Liver-directed gene therapy of chronic hepadnavirus infection using interferon alpha tethered to apolipoprotein A-I.

ABSTRACT:

Background & aims

Current hepatitis B virus (HBV) management is challenging as treatment with nucleos(t)ide analogues needs to be maintained indefinitely and because interferon (IFN)-α therapy is associated with considerable toxicity. Previously, we showed that linking IFNα to apolipoprotein A-I generates a molecule (IA) with distinct antiviral and immunostimulatory activities which lacks the hematological toxicity of IFNα.

Methods

Here, we analyse the antiviral potential of an adeno-associated vector encoding IFNα fused to apolipoprotein A-I (AAV-IA) in comparison to a vector encoding only IFNα (AAV-IFN) in two animal models of chronic hepadnavirus infection.

Results

In HBV transgenic mice, we found that both vectors induced marked reductions in serum and liver HBV D

SUBMITTER: Berraondo P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4508219 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature