Enrichment of adeno-associated virus serotype 5 full capsids by anion exchange chromatography with dual salt elution gradients.

Adeno-associated virus-based gene therapies have demonstrated substantial therapeutic benefit for the treatment of genetic disorders. In manufacturing processes, viral capsids are produced with and without the encapsidated gene of interest. Capsids devoid of the gene of interest, or "empty" capsids, represent a product-related impurity. As a result, a robust and scalable method to enrich full capsids is crucial to provide patients with as much potentially active product as possible. Anion exchange chromatography has emerged as a highly utilized method for full capsid enrichment across many serotypes due to its ease of use, robustness, and scalability. However, achieving sufficient resolution between the full and empty capsids is not trivial. In this work, anion exchange chromatography was used to achieve empty and full capsid resolution for adeno-associated virus serotype 5. A salt gradient screen of multiple salts with varied valency and Hofmeister series properties was performed to determine optimal peak resolution and aggregate reduction. Dual salt effects were evaluated on the same product and process attributes to identify any synergies with the use of mixed ion gradients. The modified process provided as high as ≥75% AAV5 full capsids (≥3-fold enrichment based on the percent full in the feed stream) with near baseline separation of empty capsids and achieved an overall vector genome step yield of >65%.

Beneficial Effects of Myo-Inositol Oxygenase Deficiency in Cisplatin-Induced AKI.

Overexpression of the proximal tubular enzyme myo-inositol oxygenase (MIOX) induces oxidant stress in vitro However, the relevance of MIOX to tubular pathobiology remains enigmatic. To investigate the role of MIOX in cisplatin-induced tubular AKI, we generated conditional MIOX-overexpressing transgenic (MIOX-TG) mice and MIOX-knockout (MIOX-/-) mice with tubule-specific MIOX overexpression or knockout, respectively. Compared with cisplatin-treated wild-type (WT) mice, cisplatin-treated MIOX-TG mice had even greater increases in urea, creatinine, and KIM-1 levels and more tubular injury and apoptosis, but these effects were attenuated in cisplatin-treated MIOX-/- mice. Similarly, MIOX-TG mice had the highest and MIOX-/- mice had the lowest renal levels of Bax, cleaved caspase-3, and NADPH oxidase-4 expression and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation after cisplatin treatment. In vitro, cisplatin dose-dependently increased ROS generation in LLC-PK1 cells. Furthermore, MIOX overexpression in these cells accentuated cisplatin-induced ROS generation and perturbations in the ratio of GSH to oxidized GSH, whereas MIOX-siRNA or N-acetyl cysteine treatment attenuated these effects. Additionally, the cisplatin-induced enhancement of p53 activation, NF-κB binding to DNA, and NF-κB nuclear translocation in WT mice was exacerbated in MIOX-TG mice but absent in MIOX-/- mice. In vitro, MIOX-siRNA or NAC treatment reduced the dose-dependent increase in p53 expression induced by cisplatin. We also observed a remarkable influx of inflammatory cells and upregulation of cytokines in kidneys of cisplatin-treated MIOX-TG mice. Finally, analysis of genomic DNA in WT mice revealed cisplatin-induced hypomethylation of the MIOX promoter. These data suggest that MIOX overexpression exacerbates, whereas MIOX gene disruption protects against, cisplatin-induced AKI.

Low-dose paclitaxel ameliorates fibrosis in the remnant kidney model by down-regulating miR-192.

Transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß has been shown to play a central role in the development of tubulointerstitial fibrosis, which can be corrected via treatment with paclitaxel. The biology of microRNA (miR) can be modulated by paclitaxel. We hypothesized that paclitaxel may attenuate renal fibrosis in a rat model of remnant kidney disease by inhibiting TGF-ß induced-miRs. Rats in groups of 12 were subjected to 5/6 nephrectomy and received low-dose intraperitoneal injection of paclitaxel. Renal functions were assessed at 8 weeks. The TGF-ß signalling cascade and ECM proteins were evaluated by real-time polymerase chain reaction (TRT-PCR) and immunofluorescence microscopy. Animals with remnant kidneys developed hypertension, which was not relieved with paclitaxel treatment. However, paclitaxel treatment resulted in dampening the proteinuric response, reduction in serum BUN, creatinine levels and urine protein : creatinine ratio and normalization of creatinine clearance. These effects were accompanied by the inhibition of Smad2/3 activation, attenuation of renal fibrosis and normalization of integrin-linked kinase (ILK), COL(I)A1, COL(IV)A2 and α-SMA expression. Also, paclitaxel down-regulated the expression of miR-192, miR-217 and miR -377, while miR-15 was up-regulated in the remnant kidney. In vitro, in tubular epithelial cells (NRK-52E), paclitaxel also inhibited TGF-ß1-induced Smad2/3 activation and normalized ILK, COL(I)A1, COL(IV)A2 and α-SMA expression. Furthermore, ChIP analyses indicated that Taxol suppressed Smad3-mediated miR-192 transcriptional activity. Over-expression of miR-192 in NRK-52E mimicked the changes seen in the remnant kidney, while inclusion of miR-192 inhibitor in the culture medium blocked TGF-ß1-induced COL(I)A1 and COL(IV)A2 expression, while ILK and α-SMA were unaffected. These data suggest that low-dose paclitaxel ameliorates renal fibrosis via modulating miR-192 pathobiology and TGF-ß/Smad signalling.

