Regulated Gene Expression in the Chicken Embryo by Using Replication-Competent Retroviral Vectors

Rous sarcoma virus (RSV)-derived retroviral vector could efficiently deliver the green fluorescent protein (GFP), which is driven by the internal cytomegalovirus enhancer/promoter, into restricted cell populations in the chicken embryo. RSV-derived vectors coupled with the tet regulatory elements also revealed doxycycline-dependent inducible GFP expression in the chicken embryo in ovo.     

鸡胚性腺内黄体生成素受体和类固醇激素合成酶基因的性别差异性表达(英文)

促性腺激素受体,包括黄体生成素受体（LHR）和卵泡刺激素受体,通过调节类固醇激素合成和细胞增殖从而对性腺的发育和功能起重要作用。虽然鸟类的性别由性染色体所决定;但性腺的发育要受到很多诸如类固醇激素这样因素的影响。既然雄性和雌性的性腺有不同的形态特征和功能,促性腺激素和类固醇激素对它们发育的调节作用可能是不同的。本实验的目的是研究鸡胆发育过程中性腺内LHRmRNA表达的变化及其与类固醇激素合成酶mRNA表达的相关性。在孵化的第10天至孵化后第14天之间取出鸡胚的性腺,然后用Northern杂交法检测LHR和P450c17及P450arommRNA的表达。结果显示：在孵化期间LHRmRNA有3．0和1．5kb两种转录产物,孵化后还出现7．0kb的转录物（Fig．1）。在孵化期间1．5kb转录物的含量高于3．0kb的转录物,而孵化之后则相反。卵巢内LHRmRNA（3．0kb）的水平从孵化的第12天开始升高,两天之后达一高峰,此后一直保持在较高水平。与此不同的是睾丸内LHRmRNA的表达量在孵化期间较低,孵化后立即升高（Fig．2）。P45c17mRNA的表达与LHRmRNA相似（Figs．3＆4）。P450arommRNA在卵巢内的表达量较高,孵化后其主带从2．0kb转变为4．0kb。睾丸内P450arommRNA的表达量极低（Figs．5＆6）。在相应的时期,左侧和右侧     

Sexually Dimorphic and Sex-Independent Left-Right Asymmetries in Chicken Embryonic Gonads

Female birds develop asymmetric gonads: a functional ovary develops on the left, whereas the right gonad regresses. In males, however, testes develop on both sides. We examined the distribution of germ cells using Vasa/Cvh as a marker. Expression is asymmetric in both sexes: at stage 35 the left gonad contains significantly more germ cells than the right. A similar expression pattern is seen for expression of ERNI (Ens1), a gene expressed in chick embryonic stem cells while they self-renew, but downregulated upon differentiation. Other pluripotency-associated markers (PouV/Oct3/4, Nanog and Sox2) also show asymmetric expression (more expressing cells on the left) in both sexes, but this asymmetry is at least partly due to expression in stromal cells of the developing gonad, and the pattern is different for all the genes. Therefore germ cell and pluripotency-associated genes show both sex-dependent and independent left-right asymmetry and a complex pattern of expression.     

