Isogenic, E3-deleted adenovirus vectors defective in E1, E1 and E2A, or E1 and E4 were generated in complementation cell lines expressing E1, E1 and E2A, or E1 and E4 and characterized in vitro and in vivo. In the absence of complementation, deletion of both E1 and E2A completely abolished expression of early and late viral genes, while deletion of E1 and E4 impaired expression of viral genes, although at a lower level than the E1/E2A deletion. The in vivo persistence of these three types of vectors was monitored in selected strains of mice with viral genomes devoid of transgenes to exclude any interference by immunogenic transgene-encoded products. Our studies showed no significant differences among the vectors in the short-term maintenance and long-term (4-month) persistence of viral DNA in liver and lung cells of immunocompetent and immunodeficient mice. Furthermore, all vectors induced similar antibody responses and comparable levels of adenovirus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes. These results suggest that in the absence of transgenes, the progressive deletion of the adenovirus genome does not extend the in vivo persistence of the transduced cells and does not reduce the antivirus immune response. In addition, our data confirm that, in the absence of transgene expression, mouse cellular immunity to viral antigens plays a minor role in the progressive elimination of the virus genome.

We isolated cancer cell -specific phages by subtracting and selecting complex peptide display phage libraries on cultured human cancer cells. The best candidate was selected by performing three rounds of subtraction before each of five selections on the human colorectal WiDr cell line. The phage showed more than 1000 -fold higher binding efficiency for WiDr cells when compared to five other human cancer cell lines, including two of colorectal origin, and when compared to wild -type M13 phage. Fifty -fold higher binding efficiency was also seen for a human breast cancer cell line. We show that the WiDr cell binding of the selected phage was efficiently competed by the synthetic peptide HEWSYLAPYPWF, predicted from the phage sequence. This confirms that the specificity of the peptide is independent of the display by the phage coat proteins. The identified peptide may target biomarkers linked to colorectal cancer, and thus be useful for designing gene transfer vectors as well as diagnostic and prognostic tools for this disease.

Treatment of cystic fibrosis by gene therapy will require the development of vectors capable of efficient and safe transfer of a functional cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) cDNA to airway epithelia. To achieve this goal, replication-deficient (E1-) adenoviruses (Ad) are promising vectors. We have previously demonstrated efficient CFTR gene delivery to the airways of cotton rats and rhesus monkeys using a replication-deficient adenovirus, Ad-CFTR. Here, we have investigated an important safety issue, the interaction between the vector and wild-type virus which can provide the missing E1 function in trans. We show that Ad5 can mobilize the defective Ad-CFTR genome in vitro and in cotton rats. However, the extent of the complementation in vivo by wild-type virus is limited because no additional spreading or shedding of Ad-CFTR to trachea, lungs, and stools is elicited. To attenuate Ad-CFTR further, a mutation was introduced in the cis-acting regulatory sequences that control the encapsidation of the viral genome. We demonstrate that when cells are coinfected with wild-type virus and the new attenuated vector, the viral DNA containing the natural encapsidation sequences is preferentially packaged, leading to a rapid dilution of the recombinant virus.

In this article we report that the M2 protein encoded by the vaccinia virus is secreted as a homo-oligomer by infected cells and binds two central costimulation molecules, CD80 (B7-1) and CD86 (B7-2). These interactions block the ligation of the two B7 proteins to both soluble CD28 and soluble cytotoxic T-lymphocyte associated protein 4 (CTLA4) but favor the binding of soluble PD-L1 to soluble CD80. M2L gene orthologues are found in several other poxviruses, and the B7-CD28/CTLA4 blocking activity has been identified for several culture supernatants of orthopoxvirus-infected cells and for a recombinant myxoma virus M2 protein homolog (i.e., Gp120-like protein, or Gp120LP). Overall, these data indicate that the M2 poxvirus family of proteins may be involved in immunosuppressive activities broader than the NF-κB inhibition already reported (R. Gedey, X. L. Jin, O. Hinthong, and J. L. Shisler, J Virol 80:8676–8685, 2006, https://doi.org/10.1128/JVI.00935-06). A Copenhagen vaccinia virus with a deletion of the nonessential M2L locus was generated and compared with its parental virus. This M2L-deleted vaccinia virus, unlike the parental virus, does not generate interference with the B7-CD28/CTLA4/PD-L1 interactions. Moreover, this deletion did not affect any key features of the virus (in vitro replication, oncolytic activities in vitro and in vivo, and intratumoral expression of a transgene in an immunocompetent murine model). Altogether, these first results suggest that the M2 protein has the potential to be used as a new immunosuppressive biotherapeutic and that the M2L-deleted vaccinia virus represents an attractive new oncolytic platform with an improved immunological profile. IMPORTANCE The vaccinia virus harbors in its genome several genes dedicated to the inhibition of the host immune response. Among them, M2L was reported to inhibit the intracellular NF-κB pathway. We report here several new putative immunosuppressive activities of M2 protein. M2 protein is secreted and binds cornerstone costimulatory molecules (CD80/CD86). M2 binding to CD80/CD86 blocks their interaction with soluble CD28/CTLA4 but also favors the soluble PD-L1-CD80 association. These findings open the way for new investigations deciphering the immune system effects of soluble M2 protein. Moreover, a vaccinia virus with a deletion of its M2L has been generated and characterized as a new oncolytic platform. The replication and oncolytic activities of the M2L-deleted vaccinia virus are indistinguishable from those of the parental virus. More investigations are needed to characterize in detail the immune response triggered against both the tumor and the virus by this M2-defective vaccinia virus.

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