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Direct adenovirus-mediated IGF-I gene transduction of synovium induces persisting synovial fluid IGF-I ligand elevations

Gene Therapy volume 13, pages 1253–1262 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) is one of the most influential growth factors in cartilage repair. Maintenance of adequate IGF-I levels after articular repair procedures is complicated by the short biological half-life of IGF-I in vivo. This study investigated the potential for more prolonged IGF-I delivery through direct adenoviral mediated transduction of synovial tissues in the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints of horses. The use of a large animal model provided a structurally similar and metabolically relevant corollary to the human knee. The complete IGF-I coding sequence was packaged into an E1–E3 deleted adenovirus-5 vector under cytomegalovirus promoter control (AdIGF-I), and injected at varying total joint doses to the MCP joints of 14 horses. Direct injection of 20 and 50 × 1010 AdIGF-I resulted in significant elevations of IGF-I in synovial fluid for approximately 21 days. Synovial tissue taken from injected joints at day 35 following injection and compared to tissue taken preinjection from the same joints revealed elevated synoviocyte IGF-I mRNA levels for the highest viral dose by in situ hybridization and real-time PCR techniques. AdIGF-I injections did not result in significant lameness, joint effusion or elevated total protein concentrations in the synovial fluid. Mild mononuclear infiltration of white blood cells was evident in histologic sections of the synovium in the second highest adenoviral IGF-I dose of 20 × 1010 particles. Cartilage biopsies taken from all injected joints did not reveal any significant changes in proteoglycan levels nor in histological morphology, which included chondrocyte cloning, architecture, cell type or toluidine blue staining, when compared to control joints. Based on these findings, gene transfer of IGF-I to the synovium of joints can result in significant and persistent elevations of IGF-I ligand in synovial fluid with minimal detrimental effects. Direct IGF-I gene therapy may offer a simple approach in treating patients with acute cartilage injury.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the Harry M Zweig Foundation. Assistance with animal care was provided by Jessica Ekman and histological processing was performed by MaryLou Miller.

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Author notes

  1. L R Goodrich

    Present address: Colorado State University, College of Veterinary Medicine, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Comparative Orthopaedics Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA

    L R Goodrich, B D Brower-Toland, L Warnick & A J Nixon

  2. Department of Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    P D Robbins

  3. Center for Molecular Orthopaedics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    C H Evans

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  1. L R Goodrich
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Correspondence to A J Nixon.

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Goodrich, L., Brower-Toland, B., Warnick, L. et al. Direct adenovirus-mediated IGF-I gene transduction of synovium induces persisting synovial fluid IGF-I ligand elevations. Gene Ther 13, 1253–1262 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.gt.3302757

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