shRNA随机文库结合TK自杀基因筛选靶向HIV-1LTR相关宿主因子

构建shRNA随机文库与HIV-1 LTR启动胸苷激酶基因(TK基因)稳定表达的稳定细胞系HEK293/TK,将两者结合起来,筛选靶向HIV-1 LTR相关宿主因子.方法:通过化学合成含有19个随机脱氧核苷酸的发夹结构,将其退火补平后与合成的接头Linker连接进行PCR反应,将PCR产物酶切后置于慢病毒载体pLenti-U6启动子下游由此构建shRNA随机文库;利用重叠PCR将HIV-1 LTR片段和TK基因连接起来,连接产物经酶切后与pcDNA3.1载体连接;将连接正确的质粒转染HEK293细胞同时用G418加压筛选获得稳定细胞系HEK293/TK;将所获得的文库质粒包装成慢病毒后侵染所构建的HEK293/TK细胞系,通过加入药物GCV进行加压筛选获得存活细胞.结果:成功筛选到加药后存活下来的细胞,抽提细胞基因组,采用巢式PCR扩增目的干扰序列并用Western blot对干扰序列进行验证,鉴定获得一个克隆所表达的shRNA能对TK基因的表达起到抑制作用,通过测序分析获得其干扰序列,该序列很有可能针对HIV-1 LTR某宿主相关因子.结论:成功构建了一种筛选HIV-1 LTR相关宿主因子的方法,筛选所得序列可以定位到具体相关宿主因子,为靶向筛选抗HIV-1药物提供了重要手段.     

Efficient gene transfer mediated by HIV-1-based defective lentivector and inhibition of HIV-1 replication

Lentiviral vectors have drawn considerable attention recently and show great promise to become important delivery vehicles for future gene transfer manipulation. In the present study we have optimized a protocol for preparation of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1)-based defective lentiviral vectors (DLV) and characterized these vectors in terms of their transduction of different cells. Transient co-transfection of 293T packaging cells with DNA plasmids encoding lentiviral vector constituents resulted in production of high-titer DLV (0.5–1.2 × 10⁷IU/mL), which can be further concentrated over 100-fold through a single step ultracentrifugation. These vectors were capable of transducing a variety of cells from both primate and non-primate sources and high transduction efficiency was achieved using concentrated vectors. Assessment of potential generation of RCV revealed no detection of infection by infectious particles in DLV-transduced CEM, SupT-1 and MT-2 cells. Long-term culture of transduced cells showed a stable expression of transgenes without apparent alteration in cellular morphology and growth kinetics. Vector mobilization to untransduced cells mediated by wild-type HIV-1 infection was confirmed in this test. Challenge of transduced human T-lymphocytes with wild-type HIV-1 showed these cells are totally resistant to the viral infection. Considering the effective gene transfer and stable gene expression, safety and anti-HIV activity, these DLV vectors warrant further exploration for their potential use as a gene transfer vehicle in the development of gene therapy protocols. Foundation items: National Institute of Health (S11 NS43499); RCMI (G12RR/AI03061, USA.)     

Production of lentiviral vectors by transient expression of minimal packaging genes from recombinant adenoviruses

BACKGROUND: The potential of lentiviral vectors for clinical gene therapy has not yet been evaluated. One of the reasons is the cytotoxicity of lentiviral packaging genes which makes the generation of stable producer cell lines difficult. Therefore, a novel packaging system for lentiviral vectors based on transient expression of packaging genes by recombinant adenoviruses was developed. METHODS: Adenoviral vectors expressing VSV-G, codon-optimized HIV-1 gag-pol, and codon-optimized SIV gag-pol under the control of a tetracycline-regulatable promoter (adenoviral lenti-pack vectors) were constructed and the production levels of this vector system were evaluated. RESULTS: The generated adenoviral lenti-pack vectors could be grown to high titers when transgene expression was suppressed and no evidence for instabilities was obtained. Cells stably transfected with a SIV-based vector construct were converted into lentiviral vector producer cells by infection with the adenoviral lenti-pack vectors. Lentiviral vector titers obtained were as high as vector titers obtained by transient cotransfection experiments. A protocol was developed that allowed preparation of lentiviral vector stocks with undetectable levels of contaminating adenoviral lenti-pack vectors. CONCLUSIONS: The adenoviral lenti-pack vectors described should provide a convenient alternative approach to inducible packaging cell lines for large-scale lentiviral vector production. Transient expression of cytotoxic lentiviral packaging genes by the adenoviral lenti-pack vectors circumvents loss of titers during prolonged culture of packaging cell lines. The design of the adenoviral lenti-pack vectors should reduce the risk of transfer of packaging genes to target cells and at the same time provide flexibility with respect to the lentiviral vector constructs that can be packaged.     

