VP22 herpes simplex virus protein can transduce proteins into stem cells.
Braz J Med Biol Res 2013;
46:121-7. [PMID:
23369972 PMCID:
PMC3854363 DOI:
10.1590/1414-431x20122148]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2012] [Accepted: 10/02/2012] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The type I herpes simplex virus VP22 tegument protein is abundant and well known
for its ability to translocate proteins from one cell to the other. In spite of
some reports questioning its ability to translocate proteins by attributing the
results observed to fixation artifacts or simple attachment to the cell
membrane, VP22 has been used to deliver several proteins into different cell
types, triggering the expected cell response. However, the question of the
ability of VP22 to enter stem cells has not been addressed. We investigated
whether VP22 could be used as a tool to be applied in stem cell research and
differentiation due to its capacity to internalize other proteins without
altering the cell genome. We generated a VP22.eGFP construct to evaluate whether
VP22 could be internalized and carry another protein with it into two different
types of stem cells, namely adult human dental pulp stem cells and mouse
embryonic stem cells. We generated a VP22.eGFP fusion protein and demonstrated
that, in fact, it enters stem cells. Therefore, this system may be used as a
tool to deliver various proteins into stem cells, allowing stem cell research,
differentiation and the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells in the
absence of genome alterations.
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