Lentiviral vectors

Vectors based on lentiviruses have reached a state of development such that clinical studies using these agents as gene delivery vehicles have now begun. They have particular advantages for certain in vitro and in vivo applications especially the unique capability of integrating genetic material into the genome of non-dividing cells. Their rapid progress into clinical use reflects in part the huge body of knowledge which has accumulated about HIV in the last 20 years. Despite this, many aspects of viral assembly on which the success of these vectors depends are rather poorly understood. Sufficient is known however to be able to produce a safe and reproducible high titre vector preparation for effective transduction of growth-arrested tissues such as neural tissue, muscle and liver.     

针对miR-221 基因干扰慢病毒载体的构建及其有效靶序列的 筛选与检测

目的:构建携带人miR-221基因的miRNA干扰慢病毒载体并寻找其有效靶序列,为胶质瘤的研究提供一种新的方法。方法:合成含干扰序列的双链DNAoligo直接连入酶切后的RNA干扰载体上。将产物转入细菌感受态细胞,对长出的克隆进行PCR鉴定,阳性克隆即为目的基因RNA干扰慢病毒载体质粒。再将目的基因与目的载体分别进行双酶切,纯化酶切产物后进行定向连接,其产物转入细菌感受态细胞,再对PCR鉴定阳性的克隆进行测序和分析比对,比对正确即为融合蛋白过表达质粒载体,然后将两种质粒共转染入293T细胞,用westernbolt法检测其有效敲减靶序列。结果:重组质粒经测序鉴定证明各转录模板完整、正确插入到相应质粒中,共转染后发现编号为PscSI576的靶点干扰效果最好。结论:本实验成功构建了人miR-221基因的RNA干扰慢病毒载体,并找到了有效的干扰靶序列。     

针对miR-221基因干扰慢病毒载体的构建及其有效靶序列的筛选与检测

目的：构建携带人miR-221基因的miRNA干扰慢病毒载体并寻找其有效靶序列,为胶质瘤的研究提供一种新的方法。方法：合成含干扰序列的双链DNAoligo直接连入酶切后的RNA干扰载体上。将产物转入细菌感受态细胞,对长出的克隆进行PCR鉴定,阳性克隆即为目的基因RNA干扰慢病毒载体质粒。再将目的基因与目的载体分别进行双酶切,纯化酶切产物后进行定向连接,其产物转入细菌感受态细胞,再对PCR鉴定阳性的克隆进行测序和分析比对,比对正确即为融合蛋白过表达质粒载体,然后将两种质粒共转染入293T细胞,用westernbolt法检测其有效敲减靶序列。结果：重组质粒经测序鉴定证明各转录模板完整、正确插入到相应质粒中,共转染后发现编号为PscSI576的靶点干扰效果最好。结论：本实验成功构建了人miR-221基因的RNA干扰慢病毒载体,并找到了有效的干扰靶序列。     

Quantitative proteomic analysis of lentiviral vectors using 2‐DE

Among the integrative gene therapy vectors developed to date, human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV‐1)‐derived lentiviral vectors (LV) are distinguished by their capacity to infect both dividing and non‐dividing cells. Recombinant LV particles contain viral proteins necessary for their packaging, infectious and integrating functions. Like the parental HIV‐1 virus they are able to acquire various cellular proteins, but the number and localisation of these proteins are poorly characterised. In the present study we used 2‐DE followed by MALDI‐TOF to quantify the protein content of several types of vesicular stomatitis virus G‐pseudotyped LV including those that were extensively purified in the perspective of clinical gene therapy studies. A proteinase K treatment was used to distinguish between cellular proteins incorporated into virions (I‐proteins) and those co‐purified with vectors (C‐proteins). We found 10 C‐proteins and 18 I‐proteins associated with LV. Copy numbers for these core I‐proteins varied from 5 (AIP‐1/ALIX) to 280 (Cyclophilin A) per vector particle. Three novel I‐proteins, guanine nucleotide‐binding protein 2, L‐lactate dehydrogenase B chain and hnRNP core protein A1, were found. This study defines for the first time, the protein stoichiometry of infectious HIV‐1‐derived LV particles.     

