Long-Term Expression of Von Willebrand Factor Via Piggybac-Mediated Gene Transfer

von Willebrand disease (vWD), caused by a deficiency in von Willebrand factor (vWF), is the most common inherited bleeding disorder, affecting up to 1% of the population; those affected have a varied bleeding phenotype. von Willebrand factor plays two important roles in hemostasis including platelet adhesion and stability of factor VIII (FVIII). As such, patients with von Willebrand disease type 3 have no measurable vWF protein and demonstrate low levels of FVIII. To date, persistent long-term expression of full-length vWF using gene transfer strategies has not been demonstrated, largely due to the immense size of vWF cDNA (8.4 kb). Non-viral vector systems, such as piggyBac, are used increasingly in gene targeting technologies and as tools for gene transfer applications. Nonviral DNA transposons are genetic elements consisting of inverted terminal DNA repeats which in their naturally occurring configuration flank a transposase coding sequence. The transposase follows a "cut and paste" mechanism to excise the transposon from its original genomic location and insert it into a new locus. The insect derived piggyBac (PB) can be engineered to carry a therapeutic transgene between the inverted terminal repeats. Advantages of this nonviral vector system include a large transgene cassette capacity, ease of production and purification, and potential for site-specific integration. We hypothesize PB-mediated vWF gene transfer will confer long-term expression and improve the bleeding phenotype in an animal model of vWD. We engineered PB transposon to carry a human von Willebrand factor cDNA (PB vWF). When transfected with PB-vWF and a hyperactive transposase, iPB7, the hepatocarcinoma cell line, HepG2, demonstrated secretion of vWF into supernatants compared to mock transfected controls (p < 0.01). Next, we evaluated the in vivo gene transfer efficiency in von Willebrand deficient mice by hydrodynamic tail-vein injection using PB-vWF driven by the murine albumin enhancer/human alpha anti-trypsin promoter. vWF null mice received 25 or 50 micrograms each of the PB-vWF transposon and iPB7 to determine long-term expression and phenotypic correction. vWF levels were measured prior to injection and then every 4 weeks for up to 24 weeks. Results revealed therapeutic levels (on average 50% normal mice) of vWF post gene transfer with stable expression for 24 weeks in most mice. These data indicate the PB transposon vector system may provide a long-term gene transfer strategy for vWD. To evaluate phenotypic correction, a tail clip assay was performed at the end of the study. PB-vWF gene transfer resulted in at least partial bleeding phenotype correction via tail clip. Additionally, treated mice demonstrated a rescue of the FVIII activity. These data show that the PB vector can be used to deliver this large transgene expression cassette to the liver and achieve long-term expression and phenotypic correction in vivo.