Highly efficient gene transfer into antigen-specific primary mouse lymphocytes with replication-deficient retrovirus expressing the 10A1 envelope protein.

Background Introduction of recombinant genes in the genome of primary lymphocytes by virtue of a replication-deficient retrovirus can be used in immunological studies and for cell-based gene therapy. Methods Packaging cells GP+E86 producing replication-deficient retrovirus incorporating the genes of enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP), C2γ or C2ξ, were generated by calcium phosphate-mediated transfection. Clones with the highest titres of retrovirus vector were isolated from them and their supernatants were used for transduction of PT67 cells. Primary mouse lymphocytes and T-cell hybridoma MD.45 were transduced by centrifugation with retroviral stock. The retroviral content of packaging cell supernatants was determined by dot blotting and hybridization with a DNA probe. Results PT67 cells produced ∼50 times more retrovirus vector than the original GP+E86 clones. When retroviral stocks of PT67 and GP+E86 cells were used at 1/50 dilution and undiluted, respectively (to normalize them forretroviral RNA content), the transduction efficiency of mouse T-cell hybridoma was 40% and 5%, respectively. Centrifugation of target cells with retroviral stock at 2000 g for 60 min increased the percentage of transduced cells two- to three-fold. Within a population of cells isolated from the draining lymph nodes of an immunized mouse and reactivated with an antigen, up to 60% of CD4+ T cells and up to 80% of B cells could be transduced with a transgene in replication-deficient retrovirus packaged by PT67 cells using the optimized gene transfer protocol. Conclusions This protocol allows for the generation of packaging cells producing high titres of retrovirus vector. The 10A1 envelope protein is superior to the ecotropic one for the transduction of mouse lymphocytes. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.