基因治疗慢病毒载体的转导增强策略*

基于慢病毒载体的体外基因治疗已在临床试验中取得良好的效果,有望治愈一些造血系统的单基因遗传病。通过提高靶细胞转导效率和减少转导中病毒载体量,基因治疗有效性、安全性和成本都可以得到改善。不同包膜糖蛋白伪型慢病毒载体通过与细胞膜表面的不同受体结合,促进病毒黏附和入胞,增强不同靶细胞的病毒转导效率。此外病毒转导增强剂可以在病毒进入细胞过程或进入后发挥作用,在提高转导效率的同时使靶转导基因在体内长期稳定表达。通过对这两类方法的总结回顾,旨在为慢病毒载体的转导效率提供新的优化策略,使基因治疗得到更广泛的应用。     

利用移码突变和终止密码子提高下游目的基因的表达水平

目的:在基因结构复杂的慢病毒载体插入报告基因并提高目的基因表达量。方法:慢病毒载体上有复杂的基因排列,为了不影响慢病毒载体的活性,必须尽量保留原有的基因,替换不必要的基因。首先将报告基因萤光素酶插入慢病毒载体替换基因Env后,结果检测不到报告基因的表达。为了提高报告基因的表达水平,将报告基因的读码框向后移动一个碱基,同时在其上游增加一个终止密码子,然后检测报告基因的表达水平。结果:通过移动报告基因的读码框同时在上游增加终止密码子,使报告基因的表达水平大大提高。结论:在构建基因表达载体时,通过改变目的基因与上游起始密码子ATG之间的相对位置以及增加终止密码子,可以大幅提高目的基因的表达水平。     

Survivin的研究现状与RNA干扰在基因治疗中的进展

Survivin是新近发现的凋亡抑制蛋白,在正常组织中不表达而在恶性肿瘤中高表达,与肿瘤的预后、复发、转移关系密切,具有调控细胞周期,凋亡和增殖的作用;还与对化疗的耐药性和放疗的敏感性有关;此外,与肿瘤新生血管的形成关系也十分密切.针对Survivin这些特性,应用新的基因治疗技术-RNA干扰技术降低Survivin的表达可对肿瘤组织的凋亡和增殖产生影响,由于RNA干扰技术具有的高效性,特异性,长效性,使它成为肿瘤基因治疗的重要方法,应用RNA干扰技术针对Survivin靶位降低Survivin的表达有望成为今后肿瘤基因治疗的方向.     

Gene delivery into primary cerebral cortical neurons by lentiviral vector

Several studies have shown the ability of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-based lentiviral vectors to infect nondividing brain neurons. We are the first to show that primary embryonic cerebral cortical neurons can be efficiently transduced by an HIV-1-based lentiviral vector encoding enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). We also describe the optimal conditions for the transduction of cerebral cortical neurons with lentiviral vectors, and the kinetic process of infection. The percentage of cells expressing EGFP is a function of the time in culture and virus dose. The highest percentage of EGFP-expression achieved was 46.77% at 4 days in vitro (DIV) with a multiplicity of infection (m.o.i.) of 20. The results show that lentiviral vectors are not only good prospects for in vivo gene delivery, but are also good candidates for in vitro studies of the function of gene products in primary cerebral cortical neurons.     

survivin启动子驱动的shRNA在宫颈癌SiHa细胞中的特异性表达

研究survivin启动子驱动的小发夹RNA(shRNA)在宫颈癌SiHa细胞中的特异性表达.PCR扩增survivin启动子,构建以survivin启动子驱动增强绿色荧光蛋白(EGFP)表达的真核表达载体pEGFP-C1/Surv,并检测survivin启动子的活性;构建针对EGFP的shRNA真核表达载体pGenesil-1-EGFP-shRNA/U6,并检测shRNA在U6启动子驱动下的干扰效果;用有活性的survivin启动子取代pGenesil-1-EGFP-shRNA/U6载体中的U6启动子,从而获得新的shRNA真核表达载体pGenesil-1-EGFP-shRNA/Surv;将pGenesil-1-EGFP-shRNA/Surv转染到宫颈癌SiHa细胞及正常人脐静脉内皮HuVEC细胞,观察EGFP在两种细胞中的表达变化.结果表明,成功扩增survivin启动子并验证该启动子具有活性;成功构建EGFP shRNA真核表达载体pGenesil-1-EGFP-shRNA/U6,并验证shRNA在U6启动子驱动下具有较好的干扰效果;成功构建pGenesil-1-EGFP-shRNA/Surv载体,分别转染SiHa及HuVEC细胞,在SiHa 细胞中观察到较少的绿色荧光蛋白表达,而在HuVEC细胞中观察到较多的绿色荧光蛋白表达.survivin启动子能驱动shRNA在宫颈癌SiHa细胞中特异性表达,而在正常HuVEC细胞中不表达.     

