414a Assessment of In Vivo Murine Transduction Efficiency and Biodistribution Profiles with AAV/cationic Lipid Co-Formulations

David E. Fein1, Maria P. Limberis2, James M. Wilson2, and Scott L. Diamond1. (1) Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Pennsylvania, 1150 Vagelos Laboratory, 3340 Smith Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104, (2) Gene Therapy Program, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, 125 South 31st Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104

Successful viral vector-mediated delivery of therapeutic transgenes to the airway epithelium has been limited by both low efficiency and induced immune response to the vector and encoded transgene.  Adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors are attractive due to their non-pathogenic nature and sustained transgene expression; however, neutralizing antibodies are generated against the viral capsids preventing effective readministration.  A synthetic cationic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone-spermine (DS), can associate with the AAV capsid altering the biodistribution and immune response following in vivo administration of co-formulated vector/lipid complexes.  Intranasal administration of 1E+11 genome copies of AAV co-formulated with 6.4 µg (total lipid) of liposomes with the neutral lipid dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE)/mouse, resulted in average 1.1 to 2.2 fold increase in transgene expression for AAV2/6.2 in the lung at Day 7 through Day 31 for two different lipid formulations compared to AAV2/6.2 formulated with vehicle control.  Similarly, AAV2/9 co-formulated with lipid resulted in a 1.3 to 3.7 fold increase in transgene expression in the lung at Day 7 through Day 31 for the two lipid formulations compared to AAV2/9 formulated with vehicle control.  Histological examination of lung cross-sections indicated that cohorts receiving AAV/lipid co-formulations had moderately elevated transduction of both the alveolar epithelium and conducting airways following homologous vector re-administration. Our results suggest that formulating AAV with DS/DOPE may improve total transduction efficiency and possibly reduce the host immune response to the vector in mouse airway epithelium in vivo