Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #67685
Title: GENE TRANSFER BY JET INJECTION

Author
item FURTH, PRISCILLA - VA MEDICAL CENTER
item Kerr, David
item Wall, Robert

Submitted to: Journal of Molecular Biology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/1/1996
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Efficient transfer of genes into somatic tissues is a prerequisite for effective gene therapy. Jet injection is one technique which can be used to transfer genes into somatic tissues. Super-coiled plasmid DNA containing gene to be expressed is accelerated into differentiated tissues by jet by jet injection. Individual cells surrounding the track of injection are transfected with the plasmid DNA and the gene is expressed in these cells. The efficiency of gene transfer by jet injection into somatic tissues is evaluated by measuring either mRNA or protein expression levels. In mammary epithelial cells, transient gene transfer by jet injection is efficient and produces measurable amounts of mRNA on Northern blot analyses and secreted protein in milk. In skin, gene transfer of plasmids containing papillomavirus sequences results in stable expression of papillomavirus gene products in basal epithelial cells and histologic changes. In all tissues that have been tested (muscle, mammary gland, fat and skin), gene transfer by jet injection produces an antibody response to the encoded gene product. While antibody responses may complicate gene therapy, these results indicate that gene transfer by jet injection can also be used to effect efficient nucleic acid immunization. Finally, utilization of jet injection for gene transfer into a broader rang of tissues will require development of more refined instruments which can be specifically modified for application to selected tissues.