAV boost, and a single rAAV immunization. The results demonstrated that under DNA prime/DNA boost protocol, the "naked" DNA vaccines encoding the LAMP/gag chimera, either as pcDNA3.1 or pITR DNA plasmid constructs, elicited strong CD4(+) T cell responses. In contrast, significantly higher levels of CD8(+) and antibody responses were observed with the pITR-DNA constructs. Immunization with the rAAV vector under the DNA prime/rAAV boost protocol resulted in sustained T cell responses and a markedly increased antibody response, predominantly of the IgG(1) isotype resulting from the activation of the Th2 subset of CD4(+) T cells, that was sustained for at least 5 months after immunization.     

腺相关病毒载体优化的研究进展

 腺相关病毒（adeno-associated viruses，AAV）是用于基因传递与表达的常用载体，具有安全性好、免疫原性低、表达稳定等优点，在基因治疗中逐步得到应用。但是AAV载体在基因治疗中仍面临着转导效率低、载体容量小、靶向性弱以及宿主的免疫反应等限制，影响了AAV载体的广泛应用。因此，AAV载体技术的优化研究在持续推进，优化策略能够提高AAV转导效率，降低机体免疫反应，调高靶向性，扩展载体容量，优化调控。本文对相关研究进展进行综述，为AAV载体在临床应用提供一定的参考。     

A flexible split prime editor using truncated reverse transcriptase improves dual-AAV delivery in mouse liver

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Restoring neuronal chloride homeostasis with anti-NKCC1 gene therapy rescues cognitive deficits in a mouse model of Down syndrome

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CRISPR genome surgery in a novel humanized model for autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa

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Neuropeptides in epilepsy

Neuropeptides play an important role in modulating seizures and epilepsy. Unlike neurotransmitters which operate on a millisecond time-scale, neuropeptides have longer half lives; this leads to modulation of neuronal and network activity over prolonged periods, so contributing to setting the seizure threshold. Most neuropeptides are stored in large dense vesicles and co-localize with inhibitory interneurons. They are released upon high frequency stimulation making them attractive targets for modulation of seizures, during which high frequency discharges occur. Numerous neuropeptides have been implicated in epilepsy; one, ACTH, is already used in clinical practice to suppress seizures. Here, we concentrate on neuropeptides that have a direct effect on seizures, and for which therapeutic interventions are being developed. We have thus reviewed the abundant reports that support a role for neuropeptide Y (NPY), galanin, ghrelin, somatostatin and dynorphin in suppressing seizures and epileptogenesis, and for tachykinins having pro-epileptic effects. Most in vitro and in vivo studies are performed in hippocampal tissue in which receptor expression is usually high, making translation to other brain areas less clear. We highlight recent therapeutic strategies to treat epilepsy with neuropeptides, which are based on viral vector technology, and outline how such interventions need to be refined in order to address human disease.     

Development of packaging cell lines for generation of adeno-associated virus vectors by lentiviral gene transfer of trans-complementary components

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector system has several useful advantages with regard to in vitro and in vivo gene transfer. However, their usages have been limited by cumbersome and labor-intensive vector production in the traditional method. To overcome limitations in AAV production, in this report, we explored the possibility of generating AAV packaging cell line, 293T R/C.VA.E2A.E4. cells, by using lentivirus-mediated transduction of Rep/Cap gene of AAV-2, VA RNA, E2A, and E4 genes of Ad5 into 293T cells. In packaging cell lines, it is important that supply of the AAV vector can be stably performed for long time. We showed that the 293T R/C.VA.E2A.E4. cells have stably maintained the transduced components after more than 10 passages and yielded high-titer AAV vectors, and the titer of AAV vectors did not decline even if culture of the packaging cells was continued for long time. The Rep/Cap and E4 gene products caused no remarkable cytotoxicity. The 293T R/C.VA.E2A.E4. cells might be able to tolerate the Rep/Cap and E4 gene products, or have less copy numbers of the Rep/Cap and E4 genes than the traditional method. Moreover, we showed that the AAV vectors derived from 293T R/C.VA.E2A.E4. cells infected the primary human CD34+ haematopoietic progenitor cells with high efficiency (50-70%). In the 293T R/C.VA.E2A.E4. cells, the AAV vectors can be generated by the transfection of one AAV vector plasmid, and large-scale AAV production can be easily achieved. It is important that cumbersome, variable, and costly transfection is avoided.