Maya Ross, Kareen Sade, Alexey Obolensky, Edward Averbukh, Melissa Desrosiers, Alexander Rosov, Hay Dvir, Elisha Gootwine, Eyal Banin, Deniz Dalkara, Ron Ofri
{"title":"Characterization of anti-AAV2 neutralizing antibody levels in sheep prior to and following intravitreal AAV2.7m8 injection","authors":"Maya Ross, Kareen Sade, Alexey Obolensky, Edward Averbukh, Melissa Desrosiers, Alexander Rosov, Hay Dvir, Elisha Gootwine, Eyal Banin, Deniz Dalkara, Ron Ofri","doi":"10.1038/s41434-024-00495-5","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Gene augmentation therapy is a promising treatment for incurable, blinding inherited retinal diseases, and intravitreal delivery is being studied as a safe alternative to subretinal injections. Adeno-Associated Viruses (AAV) are commonly-used vectors for ocular gene augmentation therapy. Naturally occurring pre-operative exposure and infection with AAV could result in presence of neutralizing antibodies (NAB’s) in patients’ serum, and may affect the safety and efficacy of treatment. Our aim was to characterize the humoral response against AAV pre- and post-intravitreal delivery of AAV2.7m8 vectors in a naturally-occurring sheep model of CNGA3 achromatopsia. Serial serum neutralization assays were performed to screen sheep for pre-exiting anti-AAV2 NAB’s, and to assess the effect of intravitreal AAV2.7m8 injection on post-operative NAB titers and intraocular inflammation in sheep. The effect of viral dose and transgene type were also assessed. Serological screening revealed pre-operative seropositivity in 21.4% of animals, with age being a risk factor for the presence of anti-AAV2 NAB’s. NAB titers increased following intravitreal AAV administration in the majority of sheep. There was no significant difference in the degree of post-operative serum neutralization between pre-operatively seronegative sheep and those with pre-existing antibodies. However, only sheep with pre-existing antibodies presented with signs of post-operative inflammation. We conclude that pre-existing anti-AAV2 NAB’s do not affect the level of post-operative NAB titers; however, they increase the risk of post-operative ocular inflammation. Our results could have implications for the management of AAV-mediated ocular gene therapies, a technology being increasingly studied and used in patients.","PeriodicalId":12699,"journal":{"name":"Gene Therapy","volume":"31 11-12","pages":"580-586"},"PeriodicalIF":4.6000,"publicationDate":"2024-10-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41434-024-00495-5.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Gene Therapy","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41434-024-00495-5","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Gene augmentation therapy is a promising treatment for incurable, blinding inherited retinal diseases, and intravitreal delivery is being studied as a safe alternative to subretinal injections. Adeno-Associated Viruses (AAV) are commonly-used vectors for ocular gene augmentation therapy. Naturally occurring pre-operative exposure and infection with AAV could result in presence of neutralizing antibodies (NAB’s) in patients’ serum, and may affect the safety and efficacy of treatment. Our aim was to characterize the humoral response against AAV pre- and post-intravitreal delivery of AAV2.7m8 vectors in a naturally-occurring sheep model of CNGA3 achromatopsia. Serial serum neutralization assays were performed to screen sheep for pre-exiting anti-AAV2 NAB’s, and to assess the effect of intravitreal AAV2.7m8 injection on post-operative NAB titers and intraocular inflammation in sheep. The effect of viral dose and transgene type were also assessed. Serological screening revealed pre-operative seropositivity in 21.4% of animals, with age being a risk factor for the presence of anti-AAV2 NAB’s. NAB titers increased following intravitreal AAV administration in the majority of sheep. There was no significant difference in the degree of post-operative serum neutralization between pre-operatively seronegative sheep and those with pre-existing antibodies. However, only sheep with pre-existing antibodies presented with signs of post-operative inflammation. We conclude that pre-existing anti-AAV2 NAB’s do not affect the level of post-operative NAB titers; however, they increase the risk of post-operative ocular inflammation. Our results could have implications for the management of AAV-mediated ocular gene therapies, a technology being increasingly studied and used in patients.
期刊介绍:
Gene Therapy covers both the research and clinical applications of novel therapeutic techniques based on a genetic component. Over the last few decades, significant advances in technologies ranging from identifying novel genetic targets that cause disease through to clinical studies, which show therapeutic benefit, have elevated this multidisciplinary field to the forefront of modern medicine.