Development of lentiviral vectors with regulated respiratory epithelial expression in vivo

Am J Respir Cell Mol Biol. 2007 Oct;37(4):414-23. doi: 10.1165/rcmb.2006-0276OC. Epub 2007 Jun 15.

Abstract

Development of gene transfer vectors with regulated, lung-specific expression will be a useful tool for studying lung biology and developing gene therapies. In this study we constructed a series of lentiviral vectors with regulatory elements predicted to produce lung-specific transgene expression: the surfactant protein C promoter (SPC) for alveolar epithelial type II cell (AECII) expression, the Clara cell 10-kD protein (CC10) for Clara cell expression in the airway, and the Jaagskiete sheep retrovirus (JSRV) promoter for expression in both cell types. Transgene expression from the SPC and CC10 vectors was restricted to AECII and Clara cell lines, respectively, while expression from the JSRV vector was observed in multiple respiratory and nonrespiratory cell types. After intratracheal delivery of lentivector supernatant to mice, transgene expression was observed in AECII from the SPC lentivector, and in Clara cells from the CC10-promoted lentivector. Transgene expression was not detected in nonrespiratory tissues after intravenous delivery of CC10 and SPC lentiviral vectors to murine recipients. In summary, incorporation of genomic regulatory elements from the SPC and CC10 genes resulted in respiratory specific transgene expression in vitro and in vivo. These vectors will provide a useful tool for the study of lung biology and the development of gene therapies for lung disorders.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Female
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Genetic Vectors*
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Injections, Intravenous
  • Lentivirus / drug effects
  • Lentivirus / genetics*
  • Lung / cytology
  • Lung / drug effects
  • Lung / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Molecular Weight
  • Neoplasm Proteins / administration & dosage
  • Neoplasm Proteins / pharmacology
  • Organ Specificity / drug effects
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics
  • Proviruses / drug effects
  • Pulmonary Alveoli / cytology
  • Pulmonary Alveoli / drug effects
  • Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein C / administration & dosage
  • Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein C / pharmacology
  • Respiratory Mucosa / cytology
  • Respiratory Mucosa / drug effects
  • Respiratory Mucosa / metabolism*
  • Transgenes

Substances

  • Clara cell antigen
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein C
  • enhanced green fluorescent protein
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins