Differential rAAV2 transduction efficiencies and insulin secretion profiles in pure and co-culture models of human enteroendocrine L-cells and enterocytes

Background: Cell-based therapies for treating insulin-dependent diabetes (IDD) can provide a more physiologic regulation of blood glucose levels in a less invasive fashion than insulin injections. Previously, we developed an engineered human enteroendocrine L-cell model for regulated insulin release via recombinant adeno-associated virus serotype 2, or rAAV2, transduction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency and selectivity of rAAV2-mediated insulin gene delivery to enteroendocrine L-cells in co-culture with a prevailing number of enterocytes, which are the predominant cell type in intestinal epithelium.

Methods: We tested rAAV2 transduction in pure and co-culture models of human cell lines of enterocytes (Caco-2 and T84 cell lines) and enteroendocrine L-cells (NCI-H716 cell line). Non-viral, chemical-mediated transfection was used as a control. Transduced and transfected co-cultures were subjected to insulin secretion studies.

Results: In pure cultures, rAAV2 exhibited a low transduction efficiency towards both Caco-2 and T84 enterocytes, as opposed to a strong reporter expression in permissive NCI-H716 L-cells. In co-cultures of NCI-H716 L-cells and Caco-2 or T84 enterocytes, rAAV2 exhibited differential transduction efficiency with a strong preference towards NCI-H716 L-cells. The rAAV2-transduced co-culture achieved regulated insulin release against stimulation, whereas the chemically transfected co-culture failed to respond.

Conclusions: This study demonstrated that rAAV2-mediated insulin gene transfer can differentiate human intestinal cell types in vitro, in particular enterocyte and enteroendocrine L-cell lines. We consider the AAV2 vector a useful tool in developing enteroendocrine L-cell-specific insulin gene delivery for IDD treatment, in terms of AAV2 avoiding enterocytes and targeting selectively L-cells.