5 Year expression and neutrophil defect repair after gene therapy in alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency

C Mueller, G Gernoux, AM Gruntman, F Borel… - Molecular Therapy, 2017 - cell.com
C Mueller, G Gernoux, AM Gruntman, F Borel, EP Reeves, R Calcedo, FN Rouhani…
Molecular Therapy, 2017cell.com
Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency is a monogenic disorder resulting in emphysema due
principally to the unopposed effects of neutrophil elastase. We previously reported achieving
plasma wild-type alpha-1 antitrypsin concentrations at 2.5%–3.8% of the purported
therapeutic level at 1 year after a single intramuscular administration of recombinant adeno-
associated virus serotype 1 alpha-1 antitrypsin vector in alpha-1 antitrypsin deficient
patients. We analyzed blood and muscle for alpha-1 antitrypsin expression and immune cell …
Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency is a monogenic disorder resulting in emphysema due principally to the unopposed effects of neutrophil elastase. We previously reported achieving plasma wild-type alpha-1 antitrypsin concentrations at 2.5%–3.8% of the purported therapeutic level at 1 year after a single intramuscular administration of recombinant adeno-associated virus serotype 1 alpha-1 antitrypsin vector in alpha-1 antitrypsin deficient patients. We analyzed blood and muscle for alpha-1 antitrypsin expression and immune cell response. We also assayed previously reported markers of neutrophil function known to be altered in alpha-1 antitrypsin deficient patients. Here, we report sustained expression at 2.0%–2.5% of the target level from years 1–5 in these same patients without any additional recombinant adeno-associated virus serotype-1 alpha-1 antitrypsin vector administration. In addition, we observed partial correction of disease-associated neutrophil defects, including neutrophil elastase inhibition, markers of degranulation, and membrane-bound anti-neutrophil antibodies. There was also evidence of an active T regulatory cell response (similar to the 1 year data) and an exhausted cytotoxic T cell response to adeno-associated virus serotype-1 capsid. These findings suggest that muscle-based alpha-1 antitrypsin gene replacement is tolerogenic and that stable levels of M-AAT may exert beneficial neutrophil effects at lower concentrations than previously anticipated.
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