一种新型慢病毒载体制备体系的初步建立

为了建立新型、高产量的慢病毒载体制备体系,将构建好的主框架质粒pVECRNA、包装质粒pGAGPOL及包膜质粒pVSVG通过脂质体共转染至BHK21细胞.再用含有T7RNA聚合酶基因的重组痘苗病毒vTF-3感染细胞,培养4天后,收集培养上清.提取培养上清的RNA,进行RT-PCR反应,将培养上清进行免疫印迹鉴定,将培养上清感染正常的293T细胞、HepG2细胞、Vero细胞,荧光显微镜下观察细胞GFP的表达情况,采取3×3×3析因分析方法,优化系统产量,Real-timePCR方法测定细胞培养上清中病毒载体的拷贝数,利用流式细胞术检测病毒载体滴度.RT-PCR及p24免疫印迹结果均提示在细胞上清中存在慢病毒载体;通过荧光显微镜观察到感染组293T细胞、HepG2细胞、Vero细胞均表达绿色荧光蛋白GFP,说明此系统制备出的慢病毒载体具有感染性;系统经优化后,培养上清中慢病毒载体拷贝数达到1.1×1012/ml,培养上清原始滴度达到1.3×108tu/ml,高出目前常用制备体系产量1个数量级.上述结果表明,新型慢病毒载体制备体系已初步建立,为今后该系统的大规模应用提供客观的科学依据.     

Production of lentiviral vectors by large-scale transient transfection of suspension cultures and affinity chromatography purification

The use of lentiviral vectors as gene delivery vehicles has become increasingly popular in recent years. The growing interest in these vectors has created a strong demand for large volumes of vector stocks, which entails the need for scaleable vector manufacturing procedures. In this work, we present a simple and robust process for the production of lentiviral vectors using scaleable production and purification methodologies. Lentivirus particles were produced by transient transfection of serum-free suspension-growing 293 EBNA-1 cells with four plasmids encoding the vector components using linear polyethylenimine (PEI) as transfection reagent. This process was successfully scaled-up from shake flasks to a 3-L bioreactor from which 10(10) IVP were recovered. In addition, an affinity chromatography protocol designed for purification of bioactive oncoretroviral vectors has been adapted in this work for the purification of VSV-G pseudotyped lentiviral vectors. Using heparin affinity chromatography, lentiviral particles were concentrated and purified directly from the clarified supernatants. During this step, a recovery of 53% of infective lentiviral particles was achieved while removing 94% of the impurities contained in the supernatant.     

Cholesterol supplementation during production increases the infectivity of retroviral and lentiviral vectors pseudotyped with the vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein (VSV-G)