Rigid nanoparticle-based delivery of anti-cancer siRNA: Challenges and opportunities

Gene therapy is a promising strategy to treat various genetic and acquired diseases. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is a revolutionary tool for gene therapy and the analysis of gene function. However, the development of a safe, efficient, and targetable non-viral siRNA delivery system remains a major challenge in gene therapy. An ideal delivery system should be able to encapsulate and protect the siRNA cargo from serum proteins, exhibit target tissue and cell specificity, penetrate the cell membrane, and release its cargo in the desired intracellular compartment. Nanomedicine has the potential to deal with these challenges faced by siRNA delivery. The unique characteristics of rigid nanoparticles mostly inorganic nanoparticles and allotropes of carbon nanomaterials, including high surface area, facile surface modification, controllable size, and excellent magnetic/optical/electrical properties, make them promising candidates for targeted siRNA delivery. In this review, recent progresses on rigid nanoparticle-based siRNA delivery systems will be summarized.     

Split genome-based retroviral replicating vectors achieve efficient gene delivery and therapeutic effect in a human glioblastoma xenograft model

The murine leukemia virus-based semi-retroviral replicating vectors (MuLV-based sRRV) had been developed to improve safety and transgene capacity for cancer gene therapy. However, despite the apparent advantages of the sRRV, improvements in the in vivo transduction efficiency are still required to deliver therapeutic genes efficiently for clinical use. In this study, we established a gibbon ape leukemia virus (GaLV) envelope-pseudotyped semi-replication-competent retrovirus vector system (spRRV) which is composed of two transcomplementing replication-defective retroviral vectors termed MuLV-Gag-Pol and GaLV-Env. We found that the spRRV shows considerable improvement in efficiencies of gene transfer and spreading in both human glioblastoma cells and pre-established human glioblastoma mouse model compared with an sRRV system. When treated with ganciclovir after intratumoral injection of each vector system into pre-established U-87 MG glioblastomas, the group of mice injected with spRRV expressing the herpes simplex virus type 1-thymidine kinase (HSV1-tk) gene showed a survival rate of 100% for more than 150 days, but all control groups of mice (HSV1-tk/PBS-treated and GFP/GCV-treated gruops) died within 45 days after tumor injection. In conclusion, these findings suggest that intratumoral delivery of the HSV1-tk gene by the spRRV system is worthy of development in clinical trials for the treatment of malignant solid tumors.     

Gene silencing by systemic delivery of synthetic siRNAs in adult mice

In mammalian cells, RNA duplexes of 21-23 nucleotides, known as small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) specifically inhibit gene expression in vitro. Here, we show that systemic delivery of siRNAs can inhibited exogenous and endogenous gene expression in adult mice. Cationic liposome-based intravenous injection in mice of plasmid encoding the green fluorescent protein (GFP) with its cognate siRNA, inhibited GFP gene expression in various organs. Furthermore, intraperitoneal injection of anti-TNF-alpha siRNA inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-alpha gene expression, whereas secretion of IL1-alpha was not inhibited. Importantly, the development of sepsis in mice following a lethal dose of lipopolysaccharide injection, was significantly inhibited by pre-treatment of the animals with anti-TNF-alpha siRNAs. Collectively, these results demonstrate that synthetic siRNAs can function in vivo as pharmaceutical drugs.     

人Notch1受体shRNA重组腺病毒载体的构建及鉴定

目的:构建人特异性受体Notch1短发夹RNA重组腺病毒载体,探讨其对人脐带间充质干细胞中Notch1表达的影响,以便进一步研究Notch1的生物学功能.方法:设计合成Notch1序列干扰序列,插入到pGenesil-1.1上构建重组质粒,取阳性克隆进行酶切及DNA测序鉴定.通过同源重组,构建含目的基因的重组腺病毒质粒栽体pGsadeno-Notch1-shRNA.经PacI线性化后脂质体介导转染到HEK 293细胞,包装后得到腺病毒颗粒.产生的重组腺病毒体外转染人脐带间充质千细胞,RT-PCR和Western blot 检测特异性shRNA对人脐带间充质干细胞中Notch1蛋白在mRNA及蛋白表达水平的抑制效果.结果:经酶切及DNA测序重组腺病毒质粒构建正确.重组腺病毒转染人脐带间充质干细胞3d后,RT-PCR及Western blot检测,可显著下调细胞内Notch1的转录及蛋白表达水平.对Notch1 mRNA和蛋白表达的抑制率分别为70.31％和86.97％,具有统计学意义(P＜0.05).结论:成功构建了表达人Notch1受体shRNA的重组腺病毒载体,为研究Notch1在肿瘤学中的生物学作用及机制奠定基础.     

