Adherens junction formation inhibits lentivirus entry and gene transfer.
Although cellular signaling pathways that affect lentivirus infection have been investigated, the role of cell-cell interactions in lentiviral gene delivery remains elusive. In the course of our studies we observed that lentiviral gene transfer was a strong function of the position of epithelial cells within colonies. While peripheral cells were transduced efficiently, cells in the center of colonies were resistant to gene transfer. In addition, gene delivery was enhanced significantly under culture conditions that disrupted adherens junctions (AJ) but decreased upon AJ formation. In agreement, gene knockdown and gain-of-function approaches showed that α-catenin, a key component of the AJ complex prevented lentivirus gene transfer. Using a doxycycline regulatable system we showed that expression of dominant negative E-cadherin enhanced gene transfer in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, dissolution of AJ by doxycycline increased entry of lentiviral particles into the cell cytoplasm in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together our results demonstrate that AJ formation renders cells non-permissive to lentiviral gene transfer and may facilitate development of simple means to enhance gene delivery or combat virus infection.
Bioengineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Amherst, New York, United States of America.
Roshan
R
Padmashali
Hui
H
You
Nikhila
N
Karnik
Pedro
P
Lei
Stelios T
ST
Andreadis
D022005:Adherens Junctions / Q000378:metabolism*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002460:Cell Line; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D006801:Humans; D015603:Keratinocytes; D016086:Lentivirus / Q000502:physiology*; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014161:Transduction, Genetic; D053586:Virus Internalization; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
D015820:Cadherins; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases; D002118:Calcium