Retrograde Transgene Expression via Neuron-Specific Lentiviral Vector Depends on Both Species and Input Projections

For achieving retrograde gene transfer, we have so far developed two types of lentiviral vectors pseudotyped with fusion envelope glycoprotein, termed HiRet vector and NeuRet vector, consisting of distinct combinations of rabies virus and vesicular stomatitis virus glycoproteins. In the present study, we compared the patterns of retrograde transgene expression for the HiRet vs. NeuRet vectors by testing the cortical input system. These vectors were injected into the motor cortex in rats, marmosets, and macaques, and the distributions of retrograde labels were investigated in the cortex and thalamus. Our histological analysis revealed that the NeuRet vector generally exhibits a higher efficiency of retrograde gene transfer than the HiRet vector, though its capacity of retrograde transgene expression in the macaque brain is unexpectedly low, especially in terms of the intracortical connections, as compared to the rat and marmoset brains. It was also demonstrated that the NeuRet but not the HiRet vector displays sufficiently high neuron specificity and causes no marked inflammatory/immune responses at the vector injection sites in the primate (marmoset and macaque) brains. The present results indicate that the retrograde transgene efficiency of the NeuRet vector varies depending not only on the species but also on the input projections.     

巨噬细胞炎性蛋白4的非融合表达载体的构建和表达

目的探索如何抑制嗜酸性粒细胞的趋化作用,选择β-趋化因子巨噬细胞炎性蛋白4(MIP4)的突变体(Met-MIP4)作为趋化因子受体3的拮抗剂,将Met-MIP4基因在原核细胞中进行非融合表达. 方法设计MIP4基因的PCR引物并进行氨基酸突变,将MIP4 N末端的丙氨酸突变为蛋氨酸.以正常人肺cDNA文库为模板,PCR方法获取Met-MIP4基因.克隆入载体pUC19,测序验证序列已得到突变.将正确的基因插入到非融合表达载体pBV220中进行表达.结果 PCR产物为220 bp左右的片段,连接入pUC19质粒后测序验证获得正确突变.构建的pBV220非融合表达载体在大肠杆菌DH5-α中表达,经Tricine-SDS-PAGE凝胶电泳显示有大小约8×103的非融合蛋白表达.结论成功突变并克隆了β-趋化因子MIP4基因.Tricine-SDS-PAGE表明,非融合的Met-MIP4突变体已得到表达,为进一步研究其对哮喘的生物治疗奠定了基础.     

CCR5,CXCR4双靶区反义RNA重组腺病毒载体的构建

目的:构建趋化因子受体CCR5,CXCR4双靶区反义RNA重组载体并获取重组腺病毒以用于抗HIV-1基因治疗的研究.方法:用RT-PCR法从健康人外周血单个核细胞中分别扩增出趋化因子受体CCR5,CXCR45′端翻译起始区653bp和636bp的cDNA片段,将其反向插入腺病毒穿梭载体质粒pAdTrack-CMV中,再与包装质粒pAdEasy-1共转染BJ5183细菌同源重组,卡那抗性培养基筛选阳性克隆;同源重组的载体用脂质体转染剂转染293细胞包装、扩增,荧光显微镜下观察细胞中绿色荧光蛋白(GFP)以及PCR法鉴定、氯化铯密度梯度离心法纯化重组腺病毒.结果:成功构建了CCR5,CXCR4双靶区反义RNA重组腺病毒载体,并于293细胞中包装、扩增得到高滴度的重组腺病毒,其滴度为:7.2×1012PFU/mL.结论:CCR5,CXCR4双靶区反义RNA重组腺病毒的构建为研究双靶位辅助受体反义RNA抗HIV-1的作用打下基础.     

凋亡抑制基因survivin表达载体的构建及其在HepG2中的表达

目的:克隆细胞凋亡抑制蛋白Survivin(SVV)的编码序列,构建含SVV基因的真核细胞表达载体并在肝癌细胞系HepG2中表达,为进一步研究该基因在肝癌发病中的作用奠定基础. 方法:根据已发表的SVV基因的核苷酸序列设计并合成一对引物,以HL-60细胞系抽提的RNA为模板进行逆转录聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR),扩增产物用BamHI和XhoI双酶酶切后定向克隆到真核细胞表达载体pcDNA3.0中,用限制性内切酶酶切重组质粒pcDNA3.0-SVV和DNA序列测定进行鉴定. 用脂质体法将pcDNA3.0-SVV导入肝癌细胞系HepG2中,G418选择培养,经免疫组化法和RT-PCR鉴定其表达. 结果:RT-PCR扩增出长445 bp的特异性片段,经克隆至pcDNA3.0后酶切鉴定证实,并测序表明序列与GenBank报道完全一致. pcDNA3.0-SVV在HepG2细胞中有稳定表达. 结论:成功克隆了SVV的编码序列,构建了其真核细胞表达载体pcDNA3.0-SVV,有助于对SVV基因在肝癌发生中的致瘤机制做进一步研究.     

