Use of fluorescent microspheres to localize in vivo gene transfer injection sites

The potetial for using gene therapy to treat a variety of disease states is growing rapidly. Many vector types and delivery systems have been develope d that allow the opimation of protein production levels and kinetics for a given therapeutic gene production. in cases. In which a transient, localize d delivery of gene product is desired any determination of the locale of tr ansfected tissue by non-marker genes is problematic. We describe a techniqu e by whick the use of fluorescent microspheres can help in identifying pote ntially transfected tissue. Adenovirus containing the gene for beta-galacto sidase (beta-gal) was mixed with fluorescent microspheres and injected into mt skeletal muscle and porcine myocardium. The injection sites could be vi sualized under ultraviolet light and correlated with beta-gal enzyme expres sion. This method is simple. inexpensive and generally useful for in vivo g ene transfer experiments..