Abstract
Skeletal and cardiac muscles of rodents are able to take up and express directly injected plasmids containing reporter genes such as luciferase (pRSVL), E. coli B-galactosidase (pRSVLac-z). After injection of pRSVLac-z DNA into heart or skeletal muscle muscle, gene expression was localized histochemically to cardiocytes or myocytes, respectively. Seven days after injection of pRSVL DNA, luciferase activity (mean±SE×103 light units per ug DNA injected) was 1325±287 in normal mouse skeletal muscle, 1543±407 in mdx skeletal muscle, 3015±1295 in rat cardiac muscle. After injection of pRSVL, gene expression was present in cardiac and mdx skeletal muscle for only 1 month while it persisted in normal skeletal muscle for one year. Gene expression was stable in cardiac muscle of athymic and ciclosporin treated rats for at least 2 months that suggest the role of immune response in heart. Rapid turnover of myofibers in mdx muscle can explain the instability of gene expression. Direct transfer of genes into muscle has applications for gene therapy.
(*Pres.inst.:Dept. of Ped. Univ. of Pecs, Hungary)
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Acsadi, C., Jani, A. & Wolff, J. 122 EXPRESSION OF DIRECTLY TRANSFERRED GENES IN SKELETAL AND CARDIAC MUSCLE OF NORMAL RODENTS AND DYSTROPHIC (MDX) MICE IN VIVO. Pediatr Res 30, 648 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199112000-00152
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-199112000-00152