A simple procedure to obtain plasmids suitable for transfecting mammalian cell lines

A simple procedure to obtain plasmid preparations, suitable for transfecting mammalian cell lines using a calcium phosphate co-precipitation technique, is described. The protocol is based on the purification of plasmid DNA by double gel-filtration chromatography on Sephacryl S-1000 and additional slight modifications to the original transfection procedure. The purity of plasmid preparation was verified by analytical methods. The resulting preparation efficiently transfected NIH-3T3 cells.The authors are with the National Center for Scientific Research, Molecular Biology Department, Biotechnology Branch, POB 6880, Havana, Cuba.     

Induction of tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells by tumor cells transfected with the interleukin-2 gene

To study the antitumor effect of local production of interleukin-2 (IL-2) from tumor cells, the poorly immunogenic murine colon cancer cells, colon26, was transfected with murine IL-2 cDNA in a bovine papilloma virus vector. IL-2 gene transfectants (mIL2+colon26) did not alter their growth rate compared with parental colon26 cells in vitro, but reduced their tumorigenicity in vivo. Immunization with mIL2+colon26 cells could induce protective immunity against parental colon26 cells. Following intravenous challenges, the colonies of lung metastasis were also inhibited. Moreover, inoculation of mIL2+ colon26 cells slowed the growth of challenged renal cell carcinoma cells, RenCa. Intraperitoneal inoculation of IL-2 gene transfectants generated a large number of peritoneal exudate cells and these cells had a highly cytolytic activity against colon26 and YAC-1. These results suggest that inoculation with IL-2 transfected tumor cells can stimulate not only cytotoxic T lymphocytes but also natural killer cells, and that these cells will act as antitumor effector cells in host animals.     

Transfection of rabbit articular chondrocytes by the calcium phosphate procedure: Improvement of efficiency and reproducibility

The understanding of cartilage disorders relies on the possibility of studying mechanisms which monitor the regulation of matrix protein genes through introducing efficiently and in a reproducible manner these genes, or their regulatory regions, into cells. To this end, we attempted to improve the transfection efficiency of rabbit articular chondrocytes by the calcium phosphate procedure. Transfection efficiencies were assessed by measuring the expression of the Lac Z reporter gene encoding -galactosidase using anin situ staining (X-gal staining) and an enzymatic assay (-galactosidase assay).Results revealed that addition of 4 U ml^–1 of hyaluronidase before and during transfection increases by 2 to 4-fold the transfection efficiency of rabbit articular chondrocytes. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the use of a giant calcium phosphate DNA coprecipitate gives a higher transfection efficiency and much more reproducible results than those obtained with classical small volumes of precipitates.Abbreviations CPRG Chlorophenol red--D-galactopyranoside - EDTA Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid - HEPES N-2-Hydroxyethylpiperazine-N-2-ethanesulfonic acid - HBS Hepes buffered saline - RAC Rabbit articular chondrocytes - X-gal 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl--D-galactopyranoside     

IL-18基因转染对大鼠C6胶质瘤细胞生长特性的影响

探讨IL-18基因转染对大鼠C6胶质瘤细胞生长特性的影响。用MTT法和流式细胞术检测C6／IL-18细胞和C6细胞的增殖特性和细胞周期分布。免疫细胞化学检测C6／IL-18细胞和C6细胞的增殖细胞核抗原(PCNA)、波形蛋白表达。结果显示,与C6细胞相比C6／IL-18细胞的增殖能力降低,G0/G1期细胞增多而G2／M期细胞减少;PCNA、波形蛋白表达降低。研究表明,IL-18基因具有抑制C6胶质瘤细胞增殖、降低其恶性程度的作用。     

增强型绿色荧光蛋白基因电穿孔转染骨髓间充质干细胞的研究

目的建立大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞的分离、培养方法,探讨电穿孔法介导外源基因转染骨髓间充质干细胞的可行性及转染效率.方法 Ficoll-PaqueTMPlus淋巴细胞分离液分离大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞(rMSCs)并进行原代培养和传代扩增,免疫组化的方法对其初步鉴定.用荧光显微镜、细胞计数法和流式细胞仪分析转染效率.结果电穿孔法可较高效转染rMSCs,转染率为(32.8%±3)%.该条件下电转染后的MSCs其生长曲线与转染前的细胞比较无明显变化.结论优化条件的电穿孔法具有较高的介导外源基因表达于rMSCs的效率,且对rMSCs的生物学行为没有明显影响.     

人核糖核酸抑制因子基因在人脐血干细胞中的转染表达及对小鼠黑色素瘤基因治疗的研究

探讨人核糖核酸抑制因子 (hRI)基因在人脐血干细胞中的转染及表达情况 ,及转染后对小鼠B16黑色素瘤生长的影响。用免疫磁珠分离系统 (MACS)分离纯化人脐血CD34⁺ 细胞后 ,用制备的含hRI基因的逆转录病毒上清转染脐血CD34⁺ 细胞 ,采用克隆形成法和PCR法检测转染效率 ,Western blot和免疫荧光法检测基因表达 ,同时观察RI对荷瘤C57BL小鼠B16黑色素瘤生长的影响。应用MACS能高度纯化人脐血CD34⁺ 细胞 ,使分选后的脐血CD34⁺ 细胞纯度平均达96.15%。hRI基因能够转染到脐血CD34⁺ 细胞上 ,转染效率达 35% ,Western blot和免疫荧光检测转染后CD34⁺ 细胞hRI基因有阳性表达。经转hRICD34⁺ 细胞治疗 ,使小鼠B16黑色素瘤的生长速度减慢 ,成瘤率和瘤重降低 ,成瘤潜伏期延长。     

Deoxyribozymes inhibit the expression ofperiod1 genein vitro

Throughout biology, a broad range of biochemical and physiological processes oscillate with approxi-mately 24-h rhythms or circadian rhythms as synchro-nizing with the rhythmic environment (day/night cy-cles, seasons, etc.). The circadian rhythms are under the control of an endogenous oscillator, the circadian clock[1]. Period (per), the first genetically identified circadian mutant[2], is assumed to be a key molecule in the regulation and functioning of the mammalian cir-cadian clock which is…     

Liposome‐mediated transfection of mature taste cells

The introduction and expression of exogenous DNA in neurons is valuable for analyzing a range of cellular and molecular processes in the periphery, e.g., the roles of transduction‐related proteins, the impact of growth factors on development and differentiation, and the function of promoters specific to cell type. However, sensory receptor cells, particularly chemosensory cells, have been difficult to transfect. We have successfully introduced plasmids expressing green and Discosoma Red fluorescent proteins (GFP and DsRed) into rat taste buds in primary culture. Transfection efficiency increased when delaminated taste epithelium was redigested with fresh protease, suggesting that a protective barrier of extracellular matrix surrounding taste cells may normally be present. Because taste buds are heterogeneous aggregates of cells, we used α‐gustducin, neuronal cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), and neuronal ubiquitin carboxyl terminal hydrolase (PGP9.5), markers for defined subsets of mature taste cells, to demonstrate that liposome‐mediated transfection targets multiple taste cell types. After testing eight commercially available lipids, we identified one, Transfast, that is most effective on taste cells. We also demonstrate the effectiveness of two common “promiscuous” promoters and one promoter that taste cells use endogenously. These studies should permit ex vivo strategies for studying development and cellular function in taste cells. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Neurobiol, 2005