Gene transfer into primary cultures of fetal neural stem cells by a recombinant adenovirus carrying the gene for green fluorescent protein

Ultrasound microbubbles combined with liposome-mediated pNogo-R shRNA delivery into neural stem cells

In the present study, ultrasound-mediated microbubble destruction (UMMD) alone and combined with liposome technology was used as a novel nonviral technique to transfect a Nogo receptor (Nogo-R) shRNA plasmid (pNogo-R shRNA) into neural stem cells (NSCs). Using green fluorescent protein as a reporter gene, transfection efficiency of NSCs was significantly higher in the group transfected with UMMD combined with liposomes compared with that of the group transfected with UMMD or liposomes alone, and did not affect cell vitality. In addition, Nogo-R mRNA and protein expression was dramatically decreased in the UMMD combined with liposome-mediated group compared with that of other groups after 24 hours of transfection. The UMMD technique combined with liposomes is a noninvasive gene transfer method, which showed minimal effects on cell viability and effectively increased transfer of Nogo-R shRNA into NSCs.

Effective adenovirus-mediated gene transfer into neural stem cells derived from human embryonic stem cells

Human embryonic stem cell-derived neural stem cells (hESC-NSCs) are an attractive cell type for studying aspects of brain development and pathology. To develop the full potential of this model system, it is important to establish a reliable methodology for the manipulation of gene expression in hNSCs. To address this issue, we used an adenoviral vector with a CMV promoter-driven green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter gene (Ad5-GFP). We optimized conditions for Ad5-GFP infection and assessed the efficiency of infection of whole and dissociated embryonic stem cell (ESC)-derived neurospheres as well as the effect of adenoviral vectors on cell surface marker expression, proliferation, and differentiation potential. Our results demonstrate that most neurosphere cells ( approximately 70%) express the coxsackie and adenovirus receptor and can be infected with Ad5. More specifically, the CD133+ hESC-NSC population could be infected more efficiently than the CD133 population and both populations expressed GFP at high levels. At low multiplicity of infection (MOI < 25), the virus had no significant effect on stem cell marker expression (CD133 and Nestin), cell survival, cell proliferation rate, or differentiation potential. This model system provides a practical new approach to study human NSC function in the context of neurodegenerative and neoplastic disorders.