Transfer of maternally administered fusogenic liposome-DNA complexes into monkey fetuses in a pregnancy model.
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.
Hirano
Makoto
M
Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Aichi 484-8506, Japan.
Nakamura
Shin
S
Mitsunaga
Fusako
F
Okada
Maki
M
Shimuzu
Keiko
K
Imamura
Takahisa
T
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
D008081:Liposomes; D004247:DNA