Cited by 254Virus-based gene therapy researchRNA Interference and Gene DeliveryImmunotherapy and Immune Responses

CpG-depleted adeno-associated virus vectors evade immune detection

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Faust, Susan M., Bell, Peter, Cutler, Benjamin J., Ashley, Scott N., Zhu, Yanqing, Rabinowitz, Joseph E., Wilson, James M.·2013·Journal of Clinical Investigation

Abstract

Due to their efficient transduction potential, adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors are leading candidates for gene therapy in skeletal muscle diseases. However, immune responses toward the vector or transgene product have been observed in preclinical and clinical studies. TLR9 has been implicated in promoting AAV-directed immune responses, but vectors have not been developed to circumvent this barrier. To assess the requirement of TLR9 in promoting immunity toward AAV-associated antigens following skeletal muscle gene transfer in mice, we compared immunological responses in WT and Tlr9-deficient mice that received an AAV vector with an immunogenic capsid, AAVrh32.33. In Tlr9-deficient mice, IFN-γ T cell responses toward capsid and transgene antigen were suppressed, resulting in minimal cellular infiltrate and stable transgene expression in target muscles. These findings suggest that AAV-directed immune responses may be circumvented by depleting the ligand for TLR9 (CpG sequences) from the vector genome. Indeed, we found that CpG-depleted AAVrh32.33 vectors could establish persistent transgene expression, evade immunity, and minimize infiltration of effector cells. Thus, CpG-depleted AAV vectors could improve outcome of clinical trials of gene therapy for skeletal muscle disease.

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Crossref · 10.1172/jci68205

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  • The innate response to self-complementary AAV in mice required TLR9/MyD88.

    “We confirmed with Tlr9−/− and Myd88−/− mice that the innate immune response to self-complementary AAV was indeed dependent on the TLR9/MyD88 pathway (Fig. 1D and 1E), as previously shown in the literature (15–17).”

    From Engineering adeno-associated viral vectors to evade innate immune and inflammatory responses (2021) · cites this paper as [17]

    The Results (page unavailable) show that Tlr9-deficient mice had a reduced innate cytokine and chemokine response to AAVrh32.33. The Introduction and Discussion (pages unavailable) connect TLR9 to self-complementary AAV and report TLR9/MyD88-dependent recognition of AAV2, but they do not establish that the innate response to self-complementary AAV in mice required both TLR9 and MyD88. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • CD8+ T cell responses against rh32.33 capsid required MyD88 in mice.

    “We confirmed with Myd88−/− mice that development of CD8+ T cell responses against rh32.33 capsid depended on MyD88(15, 17) (Fig. 2A, middle panel).”

    From Engineering adeno-associated viral vectors to evade innate immune and inflammatory responses (2021) · cites this paper as [17]

    The Results and Figure 2 caption (page unavailable) report reduced capsid-reactive CD8+ T-cell responses in Tlr9-deficient mice. They do not report an experiment in Myd88-deficient mice or establish MyD88 dependence for the rh32.33 capsid response; the Discussion mentions MyD88 only when describing another study’s broader AAV findings. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • TLR9 and TLR2 have been demonstrated to detect AAV genomes and capsids, respectively.

    “Microglia are the chief resident immune cells of the retina and are capable of inducing pro-inflammatory cytokine expression through TLR9- and TLR2-mediated responses,41 which have been demonstrated to detect AAV genomes and capsids, respectively.42, 43, 44”

    From Characterizing the cellular immune response to subretinal AAV gene therapy in the murine retina (2021) · cites this paper as [43]

    The Discussion states that TLR9 can recognize unmethylated CpG motifs in AAV expression cassettes, supporting the AAV-genome part of the claim. The passages found do not say that TLR2 detects AAV capsids; a search for TLR2 and capsid recognition found no supporting passage. Section page numbers were not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • The AAV vector genome triggers TLR9, a receptor that detects foreign DNA.

    “the genome of the vector activates Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9), a pattern recognition receptor that senses foreign DNA”
  • Reduction of CpG islands in rAAV vectors increased transgene expression and reduced TLR9-mediated innate immune detection.

    “Recent studies indicated that the reduction of CpG islands in rAAV vectors increased transgene expression and reduced TLR9-mediated innate immune detection [46,47].”

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. [15]15. Stan AC, Casares S, Brumeanu TD, Klinman DM, Bona CA. CpG motifs of DNA vaccines induce the expression of chemokines and MHC class II molecules on myocytes. Eur J Immunol. 2001; 31(1):301-310.

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Authors
Faust, S. M., Bell, P., Cutler, B. J., Ashley, S. N., Zhu, Y., Rabinowitz, J. E., & Wilson, J. M.
Affiliations
  • University of Pennsylvania (US)
  • Temple University (US)
Corresponding author
Wilson, James M.
Venue
Journal of Clinical Investigation
Published
2013-06-17
Volume
123
Issue
7
Pages
2994-3001
ISSN
0021-9738 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2095942414
Cited by
254
References
27
Citations by year
2026: 20 · 2025: 26 · 2024: 25 · 2023: 30 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 29 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 4
FWCI
8.84
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Clinical Investigation (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (R01HL091096, T32HL007954)
  • National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (T32AI007324)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Virus-based gene therapy research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › RNA Interference and Gene Delivery
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Immunotherapy and Immune Responses
Keywords
adeno-associated virus vectors, CpG depletion, TLR9, immune evasion, TLR9-deficient mice, IFN-γ T cell response, transgene expression
MeSH terms
Dependovirus, Animals, Capsid, DNA, Viral, Genetic Vectors, HeLa Cells, Humans, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Transduction, Genetic, Genetic Therapy, CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes, Mice, Knockout, CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes, Muscle, Skeletal, CpG Islands, Chemokines, Transgenes, Toll-Like Receptor 9, Mice, Adaptive Immunity, Immune Evasion

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