A bicistronic retrovirus vector containing a picornavirus internal ribosome entry site allows for correction of X-linked CGD by selection for MDR1 expression

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is an inherited hematologic disorder involving failure of phagocytic cell oxidase to produce superoxide (O2-.), resulting in recurrent infections. The success of retrovirus gene therapy for hematopoietic diseases will be limited both by the efficiency of ex vivo transduction of target cells and by the ability of corrected cells to replace uncorrected cells in vivo. Using MFG-based retrovirus vectors containing oxidase genes, we have previously demonstrated in vitro correction of CGD, but transduction rates were low. In the present study we explore a strategy for providing a selective growth advantage to transduced cells, while retaining the single promoter feature of MFG responsible for high virus titer and enhanced protein production. We constructed a bicistronic retrovirus producing a single mRNA encoding both the therapeutic gene for the X-linked form of CGD (X-CGD), gp91phox, and the selectable human multidrug resistance gene, MDR1 linked together by the encephalomyocarditis virus internal ribosome entry site (IRES). As a control we constructed a bicistronic vector with the polio virus IRES element and using the bacterial neomycin resistance gene (neor) as the selective element. In Epstein-Barr virus transformed B (EBV-B) cells from an X-CGD patient, a tissue culture model of CGD, we show correction of the CGD defect and complete normalization of the cell population using either of these vectors and appropriate selection (vincristine for MDR1 and G418 for neor). Using a chemiluminescence assay of O2-. production, populations of cells transduced with either vector demonstrated initial correction levels of from less than 0.1% up to 2.7% of normal EBV-B cell oxidase activity. With either construct, cell growth under appropriate selection enriched the population of transduced cells, resulting in correction of X-CGD EBV-B cells to a level of O2-. production equalling or exceeding that of normal EBV-B cells. These studies show that a therapeutic gene can be linked to a resistance gene by an IRES element, allowing for selective enrichment of cells expressing the therapeutic gene. Furthermore, the use of MDR1 as a selective element in our studies validates an important approach to gene therapy that could allow in vivo selection and is generalizable to a number of therapeutic settings.     

Development of a fusion partner cell line for efficient production of human monoclonal antibodies from peripheral blood lymphocytes

We developed a unique fusion partner cell line that is capable of fusing with both human peripheral blood and lymph node lymphocytes at a high efficiency. The cell line was generated by fusing a murine myeloma cell line with a human myeloma cell line, producing a heteromyeloma (B6B11), which was subsequently fused with a human lymph node lymphocyte to produce a trioma (MFP-2). B6B11 and MFP-2 fuse well with human lymphocytes from both spleen and lymph nodes. Interestingly, MFP-2 also fuses with a high efficiency to peripheral blood lymphocytes. The resulting hybrids are stable for extended periods of time and produce human monoclonal antibodies at significant levels. The utility of MFP-2 as a fusion partner was demonstrated by the isolation of several hybridoma cell lines using lymph node and peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with breast cancer. These hybridomas produce monoclonal antibodies displaying specificity to breast cancer tissue and cell lines.     

The genetic basis of immune and autoimmune responses

HLA class I and class II molecules play a major role in the presentation of short, pathogen-derived peptides to T cells, a process that initiates the adaptive cellular and humoral immune responses. However, the factors governing a cell's ability to respond or not to particular peptides are still not completely understood. Taking the example of a viral infection, in tissues infected with a virus, viral particles are taken up by antigen-presenting cells and uncoated. The viral DNA or RNA enters the nucleus, where it replicates. mRNA enters the cytosol and is transcribed into proteins. These proteins are degraded in proteasomes and the resulting peptides (8–10 residues) are loaded onto class I molecules for export to the surface of the cells. In the meantime, the groove of the class II molecules is also preparing to accommodate peptides (12–24 residues) generated by the endocytic protein-processing pathway. The surface of the infected cell then becomes adorned with peptide-loaded human leukocyte antigen (HLA) molecules. CD4⁺ T helper lymphocytes engage class II molecules and elicit responses from B cells, which will ultimately lead to antibody production, whereas CD8⁺ T lymphocytes become cytotoxic T cells. As a consequence, the virus is eliminated from the body. However, certain mysteries and challenges remain. How can, as an exception to this rule, an autoimmune response be the escape from the perfect machinery? This review offers some hypotheses on how to see the problem through to its solution.     

