title: In vitro transfection of the human vas deferens using DNA-liposome and DNA-neutral lipid complexes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To transfect the human vas deferens in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study, description of a procedure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Research center and university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven fertile men undergoing vasectomies or vasovasostomies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human vas deferens pieces were transfected in vitro using the p-GeneGrip gene construction, which codifies for the green fluorescent protein (GFP). Lipofectamine or GenePorter were employed as gene vectors.
  
  
  METHODS
  After vas deferens epithelium transfection, we described the vas deferens foreign gene expression. Maximum transfection occurred in 14.7% of the vas deferens epithelial cells. After using GenePorter, we observed green fluorescent protein gene expression in 40% of samples, which occupied 9.86% of the epithelial area. After Lipofectamine treatment, transgene expression occurred in 33% of the samples and occupied 9.05% of the epithelial area.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The human vas deferens epithelium has the potential to be modified by gene transfection.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, CSIC, Madrid, Spain. esponda@cib.csic.es
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Esponda
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: Steve S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Witkin
mesh_terms: D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008055:Lipids / Q000737:chemistry; D008081:Liposomes; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014162:Transfection / Q000379:methods*; D014649:Vas Deferens / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; C086724:Lipofectamine; D008081:Liposomes; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D004247:DNA