Comparison of non-viral transfection methods in melanoma cell primary cultures

Melanoma primary cultures were transiently transfected via electroporation and lipofection for comparison. Transfection efficiency was superior with e lectroporation (58 +/- 9%) as compared to lipofection (23 +/- 9%) as determ ined by enhanced green fluorescent plasmid (EGFP) transfection, Secretion o f IL-2 persisted for up to 3 weeks after electroporation, The increase in s ensitivity against immunologic effector cells by transfection with IL-2 was not significant. Our results show the feasibility of a gene tranfer into p rimary human melanoma cells, different from retroviral transduction. (C) 20 00 Academic Press.