AAV serotype 8 was originally isolated from non-human primates and has distinct advantages in terms of biosafety and efficacy. Unlike many other viral vectors, AAV does not cause any human disease, making them safer for therapeutic applications. AAV8 is highly effective in targeting hepatocytes, making it an attractive option for gene therapies aimed at treating liver-related diseases. It is also able to transduce muscle and some other tissues relatively efficiently.
AAV8-mCherry is a recombinant viral vector that is widely used in gene therapy and biological research due to its ability to efficiently deliver genetic material into various cell types. The vector contains the mCherry gene, a red fluorescent protein encoded by the cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter, which ensures stable expression of the transgene in infected cells. Derived from the Discosoma species, mCherry is a widely used fluorescent protein that emits red light when excited at the appropriate wavelength. When introduced into cells via the AAV8 vector, mCherry serves as an important marker for tracking gene expression, studying cellular processes, and visualizing transduction efficiency. Due to its bright fluorescence and photostability, mCherry is particularly useful in live imaging studies, allowing researchers to observe real-time cellular dynamics.
Genetic mutations cause testosterone deficiency and infertility. Serum testosterone levels can be restored by testosterone replacement therapy. However, existing therapies have limited efficacy in restoring fertility. Here, researchers used a luteinizing hormone/chorionic gonadotropin receptor (Lhcgr)-deficient LCF mouse model to investigate the feasibility of gene therapy to restore testosterone production and fertility. They screened several adeno-associated virus (AAV) serotypes and identified AAV8 as an efficient vector to drive exogenous Lhcgr expression in progenitor Leydig cells via interstitial injection. Significant restoration of testosterone and Leydig cell maturation was observed in adolescent Lhcgr−/− mice treated with AAV8-Lhcgr. Notably, this gene therapy partially restored sexual development, significantly restored spermatogenesis, and efficiently produced fertile offspring. Furthermore, these favorable effects could be recapitulated in adult Lhcgr−/− mice.
Here, researchers injected a commonly used AAV8-mCherry vector at a titer of 8 X 1010 genome copies (gc) into each testis of Lhcgr−/− mice. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that mCherry was expressed in the testis, but not in the liver, heart, muscle, kidney, or colon (Figure 1A), indicating that AAV8 exhibited a clear testicular tropism when injected into the testis interstitially. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis of testicular tissue showed that injection of AAV8-mCherry resulted in a transient increase in transcripts of key inflammatory genes in the testis on days 1 and 3, while the expression levels of these genes returned to normal levels within 7 days (Figure 1B). Further examination of the infiltration of CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes 7 days after AAV8-mCherry injection showed no significant difference in lymphocyte infiltration between the injected and uninjected groups (Figure 1C). These results indicate that interstitial injection of AAV8 is safe and well tolerated.
Figure 1. AAV8 showed a clear testis tropism and safety profile with no apparent inflammatory reaction. (Xia K, et al., 2022)
Customer Reviews
Clear signal
We used AAV8-mCherry for in vivo studies and the transduction efficiency was excellent. The fluorescence intensity was strong and consistent across our samples, making it easy to track gene expression.
User-Friendly
As a researcher with limited experience in viral vectors, I found AAV8-mCherry to be incredibly user-friendly.
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