Clin Res Cardiol (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00392-023-02180-w

Scalable Ultra-Purification of Adeno-Associated Viral Vectors - A Novel Standard to Boost Transduction Efficacy and Potency for Cardiac Gene Therapy Development

A. Jungmann1, S. Simon1, P. Schlegel2, E. Meinhardt2, C. Steeg2, J. Kroemer1, T. Ruppert3, C. Richter4, M. Neßling4, P. Raake5, H. A. Katus2, N. Frey2, P. Most1, M. Busch1

1Innere Medizin III, Inst. für Molekulare und Translationale Kardiologie, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Heidelberg; 2Klinik für Innere Med. III, Kardiologie, Angiologie u. Pneumologie, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Heidelberg; 3Core Facility for Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg; 4Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Heidelberg; 5I. Medizinische Klinik, Universitätsklinikum Augsburg, Augsburg;

Introduction: A high transduction efficacy and potency of AAV-based cardiac gene therapies is key for the clinical translation in which hereditary and acquired cardiac disorders will be targeted. As such, ultrapure vectors with superior biological and therapeutic capabilities are a must for these therapies. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that our developed affinity chromatography (AC) based purification system will increase AAV recovery and – potency. Methods: AAV vector production, AC based - or iodixanol density gradient (DG) based purification, Q-PCR, WB, EM, LC-MS/MS, P-loop Results: Using the same vector input quantity, the AC-based purification enabled an approximately 13-fold greater vector genome copy (vgc) recovery than the DG-based purification. Mass spectrometry analysis demonstrated ultrapure AAV9 vectors as a result of an AC purification (AAV9 93.24% vs. 6,76% contaminants) whereas corresponding DG preparations resulted in highly contaminated vectors (AAV9 5.49% vs. 94,51% contaminants). Biological potency of AC- and DG-purified AAV9 vectors towards cardiac transduction were determined by systemic injections of 1·1010, 1·1011 or 1·1012 vgc of AAV9-EGFP in C57BL/6 mice (n=8 each group). AC-purified AAVs achieved a significantly higher cardiac transduction efficacy for every dosage assessed by comparative bulk myocardial DNA, RNA and protein level analysis after 2 weeks. Therapeutic potency was examined for a recently published novel target for chronic heart failure namely the RFXP1-RLN system. To this end, a dosage of 5·1011 vgcs of either AC- or DG purified AAV9-RXFP1 vectors were systemically injected and the cardiac contractile performance increase was captured after 2 weeks in mice of both groups. Of note, 10 minutes after RLN administration, the rise in LV +dp/dtmax. was already significantly greater in the AC- than the DG-vector treated group (AC: 13594+/-1972 vs. DC: 9822+/-801 mmHg/s; n=8 per group, p<0.01). Conclusion: The data clearly promote AC-based AAV purification as a novel standard for cardiovascular basic and translational research. Higher consistency in results, higher therapeutic effects and superior biological potency can be expected from higher production yields of ultrapure AAVs even at lower vector dosages.

https://dgk.org/kongress_programme/jt2023/aV1080.html