Development of Improved Adenosine Deaminase Retroviral Vectors

A series of adenosine deaminase (ADA) retroviral vectors were designed and constructed with the goal of improved performance over the PA317/LASN vector currently used in clinical trials. First, the bacterial selectable-marker neomycin phosphotransferase (neo) gene was removed to create a “simplified” vector. Second, the Moloney murine leukemia virus long terminal repeat (LTR) promoter used for ADA expression was replaced with either the myeloproliferative sarcoma virus (MPSV) or SL3-3 LTR. Supernatant from each ADA vector was used to transduce ADA-deficient (ADA⁻) B- and T-cell lines as well as primary peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from an ADA⁻ severe combined immunodeficiency patient. Total ADA enzyme activity and ADA activity per integrant in the transduced cells demonstrated that the MPSV LTR splicing vector design provided the highest level of ADA expression per cell. This ADA(MPSV) vector was then tested in packaging cell lines containing either the gibbon ape leukemia virus envelope (PG13 cells), the murine amphotropic envelope (FLYA13 cells), or the feline endogenous virus RD114 envelope (FLYRD18 cells). The results indicate that FLYRD18/ADA(MPSV), a simplified ADA retroviral vector with the MPSV LTR, provides a 17-fold-higher level of ADA expression in human lymphohematopoietic cells than the PA317/LASN vector currently in use.Retroviral vectors have been the most common gene transfer vehicles in clinical gene therapy trials (15). These vectors can integrate into the host genome to provide permanent transgene expression in the targeted cells (20). The first generation of retroviral vectors have been useful in demonstrating the feasibility of gene therapy approaches, but vectors capable of higher levels of gene transfer and transgene expression would be beneficial. For example, gene transfer levels achieved by first-generation retroviral vectors in large mammals (28) and in human gene therapy trials (7, 13) have been disappointing. There are at least two avenues for improving retroviral vectors. First, molecular changes can be made in the retroviral vector sequence. Second, different packaging cell lines could be tested to modify the host range, increase transduction in a given cell type, and/or render the virions resistant to inactivation by human complement.A clinically useful model for improving retroviral vector design is the vector LASN packaged in the amphotropic line PA317. PA317/LASN was the first therapeutic vector used in a gene therapy clinical trial (1). This vector has yielded gene transfer levels of generally less than 10% in peripheral blood T cells of adenosine deaminase-deficient (ADA⁻) severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) patients. Two possibilities to improve this vector include eliminating the dominant selectable marker gene and changing the long terminal repeat (LTR) promoter to optimize expression. LASN, like many of the retroviral vectors used in clinical trials to date, contains two genes: the therapeutic gene (the ADA gene) and a dominant selectable marker gene (the bacterial neomycin phosphotransferase II gene; neo). Dominant selectable marker genes have historically been included to facilitate the generation, isolation, and titration of retroviral producer cell clones and to permit the evaluation and selection of successfully targeted cells. neo is the most commonly used selectable marker gene, although other genes have been used, including a mutant dihydrofolate reductase gene (dhfr) (19), the multidrug resistance gene (mdr) (10), and genes for cell surface markers such as cd24 (24) and the human nerve growth factor receptor (2). Vectors carrying dominant selectable marker genes, particularly those of nonhuman origin, have two theoretical disadvantages. First, careful analysis of some patients has revealed an immune response directed against the dominant selectable marker protein expressed from the retroviral integrant (20a, 25). Second, the more complex retroviral genomes required to express two separate genes may result in lower titers or suboptimal expression of the therapeutic gene product due to promoter interference (8, 29). On the other hand, cloning and determining the titers of useful retroviral vectors without selectable markers have been laborious. Using a recently developed rapid-screening procedure, we have been able to identify a number of “simple” ADA retroviral vectors which lack dominant selectable markers (23).Different packaging cell lines may also improve gene transfer of retroviral vectors into specific target cells. Retroviral vectors are limited by the host range specified by the envelope protein on the surface of the retrovirus. Most gene therapy trials have used retroviruses with a murine amphotropic (4070A) host range. However, packaging cell lines with the gibbon ape leukemia virus (GALV) envelope (PG13 cells) (18) and the cat endogenous virus RD114 envelope (FLYRD18 cells) (5) have become available; these may improve transduction frequencies into various target cell populations. For example, there is evidence that GALV-pseudotyped retroviral vectors may facilitate gene transfer into human peripheral blood T cells with greater efficiency than vectors with an amphotropic envelope (3). Packaging cell lines derived from murine cells have the additional disadvantage that they produce retroviruses which are inactivated by complement in human sera. Packaging cell lines of human origin (FLYA13 and FLYRD18) (5) produce vectors which are complement resistant. Testing both new simple retroviral vector designs and new packaging cells may therefore improve retrovirus-mediated gene transfer.We report the construction and characterization of three simplified ADA vectors by using either the Moloney murine leukemia virus (MLV) LTR, the myeloproliferative sarcoma virus (MPSV) LTR, or the SL3-3 LTR. We tested these vectors to determine which LTR provided the highest level of ADA expression in our target cells of interest: human ADA⁻ lymphohematopoietic cells. The ADA retroviral vector with the highest level of transduction/expression was then evaluated in different packaging cell lines including PG13, FLYA13, and FLYRD18.     

