Adenovirus-mediated gene transfer in primary murine adipocytes

The transfer of genes into primary murine adipocytes using an adenovirus system has been developed. A recombinant adenovirus was constructed (expressing green fluorescent protein [GFP] under the control of the strong cytomegalovirus [CMV] promoter and a luciferase reporter gene under the control of the weak adipocyte promoter keratinocyte lipid-binding protein [KLBP/FABP5]) and incubated with primary adipocytes from C57BL/6J mice. Analysis of infected cells by confocal microscopy detected GFP expression in both the cytoplasm and nucleus of adipocytes with a 64% efficiency of infection. To demonstrate the applicability of this method in the study of gene regulation, adenovirus-infected adipocytes exhibited significant levels of luciferase activity even from a weak promoter. TPA treatment of infected adipocytes increased luciferase activity, consistent with previous studies indicating that the KLBP/FABP5 gene is up-regulated by phorbol esters.These results provide an efficient, convenient, and sensitive method to transiently infect primary murine adipocytes, facilitating protein expression or permitting analysis of reporter gene activity from both viral and endogenous promoters.     

Induction of the synthesis of a 70,000 dalton mammalian heat shock protein by the adenovirus E1A gene product

We have attempted to determine whether any cellular genes are activated as a result of the action of the adenoviral El A gene. The proteins synthesized in uninfected HeLa cells have been compared to those produced in early adenovirus infected cells. At least one protein, absent from uninfected HeLa cells, was synthesized in large amounts following adenovirus infection. This 70 kd protein was not synthesized in cells infected with the E1A mutant d1312, even when the multiplicity of infection with the mutant was such that the only viral gene not expressed was the E1A gene. Thus the induction of the 70 kd protein requires the expression of the viral E1A gene. The 70 kd protein was also induced by heat shock in uninfected cells. The same 70 kd protein is synthesized in 293 cells, a line of human embryonic kidney cells transformed by a fragment of adenovirus DNA. These cells constitutively express the E1A and E1 B genes.     

Preparation of isotopically labelled recombinant β-defensin for NMR studies

Apoptosis is a major problem in animal cell cultures during production of biopharmaceuticals, such as recombinant proteins or viral vectors. A 293 cell line constitutively expressing vMIA (viral mitochondria-localized inhibitor of apoptosis) was constructed and examined on production of a model recombinant protein, green fluorescent protein (GFP) in the adenovirus-293 expression system, and on production of a model infectious adenoviral vector. vMIA-293 cells were more resistant than the parental 293 cells to apoptosis induced by either oxidative stress, or by adenovirus infection. The yield of GFP produced in vMIA-293 cell cultures was consistently higher (140%) compared to that in the parental cells. vMIA reduced production of adenovirus infectious particles, which was not due to a decline of adenovirus replication, since adenoviral DNA replication rate in vMIA-293 cells was higher than that in the parental cells.In conclusion, introduction of the vMIA gene into the 293 cell line is a promising strategy to improve recombinant protein production in the adenovirus-293 expression system.     

On-line measurement of green fluorescent protein (GFP) fluorescence for the monitoring of recombinant adenovirus production

An on-line fluorescence sensor prototype was constructed to monitor the production of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) by 293S cells infected with a recombinant adenovirus vector (rAdV) containing the GFP gene. Fluorescence was correlated to GFP concentration and therefore to viral protein expression, but not to rAdV production. The sensor signal can also be used to compute the GFP production rate, which predicts well the occurrence of maximum viral titer.     

Rescue and Autonomous Replication of Adeno-Associated Virus Type 2 Genomes Containing Rep-Binding Site Mutations in the Viral p5 Promoter

