Nonviral gene transfer to human meniscal cells. Part I: transfection analyses and cell transplantation to meniscus explants

摘要

Purpose Our aim was to evaluate whether nonviral vectors can genetically modify primary human juvenile and adult meniscal fibrochondrocytes at low toxicity in vitro and to test the hypothesis that transfected human meniscal fibrochondrocytes transplanted into longitudinal defects and onto human medial meniscus explant cultures are capable of expressing transgene products in vitro. Methods Eighteen nonviral gene transfer systems were examined to identify the best suited method for an efficient transfection of primary cultures of juvenile and adult human meniscal fibrochondrocytes using luciferase and lacZ reporter gene constructs and then transplanted to meniscus explant cultures.