Tetrafunctional Block Copolymers Promote Lung Gene Transfer in Newborn Piglets

Respiratory mucosal vaccination of peptide-poloxamine-DNA nanoparticles provides complete protection against lethal SARS-CoV-2 challenge

The ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic represents a brutal reminder of the continual threat of mucosal infectious diseases. Mucosal immunity may provide robust protection at the predominant sites of SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, it remains unclear whether respiratory mucosal administration of DNA vaccines could confer protective immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 challenge due to insurmountable barriers posed by the airway. Here, we applied self-assembled peptide-poloxamine nanoparticles with mucus-penetrating properties for pulmonary inoculation of a COVID-19 DNA vaccine (pSpike/PP-sNp). The pSpike/PP-sNp not only displays superior gene transfection and favorable biocompatibility in the mouse airway, but also promotes a tripartite immunity consisting of systemic, cellular, and mucosal immune responses that are characterized by mucosal IgA secretion, high levels of neutralizing antibodies, and resident memory phenotype T-cell responses in the lungs of mice. Most importantly, immunization with pSpike/PP-sNp completely eliminates SARS-CoV-2 infection in both upper and lower respiratory tracts and enables 100% survival rate of mice following lethal SARS-CoV-2 challenge. Our findings indicate PP-sNp is a promising platform in mediating DNA vaccines to elicit all-around mucosal immunity against SARS-CoV-2.

Aerosol-Mediated Non-Viral Lung Gene Therapy: The Potential of Aminoglycoside-Based Cationic Liposomes

Aerosol lung gene therapy using non-viral delivery systems represents a credible therapeutic strategy for chronic respiratory diseases, such as cystic fibrosis (CF). Progress in CF clinical setting using the lipidic formulation GL67A has demonstrated the relevance of such a strategy while emphasizing the need for more potent gene transfer agents. In recent years, many novel non-viral gene delivery vehicles were proposed as potential alternatives to GL67 cationic lipid. However, they were usually evaluated using procedures difficult or even impossible to implement in clinical practice. In this study, a clinically-relevant administration protocol via aerosol in murine lungs was used to conduct a comparative study with GL67A. Diverse lipidic compounds were used to prepare a series of formulations inspired by the composition of GL67A. While some of these formulations were ineffective at transfecting murine lungs, others demonstrated modest-to-very-efficient activities and a series of structure-activity relationships were unveiled. Lipidic aminoglycoside derivative-based formulations were found to be at least as efficient as GL67A following aerosol delivery of a luciferase-encoding plasmid DNA. A single aerosol treatment with one such formulation was found to mediate long-term lung transgene expression, exceeding half the animal's lifetime. This study clearly supports the potential of aminoglycoside-based cationic lipids as potent GL67-alternative scaffolds for further enhanced aerosol non-viral lung gene therapy for diseases such as CF.

In vitro optimization of miniature bronchoscope lentiviral vector delivery for the small animal lung

Current gene therapy delivery protocols for small animal lungs typically utilize indirect dose delivery via the nasal airways, or bolus delivery directly into the trachea. Both methods can result in variable transduction throughout the lung, as well as between animals, and cannot be applied in a targeted manner. To minimize variability and improve lung coverage we previously developed and validated a method to visualize and dose gene vectors into pre-selected lobes of rat lungs using a mini-bronchoscope. Lentiviral (LV) vectors are known to be fragile and can be inactivated easily by temperature or the application of shear stresses. There are several ways that the bronchoscope could be configured to deliver the LV vector, and these could result in different amounts of functional LV vector being delivered to the lung. This study evaluated several methods of LV vector delivery through the bronchoscope, and how flow rates and LV vector stabilizing diluents impact LV vector delivery. NIH-3T3 cells were exposed to LV vector containing the green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter gene using various bronchoscopic delivery techniques and the number of GFP-positive cells produced by each was quantified by flow cytometry. The results showed that directly drawing the LV vector into the bronchoscope tip resulted in 80-90% recovery of viable vector, and was also the simplest method of delivery. The fluid delivery rate and the use of stabilizing serum in the vector diluent had no effect on the viability of the LV vector delivered. These findings can be used to optimize LV vector dose delivery into individual lung lobes of small animal models.

Intratracheal aerosolization of viral vectors to newborn pig airways

Gene therapy for airway diseases requires efficient delivery of nucleic acids to the airways. In small animal models, gene delivery reagents are commonly delivered as a bolus dose. However, large animal models are often more relevant for the transition from preclinical studies to human trials. Aerosolizing viral vectors to the lungs of large animals can maximize anatomical distribution. Here, we describe a technique for aerosolization of viral vectors to the airways of newborn pigs. Briefly, a pig is anesthetized and intubated with an endotracheal tube, and a microsprayer is passed through the endotracheal tube. A fine mist is then sprayed into the distal trachea. Widespread and uniform distribution of transgene expression is critical for developing successful lung gene therapy treatments.

Historically, achieving uniform distribution of a gene therapy reagent in the lungs has been challenging. Here, we describe an aerosolizing technique which can be used to achieve homogenous expression of a viral vector in newborn pig lungs. Briefly, pigs are sedated and intubated with an endotracheal tube, and a microsprayer is used to aerosolize a viral vector which results in its widespread distribution in the lungs.