title: Transfer of maternally administered fusogenic liposome-DNA complexes into monkey fetuses in a pregnancy model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Materno-fetal transfer of intravenously administered liposome-plasmid DNA complexes has been demonstrated only in mice. Studies on its materno-fetal transfer in the pregnant monkey model is needed because of critical differences in placental structure between primates including humans and rodents.
  
  
  METHODS
  The reporter plasmid pEGFP-C1 was formulated in cationic lipid containing polybrene and vesicular stomatitis virus G protein. The fusogenic liposome-plasmid DNA complexes were intradermally injected into pregnant common marmosets (N=2), a New World monkey, near term. DNA extracted from fetal tissues was subjected to PCR for detection of the egfp gene. Confocal microscopy and immunostaining were performed to determine the sites of transgene expression in the fetal organs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The egfp gene was detected in fetal blood and major organs (heart, liver, lung). The encoded protein was mainly produced in the endothelial cells of blood vessels in the fetal lungs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first report on materno-fetal transfer of intradermally administered fusogenic liposome-plasmid DNA complexes and fetal expression of a transgene in primates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi 484-8506, Japan.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirano
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Fusako
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mitsunaga
authors.forename: Maki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimuzu
authors.forename: Takahisa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Imamura
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002144:Callithrix; D004247:DNA / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism*; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D008081:Liposomes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange / Q000502:physiology*; D009928:Organ Specificity; D011247:Pregnancy; D019076:Transgenes
chemical_list: D008081:Liposomes; D004247:DNA