Use of fluorescent microspheres to localize in vivo gene transfer injection sites.
The potential for using gene therapy to treat a variety of disease states is growing rapidly. Many vector types and delivery systems have been developed that allow the optimization of protein production levels and kinetics for a given therapeutic gene product. In cases in which a transient, localized delivery of gene product is desired, any determination of the locale of transfected tissue by non-marker genes is problematic. We describe a technique by which the use of fluorescent microspheres can help in identifying potentially transfected tissue. Adenovirus containing the gene for beta-galactosidase (beta-gal) was mixed with fluorescent microspheres and injected into rat skeletal muscle and porcine myocardium. The injection sites could be visualized under ultraviolet light and correlated with beta-gal enzyme expression. This method is simple, inexpensive and generally useful for in vivo gene transfer experiments.
Flynn
M A
MA
Warner-Lambert Parke-Davis Pharmaceutical Research, Ann Arbor, MI 48105, USA. michale.flynn@wl.com
Vodovotz
Y
Y
Kornowski
R
R
Epstein
S
S
Gordon
D
D
Keiser
J A
JA
D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D005453:Fluorescence; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D007267:Injections; D008863:Microspheres; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley