RETROVIRUS-MEDIATED GENE-TRANSFER OF THE ESCHERICHIA-COLI LACZ GENE TO HEPATOCYTES IN-VITRO AND IN-VIVO

A recombinant retroviral vector CRIP/MFG-LacZ containing the E. coli L acZ gene was used to examine transferring gene to liver. Various hepat ocytes in vitro and mouse liver in vivo were transduced with CRIP/MFG- LacZ followed by detecting the expression of the LacZ gene through X-g al staining. Among the hepatocytes, including mouse primary hepatocyte , mouse hepatoma Hepa 1-6, immortalized human hepatocyte Chang, human hepatoma Hep G2, and human hepatoma Hep 3B, mouse primary hepatocytes were most efficiently transduced. Mouse hepatocytes were more efficien tly transduced compared to human hepatocytes. The expression of LacZ w as maximal at 3 to 5 days after transduction, then decreased to the ba sal level 7 days later. Infusion of the retrovirus through the portal vein of the mouse appeared to mostly transduce non-parenchymal cells.