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PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
4
pubmed:dateCreated
2000-8-7
pubmed:abstractText
Fetal somatic cell gene therapy could become an attractive solution for some congenital genetic diseases or the disorders which manifest themselves during the fetal period. We performed adenovirus-mediated gene transfer to mice and guinea pig fetuses in utero and evaluated the efficiency of gene transfer by histochemical analysis and a quantitative TaqMan-polymerase chain reaction (TaqMan-PCR) assay. We first injected a replication-deficient recombinant adenovirus containing the Escherichia coli LacZ gene driven by a CAG promoter (AxCALacZ) into pregnant mice through the amniotic space, placenta, or intraperitoneal space of the fetus. Histochemical analysis showed limited transgene expression in fetal tissues. We then administered AxCALacZ to guinea pig fetuses in the late stage of pregnancy through the umbilical vein. The highest beta-galactosidase expression was observed in liver followed by moderate expression in heart, spleen, and adrenal gland. The transgene expression was also present in kidney, intestine, and placenta to a lesser degree. No positively stained cells were observed in lung, muscle, or pancreas except in the vascular endothelium of these organs. Quantitative measurement of recombinant adenoviral DNA by the TaqMan-PCR assay showed that the vast majority of the injected viruses was present in liver. The current study indicated that adenovirus-mediated gene transfer into guinea pig fetus through the umbilical vein is feasible and results in efficient transgene expression in fetal tissues. The experimental procedures using pregnant guinea pigs might serve as a good experimental model for in utero gene transfer. Since our TaqMan-PCR assay detects the LacZ gene, one of the most widely used reporter genes, it may be generally applicable to adenovirus quantification in various gene transfer experiments.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Apr
pubmed:issn
1096-7192
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
69
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
269-76
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2000
pubmed:articleTitle
Adenovirus-mediated in utero gene transfer in mice and guinea pigs: tissue distribution of recombinant adenovirus determined by quantitative TaqMan-polymerase chain reaction assay.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Medical Genetics, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't