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Prolonged gene expression in mouse lung endothelial cells following transfection with Epstein–Barr virus-based episomal plasmid

Gene Therapy volume 10, pages 822–826 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

The development of a strategy to deliver a gene to pulmonary endothelium will be useful for gene function study and for pulmonary gene therapy. Cationic lipidic vectors are efficient in gene transfer to pulmonary endothelium via the vascular route; however, gene expression is transient and lasts for only a few days. In this study, we show that pulmonary gene transfer via cationic lipidic vectors can be significantly improved using an Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-based expression plasmid. Systemic administration of cationic liposomes followed by the EBV-based plasmid led to gene expression in the lung that lasted for more than 3 weeks. Prolonged and high levels of gene expression can also be obtained in primary mouse lung endothelial cells (MLEC) following lipofection with an EBV-based plasmid. These results suggest the utility of this gene transfer protocol in studying the expression of cloned genes in lung endothelial cells and in pulmonary gene therapy.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by NIH Grants HL RO1 63080 (to S Li), AI RO1 48851 (to L Huang), and HL RO1 32154 (to B Pitt).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Pharmacogenetics and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, 15261, PA, USA

    J Zhang, Z Ma, E Satoh, L Huang & S Li

  2. Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, 15261, PA, USA

    A Wilson, Z-L Tang & B Pitt

  3. Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, 15261, PA, USA

    S Alber & S Watkins

  4. Department of Microbiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan

    O Mazda

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  1. J Zhang
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Zhang, J., Wilson, A., Alber, S. et al. Prolonged gene expression in mouse lung endothelial cells following transfection with Epstein–Barr virus-based episomal plasmid. Gene Ther 10, 822–826 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.gt.3301958

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.gt.3301958

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