Work in progress report - Experimental gene therapy during cardiac surgery: Role of surgical technique to minimize collateral organ gene expression

Effective gene therapy for heart failure has not yet been achieved clinically. The aim of this study is to quantitatively assess the cardiac isolation efficiency of the molecular cardiac surgery with recirculating delivery (MCARD™) and to evaluate its efficacy as a means to limit collateral organ gene expression. 10¹⁴ genome copies (GC) of recombinant adeno-associated viral vector 6 encoding green fluorescent protein under control of the cytomegalovirus promoter was delivered to the nine arrested sheep hearts. Blood samples were assessed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT QPCR). Collateral organ gene expression was assessed at four-weeks using immunohistochemical staining. The blood vector GC concentration in the cardiac circuit during complete isolation trended from 9.59±0.73 to 9.05±0.65 (log GC/cm³), and no GC were detectable in the systemic circuit (P<0.001). The washing procedure performed prior to relinquishing the cardiac circuit decreased the systemic blood vector GC concentration >800-fold (P<0.001), consistent with >99% isolation efficiency. Conversely, incomplete isolation resulted in equalization of vector GC concentration in the circuits, leading to robust collateral organ gene expression. MCARD™ is an efficient, clinically translatable myocardial delivery platform for cardiac specific gene therapy. The cardiac surgical techniques utilized are critically important to limit collateral organ gene expression.