Cholesterol, a major component of plasma membrane lipid rafts, is important for assembly and budding of enveloped viruses, including influenza and HIV-1. Cholesterol depletion impairs virus assembly and infectivity. This study examined the effects of exogenous cholesterol addition (delivered as a complex with methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (MbCD)) on the production of Molony murine leukemia virus (MoMuLV) retroviral vector and HIV-1-based lentiviral vector pseudotyped with the vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein (VSV-G). Cholesterol supplementation before and during vector production enhanced the infectivity of retroviral and lentiviral vectors up to 4-fold and 6-fold, respectively. In contrast, the amount of retroviral vector produced was unchanged, and that of lentiviral vector was increased less than 2-fold. Both free cholesterol and cholesterol ester content in 293-gag-pol producer cells increased with cholesterol addition. In contrast, the phospholipids headgroup composition was essentially unchanged by cholesterol supplementation in 293-gag-pol packaging cells. Based on these results, it is proposed that cholesterol supplementation increases the infectivity of VSV-G-pseudotyped retroviral and lentiviral vectors, possibly by altering the composition of the producer cell membrane where the viral vectors are assembled and bud, and/or by changing the lipid composition of the viral vectors.     

含GDNF基因的慢病毒载体的构建和其在人胚胎神经干细胞中的表达

利用含胶质源性神经营养因子(Glial cell derived neurotrophic factor, GDNF)基因的慢病毒(Lentivirus)载体转染了人胚胎来源的神经干细胞, 探讨了转染后GDNF在神经干细胞中的体外表达水平及其影响因素。首先GDNF基因被克隆入慢病毒载体, 通过瞬时转染法包装出病毒上清, 经滴度鉴定后分别按拷贝数分别为 1、2.5、5、10转染神经干细胞。转染后细胞经过潮霉素筛选得到均一表达GDNF的神经干细胞体系。其后分别利用酶联免疫吸附(ELISA)方法和Real-time PCR方法测定不同转染组细胞在不同时间点GDNF的蛋白分泌水平和基因表达水平。实验中构建了表达GDNF基因的慢病毒载体, 包装出的病毒上清在体外培养条件下成功转染了神经干细胞, 经潮霉素筛选可以得到均一的持续表达分泌GDNF的人胚胎皮层神经干细胞体系。实验结果表明转染拷贝数可以影响GDNF的分泌水平, 相同条件下转染拷贝数越高, GDNF分泌量越多, 其基因表达水平越高。因此, 含GDNF的慢病毒载体可以成功转染人胚胎来源的神经干细胞, 使其持续表达GDNF, 转染过程中可以通过拷贝数在一定水平上控制GDNF的蛋白分泌水平和基因表达水平。     

慢病毒介导的GFP-Hsp90αE47A基因在HepG2细胞表达及对细胞增殖性影响的研究

目的：建立真核细胞表达的GFP-Hsp90αE47A基因重组慢病毒载体三质粒包装细胞系统,并检测其对细胞增殖性的影响,为进一步研究HSP90分子伴侣功能奠定基础。方法：制备完整的重组慢病毒载体三质粒系统：转移质粒（Hsp90αE47A/psin-GFP）,包装质粒（ΔNRF）及包膜蛋白质粒（VSV-G）。磷酸钙法将三质粒共转染293T包装细胞,48h后收集病毒上清。将制备好的慢病毒颗粒感染HepG2细胞,在荧光显微镜下观察报告基因GFP的表达情况,Westernblot检测HepG2细胞GFP-Hsp90α表达。MTT法检测细胞增殖情况。结果：转染后的293T和感染后的HepG2细胞能观察到较强的绿色荧光,培养液上清病毒滴度约为3.0×103ifu/μl,HepG2细胞中有GFP-Hsp90α蛋白的表达。内源性Hsp90α表达无明显上升（为对照组的1.05±0.15倍,P〈0.05,t检验）,有明显外源性GFP-Hsp90αE47A蛋白的表达,为对照组内源性Hsp90α的0.68±0.12倍。外源性GFP-Hsp90αE47A蛋白的表达HepG2细胞增殖活性于第4d有明显抑制。（1.051±0.03vs1.349±0.05,P〈0.05,t检验）。结论：成功建立重组慢病毒载体的三质粒包装细胞系统,并将GFP-Hsp90αE47A基因在HepG2细胞中稳定表达,且并未引起细胞明显的热休克反应而导致的内源性Hsp90α增高;且能明显抑制细胞增殖,为后期Hsp90α分子伴侣功能进行研究奠定基础。     