重叠延伸PCR方法的建立与应用

目的建立一种新型PCR技术（重叠延伸PCR）并用于腺病毒早期基因E1A与内核蛋白体进入位点IRES（internal ribosome entry site）的直接连接,为构建复制型腺病毒载体作准备.方法以PcAE1A质粒与PIRES-EGFP质粒为模板,通过引物设计,使E1A基因3＇端与IRES基因5＇端具有相互重叠的一段序列,用该组引物行PCR分别扩增E1A基因与IRES基因,再以这两种PCR产物的混合物作为模板,进行重叠延伸PCR扩增E1A-IRES基因片段.结果经酶切及测序鉴定重叠延伸PCR方法成功构建了E1A-IRES基因片段.结论重叠延伸PCR法能将任意两段DNA序列连接起来,其在分子生物学的领域中具有潜在应用价值.     

Preferential Transduction of Human Hepatocytes with Lentiviral Vectors Pseudotyped by Sendai Virus F Protein

One of the major challenges facing gene therapy is the development of vectors targeting specific cell types. Restricting gene delivery to the relevant cell type leads to reduced T-cell responses to transgene products and prolonged gene expression. In this study, we demonstrate that vectors derived from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) can be pseudotyped with Sendai virus fusion protein F. Such vectors transduced human hepatoma cells and primary human hepatocytes efficiently, but not non-liver cells. Several different approaches were also taken to significantly increase the titer of the pseudotyped vector. These studies may facilitate HIV vector-mediated gene delivery into liver in vivo.     

Neurotropism and Retrograde Axonal Transport of a Canine Adenoviral Vector: A Tool for Targeting Key Structures Undergoing Neurodegenerative Processes

Viral tropism refers to the ability of a virus to selectively infect a given subset of cells. It relies on a variety of viral and host determinants that entail virus binding and entry into target cells, in addition to the presence of genetic elements that allow or enhance viral gene expression in a specific manner. Here we report the results of neuroanatomical studies in rat brains injected in different cerebral structures with vectors derived from the canine adenovirus type 2 (CAV2), whose natural target is the respiratory epithelium. Control animals injected with vectors derived from the human adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) displayed the previously documented pattern of gene transfer into both neurons and glial cells. Injection of CAV2 vectors resulted in selective transduction of neuronal cells. Cy3-labeled CAV2 particles allowed us to establish the high affinity of this vector for neuronal processes in vitro and their rapid uptake and retrograde axonal transport in vivo. After intrahippocampal injections, labeled particles were found, within 1 hour, closely associated to the nuclei of the neurons in layer II of the entorhinal cortex. Injections into the striatum resulted in a massive transduction of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra compacta. The high efficiency with which CAV2 vectors are retrogradely transported opens the possibility of targeting a transgene to neuron populations remote from the injection site and difficult to access. Our data support the possibility to target key structures undergoing a degenerative process: the enthorhinal cortex, which is affected first in Alzheimer's disease; and the substantia nigra compacta, which undergoes degeneration in Parkinson's disease.     

Adenovirus stripping: a versatile method to generate adenovirus vectors with new cell target specificity

We developed a new type of adenovirus type 5 (Ad5)-derived vector with genetically modified fiber proteins whose knob domains could be stripped off due to the insertion of a single Factor Xa cleavage site in the fiber shaft, between a cellular ligand and the knob domain. This Ad vector did not require a specific cell line for propagation and could be grown in HEK-293 cells. Stripping off the knob domains removed the endogenous cell-binding moiety of Ad but retained the new cell ligand for retargeting purposes. As experimental models for cell ligands, we used two peptides with different sequence complexities: (i) the integrin-binding tripeptide RGD and (ii) a 58-residue oligopeptide termed affibody (Zwt). Zwt binds specifically to the human IgG1 Fc domain or to its Fc3(1) homolog. The modified fibers were efficiently encapsidated into virions, and the Factor Xa sites were fully accessible to proteolysis. In vitro binding assays using recombinant Fc3(1) protein and Ad5-mediated gene transduction of Fc3(1)-expressing cells demonstrated that the proteolytically deknobbed Ad5-Zwt vector was functional and specific for receptor targeting.     

Development of a new cucumber mosaic virus-based plant expression vector with truncated 3a movement protein

We have developed a Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV)-based expression vector for the production of heterologous proteins in plants. Cell-to-cell movement of CMV is dependent on the presence of coat protein (CP). Previous studies have shown that deletion of 33 amino acids (aa) from the carboxy-terminus of the 3a movement protein facilitates cell-to-cell movement that is independent of CP. The CMV-based expression vector that we have designed utilizes this truncated 3a protein, allowing the expression of target genes from the strong CP subgenomic promoter and without the need for providing CP in trans for cell-to-cell spread. Using this vector we achieved expression levels of ~ 450 mg/kg leaf tissue of green fluorescent protein (GFP) when the vector was delivered into Nicotiana benthamiana plants by agroinfiltration. Human growth hormone (hGH), on the other hand, accumulated to ~ 170 mg/kg of leaf tissue when the same approach was used to deliver the vector.