Development of a novel non-human primate model for preclinical gene vector safety studies. Determining the effects of intracerebral HSV-1 inoculation in the common marmoset: a comparative study

Gene Ther. 2003 Aug;10(15):1225-33. doi: 10.1038/sj.gt.3302003.

Abstract

The owl monkey (Aotus trivirgatus) has served as the standard non-human primate model of herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) infection because it is highly susceptible to HSV-1 encephalitis. Owl monkeys, however, are expensive, difficult to obtain, and difficult to maintain in captivity, thus greatly hampering the efficiency of preclinical gene therapy trials for brain tumors using HSV-1-based vectors. We have therefore compared the susceptibility of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) with the owl monkey in a model of intracerebral inoculation of wildtype HSV-1 F-strain at increasing titers. The common marmosets consistently succumbed earlier to viral encephalitis than the owl monkeys. The histological evaluation of the common marmoset revealed extensive HSV-1 infection with a concomitant yet less marked inflammatory response compared to the owl monkeys. PCR for HSV-1 demonstrated a similar extra-CNS shedding route in both experimental models. Our findings show that the common marmoset is at least as susceptible to intracerebral HSV-infection as the owl monkey and that it can therefore serve as a valid and reliable experimental model for the important preclinical safety tests of HSV-based therapeutic viral vector constructs in the brain.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / virology
  • Callithrix / virology*
  • Disease Models, Animal*
  • Disease Susceptibility
  • Encephalitis, Herpes Simplex / etiology
  • Encephalitis, Herpes Simplex / pathology*
  • Female
  • Genetic Vectors / toxicity*
  • Herpesvirus 1, Human / genetics
  • Herpesvirus 1, Human / pathogenicity*
  • Kidney / virology
  • Liver / virology
  • Male
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction / methods
  • Survival Rate