Epac1-mediated, high glucose-induced renal proximal tubular cells hypertrophy via the Akt/p21 pathway.

The mechanisms involved in tubular hypertrophy in diabetic nephropathy are unclear. We investigated the role of exchange protein activated by cAMP 1(Epac1), which activates Rap-family G proteins in cellular hypertrophy. Epac1 is expressed in heart, renal tubules, and in the HK-2 cell line. In diabetic mice, increased Epac1 expression was observed, and under high glucose ambience (HGA), HK-2 cells also exhibited increased Epac1 expression. We isolated a 1614-bp DNA fragment upstream of the initiation codon of Epac1 gene, inclusive of glucose response elements (GREs). HK-2 or COS7 cells transfected with the Epac1 promoter revealed a dose-dependent increase in its activity under HGA. Mutations in GRE motifs resulted in decreased promoter activity. HK-2 cells exhibited a hypertrophic response and increased protein synthesis under HGA, which was reduced by Epac1-siRNA or -mutants, whereas the use of a protein kinase A inhibitor had minimal effect. Epac1 transfection led to cellular hypertrophy and increased protein synthesis, which was accentuated by HGA. HGA increased the proportion of cells in the G0/G1 cell-cycle phase, and the expression of pAkt and the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p21 and p27 was increased while the activity of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 decreased. These effects were reversed following transfection of cells with Epac1-siRNA or -mutants. These data suggest that HGA increases GRE-dependent Epac1 transcription, leading to cell cycle arrest and instigation of cellular hypertrophy.

Role of extracellular matrix renal tubulo-interstitial nephritis antigen (TINag) in cell survival utilizing integrin (alpha)vbeta3/focal adhesion kinase (FAK)/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B-serine/threonine kinase (AKT) signaling pathway.

Tubulo-interstitial nephritis antigen (TINag) is an extracellular matrix protein expressed in tubular basement membranes. Combined mutations in TINag and nephrocystin-1 genes lead to nephronophthisis with reduced cell survival. Because certain extracellular matrix proteins are known to modulate cell survival, studies were initiated in Lewis rats lacking TINag to assess if they are more susceptible to cisplatin-induced injury. Cisplatin induced a higher degree of tubular cell damage and apoptosis in regions where TINag is expressed in a parental Wistar strain. This was accompanied by an accentuated increase in serum creatinine and Kim-1 RNA and renal expression of Bax, p53, and its nuclear accumulation, mtDNA fragmentation, and a decrease of Bcl-2. Cisplatin induced fulminant apoptosis of HK-2 cells with increased caspase3/7 activity, mtDNA fragmentation, and a reduced cell survival. These effects were partially reversed in cells maintained on TINag substratum. Far Western/solid phase assays established TINag binding with integrin αvß3 comparable with vitronectin. Transfection of cells with αv-siRNA accentuated cisplatin-induced apoptosis, aberrant translocation of cytochrome c and Bax, and reduced cell survival. The αv-siRNA decreased expression of integrin-recruited focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and p-FAK, while increasing the expression of p53 and p-p53. Similarly, p-AKT was reduced although ILK was unaffected. Inhibition of PI3K had similar adverse cellular effects. These effects were ameliorated in cells on TINag substratum. In vivo, a higher degree of decrease in the expression of p-FAK and pAKT was observed in Lewis rats following cisplatin treatment. These in vivo and in vitro studies demonstrate an essential role of TINag in cellular survival to maintain proper tubular homeostasis utilizing integrin αvß3 and downstream effectors.

Transcriptional and post-translational modulation of myo-inositol oxygenase by high glucose and related pathobiological stresses.

Renal-specific oxidoreductase/myo-inositol oxygenase (RSOR/MIOX) catabolizes myo-inositol and is implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. How high glucose (HG) ambience up-regulates its expression and enzyme activity was investigated. MIOX up-regulation was associated with an increase in enzyme activity, which was reduced to basal levels with phosphatase treatment. Using phosphothreonine, protein kinase A (PKA), and PKC substrate antibodies, analyses of kidney lysates of diabetic animals and LLC-PK1/HK-2 cells subjected to HG ambience indicated MIOX to be a phosphoprotein. Kinase phosphorylated recombinant RSOR/MIOX proteins had increased activity confined to exons 2-5. Mutants with substituted phosphorylation sites had a minimal increase in activity. Treatment of cells with PKC, PKA, and PDK1 kinase activators increased activity, whereas inhibitors reduced it. Inhibitors also reduced the phosphorylation and activity of MIOX induced by HG. Besides HG, exposure of cells to oxidants H(2)O(2) and methylglyoxal up-regulated MIOX expression and its phosphorylation and activity, whereas antioxidants N-acetylcysteine, ß-naphthoflavone, and tertiary butyl hydroquinone reduced MIOX expression. Treatment with HG or oxidants or overexpression of MIOX induced nuclear translocation of redox-sensitive transcription factor Nrf2, which binds to antioxidant response elements of various promoters. Promoter analyses revealed an increase in luciferase activity with HG and oxidants. Analyses of antioxidant response elements and carbohydrate response elements revealed an accentuation of DNA-protein interactions with oxidants and under HG ambience. ChIP-PCR and immunofluorescence studies revealed nuclear translocation of carbohydrate response element-binding protein. These findings suggest that phosphorylation of RSOR/MIOX enhances its activity, which is augmented by HG via transcriptional/translational events that are also modulated by diabetes-related pathobiological stresses.