利用RNA干扰抑制细丝蛋白A基因的表达

目的：构建细丝蛋白A（FLNa）基因的小干扰RNA（siRNA）表达载体,并观察其对FLNa基因表达的抑制作用。方法：利用RNA干扰（RNAi）技术设计并合成1条针对FLNa的siRNA,将其克隆到siRNA表达载体pSilencer4．1-CMV-hygro中;将重组质粒pSilencer-FLNa、pSilencer-negative（阴性对照）转染293T人胚肾细胞,通过Western印迹检测FLNa的表达;通过潮霉素筛选建立干扰FLNa表达的前列腺癌细胞。结果：PCR鉴定证明构建了FLNa基因RNAi载体;Western印迹表明构建的FLNa基因干扰载体能够有效地抑制FLNa基因的表达;建立了稳定干扰FLNa表达的前列腺癌C4-2细胞。结论：构建了FLNa基因RNAi载体,该载体能够有效地抑制FLNa基因的表达。     

腺相关病毒载体介导siRNA抑制HBV的表达与复制

目的：构建并制备能够有效抑制HBV mRNA表达的siRNA重组腺相关病毒。 方法：将筛选到的siRNA片段克隆入骨架质粒pAAVMCS中,与pAAVRC和pHelper质粒共转染人胚肾293T细胞,包装出重组腺相关病毒,将纯化后的重组病毒直接感染Hep G 2.2.15细胞,通过酶联免疫法和荧光定量PCR法检测重组腺相关病毒的抑制效果。结果：重组腺相关病毒显著降低HBV 分泌的相关抗原蛋白以及DNA和RNA水平。结论：重组腺相关病毒载体介导的siRNA能够有效抑制HBV的表达与复制。     

心包穿刺简易装置在基因转染中的应用

目的探讨自制心包穿刺装置转染心脏的安全性、可行性。方法应用磷酸钙沉淀方法制备携带大肠杆菌LacZ基因复制缺陷的重组腺病毒(Ad-LacZ),将12头中国小型猪分为实验组和对照组,采用球囊堵塞前降支第一对角支远端,心肌梗死模型建立后即刻,采用自制简易心包腔穿刺装置经皮剑突下穿刺,成功后置中心静脉导管于心包腔内并行转染,28 d后处死。实验组:胶原酶1200 U及透明质酸酶3000 U预处理心包后,在心包腔内注射Ad-LacZ基因2.0×109p.f.u;对照组:同样方法预处理心包后,在心包腔内注射生理盐水1 mL。于注射后3、7及28 d分别对缺血心肌进行染色及病理观察。结果冠状动脉造影证实前降支远端完全闭塞,病理显示心肌有缺血和梗死;实验组注射Ad-LacZ基因后第3、第7天及28d后X-gal染色有阳性细胞,以第7天最明显,对照组无阳性细胞。结论自制的心包腔简易穿刺装置将腺病毒载体转染至缺血心肌是安全的,可行的,并且腺病毒可持续表达4周。     

Gene delivery to airway epithelial cells in vivo: a direct comparison of apical and basolateral transduction strategies using pseudotyped lentivirus vectors

Lentivirus vectors are being investigated as gene delivery vehicles for cystic fibrosis airway gene therapy. Vesicular stomatitis virus G glycoprotein (VSV-G)-pseudotyped vectors transduce airway epithelia via receptors that are located predominantly on the basolateral surface of the airway epithelium. Effective transduction with VSV-G-pseudotyped vectors requires the use of a pre-treatment that disrupts epithelial tight junctions, allowing access to these basolateral receptors. In contrast, it has been reported that apically targeted lentiviral vectors allow efficient gene transfer in the absence of any pre-treatment. In a direct comparison of transduction by a VSV-G-pseudotyped vector, in combination with a pre-treatment with lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), and the same vector pseudotyped with the apically targeted baculovirus GP64 envelope (without any pre-treatment), the GP64 vector was found to be significantly less efficient. However, when a pre-treatment with LPC was used the level of transduction with the GP64-pseudotyped lentiviral vector was not significantly different to that resulting from the VSV-G-pseudotyped vector. The cell types transduced with each vector were essentially the same, with the majority of cells transduced being respiratory (ciliated cells). However, unlike the VSV-G-pseudotyped vector, which results in persisting gene expression, transduction with the GP64-pseudotyped vector resulted in gene expression that declined to undetectable levels over six months, whether or not an LPC pre-treatment was used.