Therapeutic levels of human factor VIII and IX using HIV-1–based lentiviral vectors in mouse liver

F Park, K Ohashi, MA Kay - Blood, The Journal of the American …, 2000 - ashpublications.org
F Park, K Ohashi, MA Kay
Blood, The Journal of the American Society of Hematology, 2000ashpublications.org
Lentiviral vectors have the potential to play an important role in hemophilia gene therapy.
The present study used human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-based lentiviral vectors
containing an EF1 enhancer/promoter driving human factors VIII (hFVIII) or IX (hFIX)
complementary DNA expression for portal vein injection into C57Bl/6 mice. Increasing doses
of hFIX-expressing lentivirus resulted in a dose-dependent, sustained increase in serum
hFIX levels up to approximately 50-60 ng/mL. Partial hepatectomy resulted in a 4-to 6-fold …
Abstract
Lentiviral vectors have the potential to play an important role in hemophilia gene therapy. The present study used human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-based lentiviral vectors containing an EF1 enhancer/promoter driving human factors VIII (hFVIII) or IX (hFIX) complementary DNA expression for portal vein injection into C57Bl/6 mice. Increasing doses of hFIX-expressing lentivirus resulted in a dose-dependent, sustained increase in serum hFIX levels up to approximately 50-60 ng/mL. Partial hepatectomy resulted in a 4- to 6-fold increase (P < 0.005) in serum hFIX of up to 350 ng/mL compared with the nonhepatectomized counterparts. The expression of plasma hFVIII reached 30 ng/mL (15% of normal) but was transient as the plasma levels fell concomitant with the formation of anti-hFVIII antibodies. However, hFVIII levels were persistent in immunodeficient C57Bl/6 scid mice, suggesting humoral immunity-limited gene expression in immunocompetent mice. This study demonstrates that lentiviral vectors can produce therapeutic levels of coagulation factors in vivo, which can be enhanced with hepatocellular proliferation.
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