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Transfer of maternally administered fusogenic liposome-DNA complexes into monkey fetuses in a pregnancy model

✍ Scribed by Makoto Hirano; Shin Nakamura; Fusako Mitsunaga; Maki Okada; Keiko Shimuzu; Takahisa Imamura


Book ID
102342730
Publisher
John Wiley and Sons
Year
2002
Tongue
English
Weight
203 KB
Volume
4
Category
Article
ISSN
1099-498X

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✦ Synopsis


Abstract

Background

Materno‐fetal transfer of intravenously administered liposome‐plasmid DNA complexes has been demonstrated only in mice. Studies on its materno‐fetal transfer in the pregnant monkey model is needed because of critical differences in placental structure between primates including humans and rodents.

Methods

The reporter plasmid pEGFP‐C1 was formulated in cationic lipid containing polybrene and vesicular stomatitis virus G protein. The fusogenic liposome‐plasmid DNA complexes were intradermally injected into pregnant common marmosets (N=2), a New World monkey, near term. DNA extracted from fetal tissues was subjected to PCR for detection of the egfp gene. Confocal microscopy and immunostaining were performed to determine the sites of transgene expression in the fetal organs.

Results

The egfp gene was detected in fetal blood and major organs (heart, liver, lung). The encoded protein was mainly produced in the endothelial cells of blood vessels in the fetal lungs.

Conclusions

This is the first report on materno‐fetal transfer of intradermally administered fusogenic liposome‐plasmid DNA complexes and fetal expression of a transgene in primates. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.