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Large-scale molecular epidemiological analysis of AAV in a cancer patient population

Oncogene volume 40, pages 3060–3071 (2021)Cite this article

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Abstract

Recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAVs) are well-established vectors for delivering therapeutic genes. However, previous reports have suggested that wild-type AAV is linked to hepatocellular carcinoma, raising concern with the safety of rAAVs. In addition, a recent long-term follow-up study in canines, which received rAAVs for factor VIII gene therapy, demonstrated vector integration into the genome of liver cells, reviving the uncertainty between AAV and cancer. To further explore this relationship, we performed large-scale molecular epidemiology of AAV in resected tumor samples and non-lesion tissues collected from 413 patients, reflecting nine carcinoma types: breast carcinoma, rectal cancer, pancreas carcinoma, brain tumor, hepatoid adenocarcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, gastric carcinoma, lung squamous, and adenocarcinoma. We found that over 80% of patients were AAV-positive among all nine types of carcinoma examined. Importantly, the AAV sequences detected in patient-matched tumor and adjacent non-lesion tissues showed no significant difference in incidence, abundance, and variation. In addition, no specific AAV sequences predominated in tumor samples. Our data shows that AAV genomes are equally abundant in tumors and adjacent normal tissues, but lack clonality. The finding critically adds to the epidemiological profile of AAV in humans, and provides insights that may assist rAAV-based clinical studies and gene therapy strategies.

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Fig. 1: Schematic of the AAV genome and sites used for PCR screening.
Fig. 2: Representative H&E-stained sections of tissue resections from cancer patients.
Fig. 3: Detection of AAV abundance across tumor and adjacent non-tumor tissues.
Fig. 4: Detection of AAV abundance across tissues distributed by gender.
Fig. 5: Detection of AAV abundance across tissues distributed by age.
Fig. 6: Detection of AAV abundance across tissues distributed by tumor grade.
Fig. 7: Serotype diversity and sequence variation of AAV signature region obtained from patient tissues.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from the University of Massachusetts Medical School (an internal grant) and by the NIH (R01NS076991-01, P01AI100263-01, P01HL131471-02, R01AI121135, UG3HL147367-01, R01HL097088, and U19AI149646-01).

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  1. These authors contributed equally: Wanru Qin, Guangchao Xu, Phillip W. L. Tai, Chunmei Wang

Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China

    Wanru Qin, Guangchao Xu, Chunmei Wang, Li Luo, Yuanyuan Xiao, Li Yang, Weimin Li & Yuquan Wei

  2. Horae Gene Therapy Center, University of Massachusetts, Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA

    Guangchao Xu, Phillip W. L. Tai, Li Luo, Terence R. Flotte & Guangping Gao

  3. Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts, Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA

    Guangchao Xu, Phillip W. L. Tai & Guangping Gao

  4. Fornax Biotech, Worcester, MA, USA

    Chengjian Li

  5. Biobank, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China

    Xun Hu

  6. Department of Thoracic Oncology and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China

    Jianxin Xue & You Lu

  7. Pathology Department and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China

    Qiao Zhou

  8. Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China

    Qiang Wei

  9. Department of Liver Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China

    Tianfu Wen

  10. Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery and Laboratory of Gastric Cancer, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China

    Jiankun Hu

  11. Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts, Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA

    Terence R. Flotte

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Correspondence to Terence R. Flotte, Yuquan Wei or Guangping Gao.

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GG work has been funded by the NIH, and is a scientific co-founder of Voyager Therapeutics and Aspa Therapeutics, and holds equity in these companies. GG is an inventor on patents with potential royalties licensed to Voyager Therapeutics, Aspa Therapeutics, and other biopharmaceutical companies. The remaining authors declare no competing interests.

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Qin, W., Xu, G., Tai, P.W.L. et al. Large-scale molecular epidemiological analysis of AAV in a cancer patient population. Oncogene 40, 3060–3071 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41388-021-01725-5

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