The Rep proteins encoded by the adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV) play a crucial role in the rescue, replication, and integration of the viral genome. In the absence of a helper virus, little expression of the AAV Rep proteins occurs, and the AAV genome fails to undergo DNA replication. Since previous studies have established that expression of the Rep78 and Rep68 proteins from the viral p5 promoter is controlled by the Rep-binding site (RBS) and the YY1 factor-binding site (YBS), we constructed a number of recombinant AAV plasmids containing mutations and/or deletions of the RBS and the YBS in the p5 promoter. These plasmids were transfected in HeLa or 293 cells and analyzed for the potential to undergo AAV DNA rescue and replication. Our studies revealed that (i) a low-level rescue and autonomous replication of the wild-type AAV genome occurred in 293 but not in HeLa cells; (ii) mutations in the RBS resulted in augmented expression from the p5 promoter, leading to more efficient rescue and/or replication of the AAV genome in 293 but not in HeLa cells; (iii) little rescue and/or replication occurred from plasmids containing mutations in the YBS alone in the absence of coinfection with adenovirus; (iv) expression of the adenovirus E1A gene products was insufficient to mediate rescue and/or replication of the AAV genome in HeLa cells; (v) autonomously replicated AAV genomes in 293 cells were successfully encapsidated in mature progeny virions that were biologically active in secondary infection of HeLa cells in the presence of adenovirus; and (vi) stable transfection of recombinant AAV plasmids containing a gene for resistance to neomycin significantly affected stable integration only in 293 cells, presumably because rescue and autonomous replication of the AAV genome from these plasmids occurred in 293 cells but not in HeLa or KB cells. These data suggest that in the absence of adenovirus, the AAV Rep protein-RBS interaction plays a dominant role in down-regulating viral gene expression from the p5 promoter and that perturbation in this interaction is sufficient to confer autonomous replication competence to AAV in 293 cells.     

Microtubule-mediated and microtubule-independent transport of adenovirus type 5 in HEK293 cells

Adenovirus serotypes 2 and 5 are taken into cells by receptor-mediated endocytosis, and following release from endosomes, destabilized virions travel along microtubules to accumulate around the nucleus. The entry process culminates in delivery of the viral genome through nuclear pores. This model is based on studies with conventional cell lines, such as HeLa and HEp-2, but in HEK293 cells, which are routinely used in this laboratory because they are permissive for replication of multiple adenovirus serotypes, a different trafficking pattern has been observed. Nuclei of 293 cells have an irregular shape, with an indented region, and virions directly labeled with carboxyfluorescein accumulate in a cluster within that indented region. The clusters, which form in close proximity to the microtubule organizing center (MTOC) and to the Golgi apparatus, are remarkably stable; a fluorescent signal can be seen in the MTOC region up to 16 h postinfection. Furthermore, if cells are infected and then undergo mitosis after the cluster is formed, the signal is found at each spindle pole. Despite the sequestration of virions near the MTOC, 293 cells are no less sensitive than other cells to productive infection with adenovirus. Even though cluster formation depends on intact microtubules, infectivity is not compromised by disruption of microtubules with either nocodazole or colchicine, as determined by expression of an enhanced green fluorescent protein reporter gene inserted in the viral genome. These results indicate that virion clusters do not represent the infectious pathway and suggest an alternative route to the nucleus that does not depend on nocodazole-sensitive microtubules.     

绿色荧光蛋白cDNA在腺病毒重组载体转染中的应用

绿色荧光蛋白（green fluorescent protein, GFP）基因是目前发现的唯一能在细胞内表达,且不需要其他外源底物参与的全新报告基因.将GFP cDNA与腺病毒载体pAdE1CMV重组,以lipofectin转染293细胞（一种人胚肾细胞）,观察其在真核细胞内的表达情况,为转基因技术提供了新的监测方法.     

Adenovirus type 5 precursor terminal protein-expressing 293 and HeLa cell lines.

HeLa and 293 cell lines that express biologically active adenovirus type 5 precursor terminal protein (pTP) have been made. The amount of pTP synthesized in these cell lines ranges from barely detectable to greater than that observed in cells infected with the wild-type virus. The pTP-expressing cell lines permit the growth of a temperature-sensitive terminal protein mutant virus sub100r at the nonpermissive temperature. A higher percentage of the stably transfected 293 cell lines expressed terminal protein, and generally at considerably higher levels, than did the HeLa cell lines. While 293 cells appeared to tolerate pTP better than did HeLa cells, high-level pTP expression in 293 cells led to a significantly reduced growth rate. The 293-pTP cell lines produce infectious virus after transfection with purified viral DNA and form plaques when overlaid with Noble agar after infection at low multiplicity. These cell lines offer promise for the production of adenoviruses lacking pTP expression and therefore completely defective for replication.     

