AAV-mediated gene transfer of pigment epithelium-derived factor inhibits choroidal neovascularization

PURPOSE. Adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors have been used to express several different proteins in the eye. The purpose of this study was to determine whether AAV-mediated intraocular gene transfer of pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) inhibits the development of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in a murine model. METHODS. C57BL/6 mice were given intravitreous or subretinal injections of a PEDF expression construct packaged in an AAV vector (AAV-chicken β-actin promoter-exon 1-intron 1 [CBA]-PEDF) or control vector (AAV-CBA-green fluorescent protein[GFP]). After 4 or 6 weeks, the Bruch's membrane was ruptured by laser photocoagulation at three sites in each eye. After 14 days, the area of CNV at each rupture site was measured by image analysis. Intraocular levels of PEDF were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS. Four to six weeks after intraocular injection of AAV CBA-PEDF, levels of PEDF in whole-eye homogenates were 6 to 70 ng. The average area of CNV at sites of the Bruch's membrane rupture showed no significant difference in eyes injected with AAV-CBA-PEDF compared with uninjected eyes. In contrast, 4 to 6 weeks after intraocular injection of 1.5 × 10⁹ or 2.0 × 10¹⁰ particles of AAV-CBA-PEDF, the area of CNV at the Bruch's membrane rupture sites had significantly decreased compared with CNV area at rupture sites in eyes injected with AAV-CBA-GFP. CONCLUSIONS. These data suggest that intraocular expression of PEDF or other antiangiogenic proteins with AAV vectors may provide a new treatment approach for ocular neovascularization.