Navigation-guided oral and maxillofacial surgery (reconstructive and plastic, orthognathic, oncology)

Purpose: Advance in the field of compeer assisted surgery enables the surgical procedures to be less invasive and more accurate for the support of diagnosis imaging, pre-operative simulation and intraoperative navigation.     

由重组腺相关病毒1／2载体携带的LacZ报告基因在脐血间质干细胞中的表达

目的:观察由重组腺相关病毒1/2载体携带的LacZ报告基因在体外培养的脐血间质干细胞中的表达情况。方法:实验于2005-10/2006-02在上海交通大学附属新华医院科研中心完成。①以孕龄近60d的杂种妊娠犬的脐带血作为实验用脐血间质干细胞的标本来源。重组腺相关病毒1/2载体-lacZ基因(北京本原正阳基因技术有限公司)。②无菌条件下采集妊娠犬脐带血,置于预装有肝素的离心管中,与Hanks液1∶1混合均匀,叠加于相对密度为1.077的淋巴细胞分离液上,梯度离心分离后进行培养和扩增。③取第4代脐血间质干细胞,经胰酶消化后吹打成单细胞悬液,以5×104/孔接种于24孔板内,随机数字表法分为转染组20孔、空白对照组4孔。转染组将重组腺相关病毒1/2载体-lacZ报告基因(1×1012v.g.mL-1)用不含血清的IMDM培养液作系列滴度稀释,分为5个滴度,即感染复数分别为每个细胞1×102,1×103,1×104,1×105,1×106v.g,各感染复数均设4孔;空白对照组未加入病毒,只加入相同体积的不含血清的IMDM培养液。④转染72h后采用X-gal化学染色法进行检测,成功转染上LacZ基因的脐血间质干细胞其胞浆内会因合成半乳糖苷酶而呈阳性蓝染。每组样本随机选取5个视野,相差显微镜下计数半乳糖苷酶阳性细胞数,取均值即为LacZ基因细胞转染率。结果:①脐血间质干细胞生长情况及LacZ报告基因表达的检测:转染组病毒基因转染后未再见到明显的细胞增殖,转染72h后大部分细胞表达LacZ基因并合成半乳糖苷酶,X-gal染色呈蓝色,长梭形;4～6周后细胞形态趋向老化,长梭形逐渐变为宽扁形;8周后细胞均被蓝染,颜色明显较转染72h时深,细胞形态由长梭形变为不规则,明显老化。空白对照组细胞反应均为阴性。②LacZ报告基因细胞转染率测定结果:转染72h后,感染复数为每个细胞1×102v.g时,仅有少数细胞蓝染呈阳性;感染复数为每个细胞1×103,1×104,1×105,1×106v.g时,转染率分别为(43±5)%,(82±4)%,(95±4)%,(97±3)%。结论:体外培养的脐血间质干细胞能高效转染重组腺相关病毒1/2载体-lacZ报告基因,在一定感染复数范围内,细胞转染率随着感染复数的增加而升高。提示脐血间质干细胞是重组腺相关病毒1/2载体-lacZ报告基因转染的适宜靶细胞。     

褶合曲线分析法测定复方茶碱片中六种主要成分

应用柱分配色谱,将复方茶碱片分离出各含三个组分的两组混合物,然后分别应用褶合曲线分析法,同时定量测定了两组混合物。六个被测成分的平均百分回收率和相对标准差分别为:咖啡因101.6,1.46%;非那西丁99.7,0.10%;苯巴比妥100.9,1.31%;可可碱99.9,0.81%;茶碱100.2,0.81%;氨基比林100.8,0.48%。