Efficient infection by a recombinant Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus cloned in a bacterial artificial chromosome: application for genetic analysis

Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is etiologically associated with Kaposi's sarcoma and several other malignancies. The lack of an efficient infection system has impeded the understanding of KSHV-related pathogenesis. A genetic approach was used to isolate infectious KSHV. Recombinant bacteria artificial chromosome (BAC) KSHV containing hygromycin resistance and green fluorescent protein (GFP) markers was generated by homologous recombination in KSHV-infected BCBL-1 cells. Recombinant KSHV genomes from cell clones that were resistant to hygromycin, expressed GFP, and produced infectious virions after induction with tetradecanoyl phorbol acetate (TPA) were rescued in Escherichia coli and reconstituted in 293 cells. Several 293 cell lines resulting from infection with recombinant virions induced from a full-length recombinant KSHV genome, named BAC36, were obtained. BAC36 virions established stable latent infection in 293 cells, harboring 1 to 2 copies of viral genome per cell and expressing viral latent proteins, with approximately 0.5% of cells undergoing spontaneous lytic replication, which is reminiscent of KSHV infection in Kaposi's sarcoma tumors. TPA treatment induced BAC36-infected 293 cell lines into productive lytic replication, expressing lytic proteins and producing virions that efficiently infected normal 293 cells with a approximately 50% primary infection rate. BAC36 virions were also infectious to HeLa and E6E7-immortalized human endothelial cells. Since BAC36 can be efficiently shuttled between bacteria and mammalian cells, it is useful for KSHV genetic analysis. The feasibility of the system was illustrated through the generation of a KSHV mutant with the vIRF gene deleted. This cellular model is useful for the investigation of KSHV infection and pathogenesis.     

Variable Episomal Silencing of a Recombinant Herpesvirus Renders Its Encoded GFP an Unreliable Marker of Infection in Primary Cells

The availability of reliable recombinant reporter virus systems has been a great boon to the study of Kaposi''s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV/HHV-8). Unexpectedly, we found that expression of the ostensibly constitutive green fluorescent protein (GFP) marker was progressively lost during unselected passage in primary rat mesenchymal precursor cells (MM), despite efficient maintenance of latent viral gene expression and episomal partitioning. This repression of EF1-α promoter-driven GFP expression appeared to be passage-dependent, however, since functionally immortalized MM cells derived from long serial passage retained stable expression of GFP following rKSHV.219 infection. Chromatin analysis of cultures that we had infected in parallel demonstrated an increase in repressive H3K27 tri-methylation across the viral episome with the exception of the LANA control region in MM cells infected at early rather than late passage post-isolation. The silencing of GFP expression in the MM cells was reversible in a dose-dependent fashion by the histone deacetylase inhibitor valproic acid, further implicating cellular silencing on incoming viral genomes, and underscoring potential differences in viral gene regulation between primary and functionally immortalized cells. Furthermore, using multispectral imaging flow cytometry, we also determined that the extent of GFP expression per cell among those that were positive did not correlate with the number of LANA dots per nucleus nor the extent of overall LANA expression per cell. This suggests a more complex mode of local gene regulation, rather than one that simply reflects the relative intracellular viral copy number. In sum, we have demonstrated the significant potential for false-negative data when using a constitutive marker gene as a sole means of evaluating herpesviral infection, especially in primary cells.     

The effect of Bcl‐2, YAMA,and XIAP over‐expression on apoptosis and adenovirus production in HEK293 cell line

Many viruses induce cell death and lysis as part of their replication and dissemination strategy, and in many cases features of apoptosis are observed. Attempts have been made to further increase productivity by prolonging cell survival via the over‐expression of anti‐apoptotic genes. Here, we extend the study to investigate the association between virus replication and apoptosis, pertinent to large‐scale vector production for gene therapy. Infection of an HEK293 cell line with a replication defective type‐5‐adenovirus expressing a GFP reporter (Ad5GFP) resulted in rapid decline in viability associated with increased virus titer. The over‐expression of bcl‐2 resulted in improved cell resistance to apoptosis and prolonged culture duration, but reduced virus specific and total productivity. In contrast, the over‐expression of pro‐caspase‐3 (Yama/CPP32/apopain) resulted in reduced cell survival but increased virus productivity. The treatment of infected cells with caspase inhibitors support the preposition that caspase‐3 dependent apoptosis, and to a lesser degree caspase‐9 dependent apoptosis, represent important steps in virus production, thus implicating the intrinsic apoptosis pathway in the production of adenovirus from HEK293 cells. The suppression of apoptosis by the over‐expression of XIAP (inhibitors of caspase family cell death proteases) further shows that caspase‐mediated activation plays an important role in virus infection and maturation. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2009; 104: 752–765 © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Encapsulation of viral vectors for gene therapy applications

