Verapamil enhances the efficiency of DNA-mediated gene transfer in mammalian cells.
Treatment of Ltk- cells with the calcium antagonists, verapamil and diltiazem, but not nifedipine, causes a 3-fold enhancement of the frequency of transfer of the cloned gene for herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk). The frequency of phenotypic expression of the HSV-tk DNA was 20 to 34 times higher than that of genotypic transformation. Phenotypic expression was also 2.3 to 2.6 times increased when 20 micrograms/ml of verapamil was present during calcium phosphate-mediated DNA transfection.
D000818:Animals; D002472:Cell Transformation, Viral / Q000187:drug effects*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D005796:Genes / Q000187:drug effects*; D005814:Genes, Viral / Q000187:drug effects*; D007700:Kinetics; D007739:L Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D051379:Mice; D010641:Phenotype; D010957:Plasmids; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000201:enzymology*; D013937:Thymidine Kinase / Q000235:genetics*; D014700:Verapamil / Q000494:pharmacology*
D004279:DNA, Viral; D014700:Verapamil; D013937:Thymidine Kinase