Rev proteins of human and simian immunodeficiency virus enhance RNA encapsidation

The main function attributed to the Rev proteins of immunodeficiency viruses is the shuttling of viral RNAs containing the Rev responsive element (RRE) via the CRM-1 export pathway from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. This restricts expression of structural proteins to the late phase of the lentiviral replication cycle. Using Rev-independent gag-pol expression plasmids of HIV-1 and simian immunodeficiency virus and lentiviral vector constructs, we have observed that HIV-1 and simian immunodeficiency virus Rev enhanced RNA encapsidation 20- to 70-fold, correlating well with the effect of Rev on vector titers. In contrast, cytoplasmic vector RNA levels were only marginally affected by Rev. Binding of Rev to the RRE or to a heterologous RNA element was required for Rev-mediated enhancement of RNA encapsidation. In addition to specific interactions of nucleocapsid with the packaging signal at the 5' end of the genome, the Rev/RRE system provides a second mechanism contributing to preferential encapsidation of genomic lentiviral RNA.     

Generation of a Genome Scale Lentiviral Vector Library for EF1α Promoter-Driven Expression of Human ORFs and Identification of Human Genes Affecting Viral Titer

The bottleneck in elucidating gene function through high-throughput gain-of-function genome screening is the limited availability of comprehensive libraries for gene overexpression. Lentiviral vectors are the most versatile and widely used vehicles for gene expression in mammalian cells. Lentiviral supernatant libraries for genome screening are commonly generated in the HEK293T cell line, yet very little is known about the effect of introduced sequences on the produced viral titer, which we have shown to be gene dependent. We have generated an arrayed lentiviral vector library for the expression of 17,030 human proteins by using the GATEWAY® cloning system to transfer ORFs from the Mammalian Gene Collection into an EF1alpha promoter-dependent lentiviral expression vector. This promoter was chosen instead of the more potent and widely used CMV promoter, because it is less prone to silencing and provides more stable long term expression. The arrayed lentiviral clones were used to generate viral supernatant by packaging in the HEK293T cell line. The efficiency of transfection and virus production was estimated by measuring the fluorescence of IRES driven GFP, co-expressed with the ORFs. More than 90% of cloned ORFs produced sufficient virus for downstream screening applications. We identified genes which consistently produced very high or very low viral titer. Supernatants from select clones that were either high or low virus producers were tested on a range of cell lines. Some of the low virus producers, including two previously uncharacterized proteins were cytotoxic to HEK293T cells. The library we have constructed presents a powerful resource for high-throughput gain-of-function screening of the human genome and drug-target discovery. Identification of human genes that affect lentivirus production may lead to improved technology for gene expression using lentiviral vectors.     

Transduction efficiency of pantropic retroviral vectors is controlled by the envelope plasmid to vector plasmid ratio

Pantropic retroviral vectors pseudotyped with vesicular stomatitis virus envelope G protein (VSV-G) are typically produced by transient transfection of the VSV-G expression plasmid because constitutive expression of VSV-G is cytotoxic. To produce pantropic vectors, the VSV-G expression plasmid and the vector plasmid are cotransfected into a packaging cell line, such as 293-gag-pol. Typically, the ratio of VSV-G plasmid to the vector plasmid ranges from 0.33 to 1.0. However, it is not clear that this range is optimal for vector production. In this study we have systematically examined the effect of the ratio of VSV-G plasmid (pVSV-G) to vector plasmid on vector production. For this, 293-gag-pol stable packaging cells were cotransfected with pVSV-G and an enhanced green fluorescent protein- (EGFP-) expressing retroviral vector plasmid (pLTR-EGFP) by use of lipofectamine. Vector was collected following transfection and used to transduce three target cell lines, namely, 3T3 fibroblasts, telomerase-immortalized human diploid fibroblasts (HDF), and the human hepatoma cell line HuH7. Transduction efficiency was evaluated for vectors produced at different pVSV-G:pLTR-EGFP ratios such that the total amount of plasmid transfected into 293-gag-pol cells was kept constant. Our results indicate that transduction efficiency is greatest when the pVSV-G:pLTR-EGFP ratio is substantially below 1.0. For 3T3 and HDF cells, the maximum transduction efficiency was obtained when a ratio of pVSV-G:pLTR-EGFP ranging from 0.053 to 0.2 was used for transfection. The relative magnitude of this effect was greater for lower transduction efficiencies in control cultures. For HuH7 cells, the beneficial effects were smaller than those observed when HDF or 3T3 cells were used. The difference in transduction efficiency for vector produced under various pVSV-G:pLTR-EGFP ratios was not due to differences in the proliferation of packaging cells or target cells. Further characterization showed that the amount of vector RNA relative to p30gag decreased as the ratio of pVSV-G:pLTR-EGFP increased. These results indicate that transduction efficiency increases with increasing levels of vector RNA as long as a minimally sufficient level of pantropic envelope protein is expressed.     

