ANTIFECTION - AN ANTIBODY-MEDIATED METHOD TO INTRODUCE GENES INTO LYMPHOID-CELLS IN-VITRO AND IN-VIVO

We have developed a simple, safe and versatile method, termed antifect ion, by which antibodies are used as delivery vehicles to introduce ge nes into cells expressing specific surface antigens. Antibodies direct ed against CD3, CD34 or surface immunoglobulins were covalently couple d to plasmids containing marker genes (neo(R), beta-galactosidase). Su ch conjugates were used in vitro and/or in vivo to antifect (transfect using antifection) cells bearing the respective targeted epitope on e ither normal splenic B lymphocytes or lymphoid-related cell lines. In these conditions the expression of the protein encoded by the marker g ene was readily detected. Antifection is a method of delivering genes through a physiological cellular pathway, receptor-mediated endocytosi s, into specific cell types, and thus may be considered as an alternat ive for gene therapy strategy.