鸡输卵管特异表达载体的构建及其体内表达

用高保真PCR法分别从中国狼山鸡基因组DNA中扩增出卵清蛋白基因(ov)的5′和3′调控区,将其克隆入pGEMT载体,经序列测定证明与已发表的ov基因相应区域无差异。将上述调控序列插入黏粒载体,构建成鸡输卵管特异表达载体pOV。再将lacZ报告基因克隆在上述载体5′调控区的下游,获得的重组载体命名为pOVlacZ。用脂质体包裹的pOVlacZ注射产蛋鸡,RTPCR检测结果表明lacZ基因仅在注射鸡输卵管的膨大部表达,不能在肝、脾、肾、心等组织表达。在上述组织中,仅输卵管膨大部能检测出β半乳糖苷酶活性(1167mUml),注射雌激素对报告基因的表达具有促进作用(1533mUml),重组酶能被分泌到鸡蛋的蛋清中(1733mUml)。结果表明,克隆的鸡ov基因调控区能有效驱动报告基因在输卵管的特异表达,构建的载体能用于鸡输卵管生物反应器的研制。     

Spatio-Temporally Restricted Expression of Cell Adhesion Molecules during Chicken Embryonic Development

Differential cell adhesive properties are known to regulate important developmental events like cell sorting and cell migration. Cadherins and protocadherins are known to mediate these cellular properties. Though a large number of such molecules have been predicted, their characterization in terms of interactive properties and cellular roles is far from being comprehensive. To narrow down the tissue context and collect correlative evidence for tissue specific roles of these molecules, we have carried out whole-mount in situ hybridization based RNA expression study for seven cadherins and four protocadherins. In developing chicken embryos (HH stages 18, 22, 26 and 28) cadherins and protocadherins are expressed in tissue restricted manner. This expression study elucidates precise expression domains of cell adhesion molecules in the context of developing embryos. These expression domains provide spatio-temporal context in which the function of these genes can be further explored.     

pINC－lacZ逆转录病毒载体的构建及其在小鼠胚胎干细胞中的表达

小鼠胚胎干细胞系（ＥＳ）是从囊胚的内细胞团中建立起来的多潜能胚胎干细胞系。ＥＳ细胞系目前正广泛用于将基因打靶后的突变和其它遗传变化导入小鼠的种系中。其中,嵌合鼠的获得是非常必要的一步。这就需要用一个可以广泛表达的基因对ＥＳ细胞进行标记。大肠杆菌β－半乳糖苷酶（β－ｇａｌ）基因的表达在细胞水平就能很容易地观察到,而且对哺乳动物细胞没有任何毒害作用,因而是一个被广泛地用于各种细胞基因表达研究中的报导基因。猿类巨细胞病毒早期（ＳｉＣＭＶＩＥ）启动子是一个广泛用于转基因小鼠研究中的强启动子。然而,该启动子在ＥＳ细胞方面应用的报道尚未见到。本研究用ＢａｍＨＩ和ＨｉｎｄⅢ双酶切,从ｐｓｖ－β－ｇａｌａｃｔｏｓｉｄａｓｅ中得到３．７Ｋｂ的ｌａｃＺ基因片断,将其插入到ｐＩＮＣ载体上（Ｆｉｇ．１）,得到ｐＩＮＣ－ｌａｃＺ（Ｆｉｇ．２）。用ＮｏｔⅠ线性化ｐＩＮＣ－ｌａｃＺ后,电击导入ＭＥＳＰＵ－１３细胞中。ＭＥＳＰＵ－１３为本实验室从１２９／Ｔｅｒ品系小鼠的囊胚中建立的一个ＥＳ细胞系。转化细胞在含有２５０μｇ／ｍｌＧ４１８的培养基上培养两周,进行ＭＥＳＰＵ－１３细胞稳定转化子的筛选。在一次转化实验中,从１ｘ１０７个转化的ＭＥＳ     

Construction of Retroviral Vectors with Improved Safety, Gene Expression, and Versatility

Murine leukemia virus (MLV)-based retroviral vectors are the most frequently used gene delivery vehicles. However, the current vectors are still not fully optimized for gene expression and viral titer, and many genetic and biochemical features of MLV-based vectors are poorly understood. We have previously reported that the retroviral vector MFG, where the gene of interest is expressed as a spliced mRNA, is superior in the level of gene expression with respect to other vectors compared in the study. As one approach to developing improved retroviral vectors, we have systematically performed mutational analysis of the MFG retroviral vector. We demonstrated that the entire gag coding sequence, together with the immediate upstream region, could be deleted without significantly affecting viral packaging or gene expression. To our knowledge, this region is included in all currently available retroviral vectors. In addition, almost the entire U3 region could be replaced with the heterologous human cytomegalovirus immediately-early promoter without deleterious effects. We could also insert internal ribosome entry sites (IRES) and multicloning sites into MFG without adverse effects. Based on these observations, we have constructed a series of new, improved retroviral constructs. These vectors produced viral titers comparable to MFG, expressed high levels of gene expression, and stably transferred genes to the target cells. Our vectors are more convenient to use because of the presence of multicloning sites and IRESs, and they are also more versatile because they can be readily converted to various applications. Our results have general implications regarding the design and development of improved retroviral vectors for gene therapy.     