Hepatocyte-specific gene expression from integrated lentiviral vectors

BACKGROUND: For many applications, efficient gene therapy will require long-term, organ-specific therapeutic gene expression. Lentiviral vectors based on HIV-1 are promising gene delivery vehicles due to their ability to integrate transgenes into non-dividing cells. Many experimental vectors express transgenes under the control of the cytomegalovirus (CMV) immediate-early gene promoter. Although this promoter directs strong gene expression in vitro, it may be shut off rapidly in vivo. This study explores the potential of HIV-1-based vectors to transduce hepatocytes and compares gene expression from different promoters in integrated vectors. METHODS: HIV-1-based vector plasmids expressing the green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the control of the CMV promoter, the alpha-1 antitrypsin gene promoter or promoters derived from the hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome were used to compare expression in transfected and transduced cell lines. RESULTS: Hepatocyte cell lines differed strikingly in their transfectability. Transduction with replication-deficient HIV-1-based vector particles incorporating the different promoter elements was uniformly effective in hepatocyte and non-hepatocyte lines. However, in hepatocytes, only the CMV, alpha-1 antitrypsin and HBV core but not HBV surface promoters were able to produce GFP expression. Addition of the HBV enhancer 2 element improved the transducing ability of the HBV surface promoter and suppressed expression in non-hepatocytes increasing specificity for hepatocytes. CONCLUSIONS: Integrated lentiviral vectors can be used to direct transgene expression in liver cells both promiscuously and specifically. Promoters derived from the alpha-1 antitrypsin gene or HBV are alternatives to the CMV promoter. Inclusion of the HBV enhancer 2 permits strong liver-specific gene expression in vitro.     

Generation of a packaging cell line for prolonged large-scale production of high-titer HIV-1-based lentiviral vector

BACKGROUND: A stable packaging cell line facilitates large-scale lentivirus vector manufacture. However, it has been difficult to produce clinical-scale HIV-1-based lentiviral vectors using a packaging cell line, in part due to toxicity of packaging genes, and gene silencing that occurs during the long culture period necessary for sequential addition of packaging constructs. METHODS: To avoid these problems, we developed a three-level cascade gene regulation system designed to remove tetracycline transactivator (tTA) from cytomegalovirus immediate early promoter (CMV)-controlled expression to reduce cytotoxicity from constitutive expression of tTA and leaky expression of packaging genes. We also performed a one-step integration of the three packaging plasmids to shorten the culture time for clonal selection. RESULTS: Although leaky expression of p24 and vector production still occurred despite the three-level regulation system, little cytotoxicity was observed and producer cells could be expanded for large-scale production. Producer cells yielded remarkably stable vector production over a period greater than 11 days with the highest titer 3.5 x 10(7) transducing units (TU)/ml and p24 300 ng/ml, yielding 2.2 x 10(11) TU and 1.8 milligram (mg) p24 from one cell factory. No replication-competent lentivirus (RCL) was detected. Long-term analysis demonstrated that, although the cells are genetically stable, partial gene silencing occurs after 2-3 months in culture; however, the one-step construct integration allowed prolonged vector production before significant gene silencing. Concentrated vector resulted in 90% transduction in CD4+ lymphocytes at 20 TU per cell. CD34+ progenitor cells were transduced at 41-46% efficiency, and long-term initiating culture (LTC-IC) was transduced at 45-51%. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate for the first time HIV-1-based lentiviral vector production on the large scale using a packaging cell line.     

