In order to pursue a clinical gene therapy for a human neurologic disease, it is often necessary to perform proof-of-concept trials in mouse models of that disease. In order to demonstrate a potential clinical efficacy, one must be able to select an appropriate vector and route of delivery for the appropriate age group in the disease model. Since many diseases require correction early in life, investigators often need to deliver recombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAV) vectors to neonatal mice. Herein, general central nervous system expression patterns of nuclear GFP following delivery of rAAV by three different routes are reported.

Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vectors are rapidly becoming the first choice for human gene therapy studies, as clinical efficacy has been demonstrated in several human trials and proof-of-concept data have been demonstrated for correction of many others. When moving into human use under the auspices of an FDA Investigational New Drug (IND) application, it is necessary to demonstrate the stability of vector material under various conditions of storage, dilution, and administration when used in humans. Limited data are currently available in the literature regarding vector compatibility and stability, leading most IND sponsors to repeat all necessary studies. The current study addresses this issue with an rAAV vector (rAAV1-CB-chAATmyc) containing AAV2-inverted terminal repeat sequences packaged into an AAV1 capsid. Aliquots of vector were exposed to a variety of temperatures, diluents, container constituents, and other environmental conditions, and its functional biological activity (after these various treatments) was assessed by measuring transgene expression after intramuscular injection in mice. rAAV was found to be remarkably stable at temperatures ranging from 4 degrees C to 55 degrees C (with only partial loss of potency after 20 min at 70 degrees C), at pH ranging from 5.5 to 8.5, after contact with mouse or human serum (with or without complement depletion) or with gadolinium and after contact with glass, polystyrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, and stainless steel. The only exposure resulting in near-total loss of vector activity (10,000-fold loss) was UV exposure for 10 min. The stability of rAAV1 preparations bodes well for future dissemination of this therapeutic modality.