In gene therapy, a number of viruses are currently being used as vectors to provide transient expression of therapeutic proteins. A drawback of using free virus is that it gives a potent immune response, which reduces gene transfer and limits re-administration. An alternative delivery system is to encapsulate the virus in poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLG) microspheres prior to administration. A recombinant adenovirus (Ad) expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) was used to test the transduction efficiency of Ad encapsulated in microspheres on target cells. The number of infected cells that expressed GFP was measured by flow cytometry. It was demonstrated that encapsulated viral vectors could successfully transduce target cells with encapsulation efficiencies up to 23% and that the level of transduction could be controlled by varying both the quantity of microspheres and the amount of Ad in the microspheres. High transduction efficiencies and its recognized biocompatibility make PLG-encapsulated Ad an attractive alternative to the use of free virus in gene therapy applications. The infectivity of Ad was found to be significantly influenced by the processing conditions and changes in environmental factors. Free Ad and encapsulated Ad were able to infect both E1 complimenting cells (HEK 293) and non-complimenting cells (A549), with the viral expression in HEK 293 cells being 2.1 times greater than for A549 cells.     

重组p16腺病毒的构建及其对人白血病细胞的抑制作用

为了探讨腺病毒载体用于基因治疗的可行性及野生型 p1 6基因的抗肿瘤特性 ,构建了复制缺陷型重组 p1 6腺病毒 .首先将 p1 6全长 c DNA插入穿梭质粒 p Ad CMV产生重组质粒 p Ad-CMV- p1 6,然后通过脂质体介导与 p JM1 7共转染 2 93细胞 ,经同源重组产生 E1区缺失的重组腺病毒空斑 .用纯化后的腺病毒感染人白血病细胞株 HL- 60后 ,PCR及 Western blot分析显示在感染细胞中有外源性 p1 6 c DNA存在和 p1 6蛋白表达 ;被感染的 HL- 60细胞的生长受到明显抑制 ,而未感染细胞及对照腺病毒感染的细胞没有受到抑制 .结果表明 ,腺病毒作为一种新型基因转移载体 ,可有效地介导肿瘤抑制基因 p1 6的表达 ,在肿瘤基因治疗方面具有很大的应用前景 .     

改变细胞膜的脂肪酸组成可促进乳腺癌细胞凋亡

目的: 研究n-6脂肪酸脱氢酶 fat-1基因在人乳腺癌细胞内的表达,改变细胞膜脂肪酸组成,对乳腺癌细胞的凋亡作用。方法: 构建含有fat-1 基因的重组腺病毒载体 (Ad.GFP.fat-1),通过包装细胞系（293）产生的腺病毒,感染人乳腺癌细胞MCF-7。提取细胞的总RNA,以fat-1的反义mRNA 作探针,用Northern Blot检测fat-1 基因在MCF-7细胞内的表达。MTT法分析fat-1 基因对MCF-7细胞增殖的影响,凋亡染色试剂盒检测细胞的凋亡。气相色谱仪分析对MCF-7细胞的n-6 PUFAs/n-3 PUFAs含量影响。结果: 通过基因重组技术,得到预期的重组病毒;fat-1 基因在人乳腺癌细胞MCF-7 中能有效异源表达,2天后,可检测到fat-1 mRNA的条带。与对照细胞相比,fat-1基因有效地抑制了MCF-7细胞的增殖（23%,p<0.05）,促进了凋亡（增加35%）;同时降低了人乳腺癌细胞MCF-7细胞膜n-6 PUFAs/n-3 PUFAs的比率。结论: 腺病毒介导的fat-1 基因能在人乳腺癌细胞MCF-7内有效异源表达,且抑制了MCF-7细胞的增殖。机理为降低了细胞膜的n-6 PUFAs/n-3 PUFAs的比率。