High expression of exogenous cDNAs directed by HIV-1 long terminal repeat in human cells constitutively producing HIV-1 tat and adenovirus E1A/E1B

A eukaryotic vector-host cell system is described where the additive transactivating effects of HIV-1 tat and adenovirus E1A on HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR) are exploited to increase expression of exogenous cDNAs. Human 143B and 293 cells, the latter constitutively producing E1A, were used as host cell lines. The bacterial gene chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) and the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs-Ag) gene were employed as reporter genes inserted in pRPneoU3R, an episomal vector containing BK virus replication origin and early region, where cDNAs are expressed under control of HIV-1 LTR. The 293 cells were transformed by tat expression vectors to constitutively express tat. Stable cell clones of 293tat cells, constitutively expressing CAT after transformation with pRPneoU3R-CAT, show a CAT activity 600-fold higher than normal 293 transformed cells. CAT expression obtained in normal 293 cells can be transiently increased 10-fold by transfection by vectors expressing tat. The 293tat cells transformed by pRPneoU3R-HBs, an episomal vector expressing HBs-Ag from HIV LTR, yielded stable cell clones secreting HBs-Ag in the culture medium at a concentration up to 744 ng/ml or 44 ng/10(6) cells/24 h, 48-fold more than normal 293 cells. The use of this system for constitutive or inducible expression of sequences under control of HIV-1 LTR is discussed in view of possible applications for diagnostic, vaccinal and therapeutic purposes.     

Production of lentiviral vectors in suspension cells using low proportion of supercoiled circular plasmid DNA

The supercoiled circular (SC) topology form of plasmid DNA has been regarded to be advantageous over open circular or linearized analogue in transfection and expression efficiency, and therefore are largely demanded in the biopharmaceutical manufacturing. However, production of high-purity SC plasmid DNA would result in high manufacturing cost. The effect of SC proportion in plasmid DNA on the quality of packaged lentiviral vectors has never been reported. In this study, we established an efficient system for production of high-titer lentiviral vectors using suspension HEK293SF cells in serum-free media, and the lentiviral titer was not associated with the proportion of SC plasmid DNA. Plasmids DNA with different proportion of SC, open-circular, and linearized forms were prepared using the thermal denaturation method, and were transfected to adherent HEK293T or suspension HEK293SF cells for packaging of lentiviral vectors. The titer of lentiviral vectors from HEK293T cells, but not from HEK293SF cells, was significantly impaired when the proportion of SC plasmid DNA decreased from 60–80% to 30–40%. Further decrease of SC plasmid proportion to 3% led to a dramatic reduction of lentiviral titer no matter the packaging cell line was. However, lentiviral vectors from HEK293SF cells still showed a high titer even when the proportion of SC plasmid DNA was 3%. This study demonstrated that extremely high proportion of SC plasmid DNA was not required for packaging of high-titer lentiviral vector in HEK293SF cells, at least under our manufacturing process.     

Reduced mobilization of Rev-responsive element-deficient lentiviral vectors

Infection of cells transduced with a lentiviral vector by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) could lead to packaging of the lentiviral vector RNA into HIV particles and unintended transfer of the vector. To prevent this, the Rev-responsive element (RRE) of an HIV-1 vector was functionally replaced by a heterologous RNA element (MS2). Providing Rev fused to an MS2 binding protein allowed efficient vector production. Mobilization of the vector from infected target cells was below the level of detection and at least 10(3)- to 10(4)-fold lower than for the RRE-containing vector. Thus, RRE-deficient lentiviral vectors provide a novel approach to reduce the risk of vector mobilization.