Adenovirus-mediated factor VIII gene expression results in attenuated anti-factor VIII-specific immunity in hemophilia A mice compared with factor VIII protein infusion

JA Bristol, A Gallo-Penn, J Andrews… - Human gene …, 2001 - liebertpub.com
JA Bristol, A Gallo-Penn, J Andrews, N Idamakanti, M Kaleko, S Connelly
Human gene therapy, 2001liebertpub.com
Hemophilia A patients are typically treated by factor VIII (FVIII) protein replacement, an
expensive therapy that induces FVIII-specific inhibitors in approximately 30% of patients with
severe hemophilia. FVIII gene therapy has the potential to improve the current treatment
protocols. In this report, we used a hemophilia A mouse model to compare the humoral and
cellular immune responses between an E1/E2a/E3-deficient adenovirus expressing human
FVIII directed by a liver-specific albumin promoter and purified recombinant FVIII protein …
Hemophilia A patients are typically treated by factor VIII (FVIII) protein replacement, an expensive therapy that induces FVIII-specific inhibitors in approximately 30% of patients with severe hemophilia. FVIII gene therapy has the potential to improve the current treatment protocols. In this report, we used a hemophilia A mouse model to compare the humoral and cellular immune responses between an E1/E2a/E3-deficient adenovirus expressing human FVIII directed by a liver-specific albumin promoter and purified recombinant FVIII protein infusion. Adenovirus-mediated FVIII expression did not elicit detectable CD4+ or CD8+ T cell responses and induced a weak antibody immune response to FVIII. In contrast, FVIII protein administration resulted in a potent anti-FVIII antibody response and moderate CD4+ T cell response. Furthermore, hemophiliac mice preimmunized with FVIII protein infusion to induce anti-FVIII immunity, and subsequently treated by adenovirus-mediated FVIII gene therapy, expressed therapeutic levels of FVIII despite the presence of low levels of anti-FVIII antibodies. No FVIII was detected in the plasma of mice with intermediate or high antibody levels, although anti-FVIII antibody levels in some vector-treated animals declined. The data support the hypothesis that liver-specific gene therapy-mediated expression of FVIII may be less immunogenic than traditional protein replacement therapy.
Mary Ann Liebert