Pressurization facilitates adenovirus-mediated gene transfer into vein graft

We investigated whether application of non-distending hydrostatic pressure facilitates gene transfer into vein grafts, An external jugular vein was pl aced in a chamber with 100 mu l adenovirus solution at a titer of 10(10) pf u/ml and was pressurized to up to 8 atm above ambient pressure for 10 min. Histochemical analysis demonstrated a positive transgene expression in all lavers of the vessel wall. Gene transfer with 8 atm pressurization resulted in an approximately 50 times higher transgene expression than that without pressurization. Under 8 atm pressurization. the efficiency of gene transfe r reached a plateau at 7.5 min. The application of hydrostatic pressure may improve the effectiveness of intraoperative genetic engineering of vein gr afts. (C) 2000 Federation of European Biochemical Societies.