Gene transfer to human epidermal stem cells with fibronectin-immobilized retrovirus

摘要

Keratinocytes make good potential targets for gene therapy, because they are easily approached, and can deliver therapeutic proteins both locally and systemically. However, attempts to genetically modify keratinocytes have resulted in temporary transgene expression in vivo. This transient transgene expression has been attributed to loss of genetically modified keratinocytes due to terminal differentiation. Therefore, to ensure long-term expression, transduction of keratinocyte stem cells is necessary. Our results clearly show that by using fibronectin-immobilized retrovirus as opposed to virus in solution, the average transduction efficiency to all keratinocyte compartments increased substantially. More importantly, the protocol resulted in the selective gene transfer to the stem cell compartment of human keratinocytes.