Nonviral gene transfer into primary cultures of human and porcine mesothelial cells

Treating human meniscal fibrochondrocytes with hIGF-1 gene by liposome

The menisci are intraarticular fibrocartilaginous structures essential to the normal function of the knee that lack the ability to self-repair. Human meniscal fibrochondrocytes may respond to beneficial genes like human insulin growth factor-1 (hIGF-1) and the meniscal cell may be a feasible donor for gene therapy. To explore this possibility, we amplified the hIGF-1 gene sequence in full length and cloned it into a bicistronic plasmid. This gene was then transfected into cultured human meniscal fibrochondrocytes by the liposome FuGene 6. Green fluorescence was expressed in part of the cells 6 hours after transfection and increased gradually, with a peak concentration of the hIGF-1 in the supernatants to 22.68 ng/mL 56 hours after transfection. Phenotypes of some cells changed and the proliferation accelerated after transfection. Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated upregulation of cell numbers in the G2 and S stages after hIGF-1 gene introduction. We conclude the hIGF-1 gene can be transfected into the human meniscal cell efficiently by liposome and it causes accelerated proliferation and differentiation. Within 10 days after transfection, the cytokine appears to be secreted into supernatants with the bioactivity and promotes the proliferation of the NIH 3T3 cell line.

Mesothelial cell transplantation in myocardial infarction

Mesothelial cells (MCs) are accessible in human patients by excision and digestion of epiploon or from peritoneal fluid or lavage. MCs are easy to culture to obtain large quantities in vitro and they can be genetically modified with interesting therapeutic genes. The important potential of MCs in tissue engineering has been shown during epiplooplasty to different organs and also in creating artificial blood conduits. MC of epicardium is probably the precursor of coronary arteries during embryogenesis. MCs secrete a broad spectrum of angiogenic cytokines, growth factors and extracellular matrix, which could be useful for repairing damaged tissues. MCs are transitional mesodermal-derived cells and considered as progenitor stem cell, have similar morphological and functional properties with endothelial cells and conserve properties of transdifferentiation. MC therapy in myocardial infarction induced neoangiogenesis in infarcted scar and preserved heart function. In conclusion, a potential therapeutic strategy would be to implant or re-implant genetically modified MCs in post-infarction injury to enhance tissue repair and healing. Imparting therapeutic target genes such as angiogenic genes would also be useful for inducing neovascularization.