Tightly regulated and homogeneous transgene expression in human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells by lentivirus with tet-off system

PLoS One. 2013 Jun 12;8(6):e66274. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0066274. Print 2013.

Abstract

Genetic modification of human adipose tissue-derived multilineage progenitor cells (hADMPCs) is highly valuable for their exploitation in therapeutic applications. Here, we have developed a novel single tet-off lentiviral vector platform. This vector combines (1) a modified tetracycline (tet)-response element composite promoter, (2) a multi-cistronic strategy to express an improved version of the tet-controlled transactivator and the blasticidin resistance gene under the control of a ubiquitous promoter, and (3) acceptor sites for easy recombination cloning of the gene of interest. In the present study, we used the cytomegalovirus (CMV) or the elongation factor 1 α (EF-1α) promoter as the ubiquitous promoter, and EGFP was introduced as the gene of interest. hADMPCs transduced with a lentiviral vector carrying either the CMV promoter or the EF-1α promoter were effectively selected by blasticidin without affecting their stem cell properties, and EGFP expression was strictly regulated by doxycycline (Dox) treatment in these cells. However, the single tet-off lentiviral vector carrying the EF-1α promoter provided more homogenous expression of EGFP in hADMPCs. Intriguingly, differentiated cells from these Dox-responsive cell lines constitutively expressed EGFP only in the absence of Dox. This single tet-off lentiviral vector thus provides an important tool for applied research on hADMPCs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adipose Tissue / cytology*
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Differentiation / physiology*
  • Cytomegalovirus / genetics
  • DNA Primers / genetics
  • Doxycycline / pharmacology
  • Escherichia coli
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • Gene Transfer Techniques*
  • Genetic Vectors / genetics*
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / genetics
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Lentivirus / genetics
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Mesenchymal Stem Cells / physiology
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Peptide Elongation Factor 1 / genetics
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics
  • Tetracycline
  • Transgenes / genetics
  • Transgenes / physiology

Substances

  • DNA Primers
  • Peptide Elongation Factor 1
  • enhanced green fluorescent protein
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Tetracycline
  • Doxycycline