Radioiodinated Capsids Facilitate In Vivo Non-Invasive Tracking of Adeno-Associated Gene Transfer Vectors.

Viral vector mediated gene therapy has become commonplace in clinical trials for a wide range of inherited disorders. Successful gene transfer depends on a number of factors, of which tissue tropism is among the most important. To date, definitive mapping of the spatial and temporal distribution of viral vectors in vivo has generally required postmortem examination of tissue. Here we present two methods for radiolabeling adeno-associated virus (AAV), one of the most commonly used viral vectors for gene therapy trials, and demonstrate their potential usefulness in the development of surrogate markers for vector delivery during the first week after administration. Specifically, we labeled adeno-associated virus serotype 10 expressing the coding sequences for the CLN2 gene implicated in late infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis with iodine-124. Using direct (Iodogen) and indirect (modified Bolton-Hunter) methods, we observed the vector in the murine brain for up to one week using positron emission tomography. Capsid radioiodination of viral vectors enables non-invasive, whole body, in vivo evaluation of spatial and temporal vector distribution that should inform methods for efficacious gene therapy over a broad range of applications.

Spectroscopic, radiochemical, and theoretical studies of the Ga3+-N-2-hydroxyethyl piperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES buffer) system: evidence for the formation of Ga3+ - HEPES complexes in (68) Ga labeling reactions.

Recent reports have claimed a superior performance of HEPES buffer in comparison to alternative buffer systems for (67/68) Ga labeling in aqueous media. In this paper we report spectroscopic ((1) H and (71) Ga NMR), radiochemical, mass spectrometry and theoretical modeling studies on the Ga(3+)/HEPES system (HEPES = N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid) performed with the aim of elucidating a potential contribution of HEPES in the (68/67) Ga radiolabeling process. Our results demonstrate that HEPES acts as a weakly but competitive chelator of Ga(3+) and that this interaction depends on the relative Ga(3+): HEPES concentration. A by-product formed in the labeling mixture has been identified as a [(68) Ga]Ga(HEPES) complex via chromatographic comparison with the nonradioactive analog. The formation of this complex was verified to compete with [(68) Ga]Ga(NOTA) complexation at low NOTA concentration. Putative chelation of Ga(3+) by the hydroxyl and adjacent ring nitrogen of HEPES is proposed on the basis of (1)H NMR shifts induced by Ga(3+) and theoretical modeling studies.