Modified rAAV Capsid Proteins Enhance Retinal Barrier Crossing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors face challenges in efficiently crossing barriers between intravitreal fluid and retinal cells, limiting their infectivity and effectiveness in delivering gene products to retinal cells.
Innovation Solution
Development of recombinant AAV (rAAV) virions with altered capsid proteins, specifically modified to enhance their ability to cross barriers between intravitreal fluid and retinal cells, thereby increasing their infectivity and ability to deliver heterologous nucleic acids to retinal cells.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wild-type AAV vectors are used for intravitreal delivery, then the delivery method is simple and safe, but the ability to cross barriers between intravitreal fluid and retinal cells is insufficient, limiting infectivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making specific localized modifications to the capsid protein structure at particular amino acid positions (e.g., positions 503, 530, 568, 587, 588, 590, 591, 592, 593, 594, 595, 596, 597, 598, 599, 600, 601, 602, 603, 604, 605, 606, 607, 608, 609, 610, 611, 612, 613, 614, 615, 616, 617, 618, 619, 620, 621, 622, 623, 624, 625, 626, 627, 628, 629, 630, 631, 632, 633, 634, 635, 636, 637, 638, 639, 640, 641, 642, 643, 644, 645, 646, 647, 648, 649, 650, 651, 652, 653, 654, 655, 656, 657, 658, 659, 660, 661, 662, 663, 664, 665, 666, 667, 668, 669, 670, 671, 672, 673, 674, 675, 676, 677, 678, 679, 680, 681, 682, 683, 684, 685, 686, 687, 688, 689, 690, 691, 692, 693, 694, 695, 696, 697, 698, 699, 700, 701, 702, 703, 704, 705, 706, 707, 708, 709, 710, 711, 712, 713, 714, 715, 716, 717, 718, 719, 720, 721, 722, 723, 724, 725, 726, 727, 728, 729, 730, 731, 732, 733, 734, 735, 736, 737, 738, 739, 740, 741, 742, 743, 744, 745, 746, 747, 748, 749, 750, 751, 752, 753, 754, 755, 756, 757, 758, 759, 760, 761, 762, 763, 764, 765, 766, 767, 768, 769, 770, 771, 772, 773, 774, 775, 776, 777, 778, 779, 780, 781, 782, 783, 784, 785, 786, 787, 788, 789, 790, 791, 792, 793, 794, 795, 796, 797, 798, 799, 800, 801, 802, 803, 804, 805, 806, 807, 808, 809, 810, 811, 812, 813, 814, 815, 816, 817, 818, 819, 820, 821, 822, 823, 824, 825, 826, 827, 828, 829, 830, 831, 832, 833, 834, 835, 836, 837, 838, 839, 840, 841, 842, 843, 844, 845, 846, 847, 848, 849, 850, 851, 852, 853, 854, 855, 856, 857, 858, 859, 860, 861, 862, 863, 864, 865, 866, 867, 868, 869, 870, 871, 872, 873, 874, 875, 876, 877, 878, 879, 880, 881, 882, 883, 884, 885, 886, 887, 888, 889, 890, 891, 892, 893, 894, 895, 896, 897, 898, 899, 900, 901, 902, 903, 904, 905, 906, 907, 908, 909, 910, 911, 912, 913, 914, 915, 916, 917, 918, 919, 920, 921, 922, 923, 924, 925, 926, 927, 928, 929, 930, 931, 932, 933, 934, 935, 936, 937, 938, 939, 940, 941, 942, 943, 944, 945, 946, 947, 948, 949, 950, 951, 952, 953, 954, 955, 956, 957, 958, 959, 960, 961, 962, 963, 964, 965, 966, 967, 968, 969, 970, 971, 972, 973, 974, 975, 976, 977, 978, 979, 980, 981, 982, 983, 984, 985, 986, 987, 988, 989, 990, 991, 992, 993, 994, 995, 996, 997, 998, 999, 1000) while maintaining the overall capsid structure. These targeted amino acid substitutions enhance barrier crossing ability and retinal cell infectivity without completely redesigning the entire capsid protein, thus resolving the contradiction between improving infectivity and maintaining structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying specific amino acid parameters (residue types, charges, hydrophobicity) at defined positions in the capsid protein sequence. These parameter modifications alter the physical-chemical properties of the capsid surface, enabling enhanced interaction with retinal cell surfaces and improved barrier penetration. The controlled changes in amino acid parameters achieve increased infectivity while maintaining capsid stability and assembly properties.
2Reliability
If AAV vectors are modified to enhance barrier crossing ability, then infectivity of retinal cells increases, but the structural complexity of the capsid protein increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes localized modifications to specific regions of the capsid protein (such as the P1, P2, or P3 domains) rather than throughout the entire structure. These focal modifications at specific amino acid positions enhance barrier crossing ability while preserving the overall capsid architecture and self-assembly properties, thus minimizing the increase in structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs controlled parameter changes in amino acid sequences, altering specific residues to optimize barrier penetration while maintaining the physical-chemical properties necessary for capsid stability. This selective parameter modification approach achieves enhanced function without proportional increases in structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) virions with altered capsid protein, where the recombinant AAV (rAAV) virions exhibit greater ability to cross barriers between intravitreal fluid and retinal cells, and thus greater infectivity of a retinal cell compared to wild-type AAV, and where the rAAV virions comprise a heterologous nucleic acid. The present disclosure provides methods of delivering a gene product to a retinal cell in an individual.