EFFICIENT GENE-TRANSFER INTO PRIMARY AND IMMORTALIZED HUMAN FETAL GLIAL-CELLS USING ADENOASSOCIATED VIRUS VECTORS - ESTABLISHMENT OF A GLIAL-CELL LINE WITH A FUNCTIONAL CD4 RECEPTOR

Adeno associated virus (AAV) is a non-pathogenic dependent parvovirus with a broad host range, capable of high levels of transduction and st able integration into the host cell genome. We have investigated the p otential for using AAV as a vector for gene transfer into glial cells of the human fetal nervous system. Recombinant AAV vectors expressing either the reporter gene beta galactosidase or a human CD4 receptor we re able to transduce both primary glial cells of the human fetal nervo us system and an SV40 immortalized human fetal glial cell line (SVG). No difference in transduction efficiency was observed between the prim ary cells and the cell line which in both cases was as high as 95%. St able transfectants of the glial cell line expressing the CD4 receptor were selected. An SVG/CD4 expressing line was then established. The pr esence of the CD4 receptor was confirmed by immunohistochemistry, West erm immune-blotting and flow cytometric analysis. The CD4 receptor was shown to be functional by infection of the SVG/CD4 cell line with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Upon infection, the SVG/CD4 cells produced 20-fold higher levels of the HIV intracellular core antigen P24 than the CD4 negative parental cells and in addition formed syncyt ia. The use of AAV vectors should prove useful in biological investiga tions of human glial cells and offers promise as a means of ex vivo an d in vivo gene delivery.