Immunohistochemical Localization of Laminin and Cytokeratin in Embryonic Alligator Gonads

Gonadal sex differentiation is temperature-dependent in Alligator mississippiensis; testis differentiation occurs in embryos incubated at 33°C and ovary differentiation occurs in embryos incubated at 30°C. Laminin and cytokeratin were examined immunohistochemically in the gonads of alligator embryos incubated at these temperatures. The aim of this study was to determine whether these structural proteins show the same sex-specific expression patterns reported for mammalian embryos, and to assess their usefulness as early markers of gonadal differentiation in species with temperature-dependent sex determination. Laminin delineated enlarged seminiferous cords in differentiating testes from developmental stage 23 to hatching. Laminin distribution was more diffuse and revealed smaller cords of cells in differentiating ovaries. Cytokeratin was also detected in developing gonads of both sexes. Cytokeratin became concentrated in the basal cytoplasm of differentiating Sertoli cells in developing testes. In developing ovaries, prefollicular cells of the ovarian cortex and cell cords in the medulla stained strongly for cytokeratin. Cytokeratin did not show the same basal distribution in female medullary cord cells as seen in the Sertoli cells of testes, however. These sex-specific patterns of laminin and cytokeratin distribution in embryonic alligator gonads may serve as early markers of sexual differentiation.     

心脏发育候选基因PYGO1 RNAi逆转录病毒载体系统的构建与鉴定

利用RNA干扰技术构建PYGO1基因RNA干扰(RNAi)的真核表达质粒(pSUPER-PYGO1)。首先,针对PYGO1 cDNA序列设计并化学合成一对编码短发夹RNA序列,经退火插入到由BglⅡ和XhoⅠ酶切的pSU-PER质粒上构建重组RNAi质粒pSUPER-PYGO1。通过XbaⅠ酶切鉴定及测序分析验证构建效果,将正确构建的质粒转染大鼠心肌细胞系H9c2建立产生逆转录病毒的细胞克隆。通过RT-PCR和Western blot检测pSU-PER-PYGO1对H9c2细胞中PYGO1 mRNA和PYGO1蛋白的干扰效果。pSUPER-PYGO1质粒经酶切鉴定及测序分析,发现59nt寡核苷酸成功插入到预计位点,且序列完全一致;RT-PCR和Western blot检测结果显示转染pSUPER-PYGO1的细胞中PYGO1 mRNA和PYGO1蛋白量明显降低。因此,靶向PYGO1的pSUPER RNAi载体构建成功,为进一步从分子水平探讨PYGO1在心脏发育中的功能奠定了基础。     

鸡胚发育早期Sonic Hedgehog在脊髓中的异位表达对形态结构及相关蛋白表达的影响

该文主要分析音猬因子（Sonic Hedgehog,Shh）在鸡胚发育过程中对脊髓形态结构的形成和相关蛋白表达的影响。实验过程采用鸡胚带壳开窗培养技术,待胚胎发育至第3 d,将2μg/μL pCAGGS-Shh和0.25μg/μL pCAGGS-GFP质粒以1：8浓度混合,将0.1~0.5μL混合液准确地注射到神经管,在电压18 V、每次脉冲60 ms、间隔100 ms、电脉冲6次的条件下进行定时定位活体电转基因,电转后6 h开始到5 d分别收集胚胎,冰冻切片,采用荧光免疫组化和DAPI染色观察组织形态结构及相关蛋白的变化。结果表明,电转后6 h便可以观察到GFP的表达,24 h时Shh在脊髓中的异位表达能够诱导转录因子Nkx2.2（NK2 homeobox 2）的表达,并且能够抑制Pax7（paired-type homeobox 7）的表达,而Shh异位表达时脊髓的结构发生了明显的改变;说明Shh作为脊髓发育过程重要的信号分子,其异位表达能够诱导和抑制相关蛋白的表达,影响脊髓正常发育。     

反转录病毒基因治疗载体及其安全性评价

反转录病毒载体是目前基因治疗中应用最广泛的基因运载工具之一,具有能稳定整合入宿主细胞、持久表达目的基因、感染细胞范围广、基因容量较大等优点,但其生物安全性还存在争议。在简要介绍反转录基因治疗病毒载体的基础上,对反转录病毒载体中外源目的基因的表达调控及反转录病毒载体的安全性评价进行了综述。     

利用Gateway技术构建慢病毒载体及其在鸡囊胚细胞中的表达

目的:建立慢病毒载体介导的外源基因在动物中表达的模式。方法:通过PCR扩增出带EGFP基因和特异性结合位点的DNA序列,并应用Gateway技术构建了带EGFP基因的pLenti6/v5-DEST慢病毒载体。利用磷酸钙介导慢病毒4质粒系统在包装细胞中转染,收集并浓缩产生的病毒颗粒,通过感染293FT细胞测定慢病毒滴度。结果:通过PCR扩增后测序分析,表明慢病毒载体构建正确。病毒滴度测定结果为2×107TU/mL。并用慢病毒对鸡囊胚细胞进行感染,获得了较强的表达效果。结论:慢病毒载体系统所产生的病毒颗粒对动物细胞具有较强的感染能力,为慢病毒载体在转基因家禽研究中的应用奠定了基础。     

Interleukin-Encoding Adenoviral Vectors as Genetic Adjuvant for Vaccination against Retroviral Infection

Interleukins (IL) are cytokines with stimulatory and modulatory functions in the immune system. In this study, we have chosen interleukins which are involved in the enhancement of T_H2 responses and B cell functions to analyze their potential to improve a prophylactic adenovirus-based anti-retroviral vaccine with regard to antibody and virus-specific CD4⁺ T cell responses. Mice were vaccinated with an adenoviral vector which encodes and displays the Friend Virus (FV) surface envelope protein gp70 (Ad.pIXgp70) in combination with adenoviral vectors encoding the interleukins IL4, IL5, IL6, IL7 or IL23. Co-application of Ad.pIXgp70 with Ad.IL5, Ad.IL6 or Ad.IL23 resulted in improved protection with high control over FV-induced splenomegaly and reduced viral loads. Mice co-immunized with adenoviral vectors encoding IL5 or IL23 showed increased neutralizing antibody responses while mice co-immunized with Ad.IL6 or Ad.IL23 showed improved FV-specific CD4⁺ T cell responses compared to mice immunized with Ad.pIXgp70 alone. We show that the co-application of adenoviral vectors encoding specific interleukins is suitable to improve the vaccination efficacy of an anti-retroviral vaccine. Improved protection correlated with improved CD4⁺ T cell responses and especially with higher neutralizing antibody titers. The co-application of selected interleukin-encoding adenoviral vectors is a valuable tool for vaccination with regard to enhancement of antibody mediated immunity.     

Targeted Gene Delivery by Intravenous Injection of Retroviral Vectors

Specifically and effectively directing a therapeutic gene to its intended site of action is a critical issue for translation of basic genomics to clinical gene therapy. Delivering gene therapy vectors to specific cells or tissues through intravenous injection is the most desirable method for this purpose. In 2001, we reported successful targeted gene transduction in vitro utilizing both oncoretroviral and lentiviral vectors pseudotyped with a chimeric Sindbis virus envelope (ZZ SINDBIS). However, these pseudotypes mediated non-specific gene transduction to liver and spleen in vivo. To address this problem we generated the modified ZZ SINDBIS (termed m168) with significantly less non-specific infectivity. To investigate the ability of m168 pseudotyped lentiviral vector to mediate targeted gene transduction in vivo, we utilized a metastatic tumor model by using mouse melanoma cells engineered to express human P-glycoprotein. We administered the m168 pseudotyped vector conjugated with anti-P-glycoprotein antibody into the mice intravenously to target metastatic melanoma. The m168 pseudotyped vector selectively infected metastatic melanoma cells demonstrating successful targeted gene transduction in vivo. Targeting technology based upon m168 can be further modified for application not only to cancer but also potentially to genetic, neurologic, infectious and immune diseases, thereby expanding the future application of gene therapy.