Objective: To develop an alternative method for assessment of gene delivery systems in vivo.
Methods: Mouse primary spleen lymphocytes were genetically modified in vitro by a retroviral vector harboring a Gaussia luciferase (Gluc) expression cassette. After implantation of these cells into recipient mice, the expression of Gluc was detected in whole blood or plasma collected.
Results: As little as 10 muL whole blood drawn from the recipient mice could guarantee prompt reading of Gluc activity with a luminometer. And the reading was found in good correlation with the number of genetically modified spleen lymphocytes implanted to the mice.
Conclusions: Gluc may be useful as an in vivo reporter for gene therapy researches, and Gluc blood assay could provide an alternative method for assessment of gene delivery systems in vivo.