Retrovirus-mediated transfer of the fusion gene encoding EGFP-BMP2 in mesenchymal stem cells

Bone marrow mesenchymal stemcells(MSCs)are pluripotential stemcells that have the capacitytodifferentiate into chondrocytes and osteoblasts1].Ithas been well documented that bone morphogeneticproteins(BMPs),a group of proteins belonging tothe TGF-βsuperfamily,can induce bone for mationbothin vivoandin vitroas well as promote osteo-blastic differentiation of MSC2].HeterologousBMP2is successfully transferred to MSCs and genetherapy is employed based on repairing bony andcartilage defec…

Retrovirus-mediated transfer of the fusion gene encoding EGFP-BMP2 in mesenchymal stem cells

Objective To develop retrovirus-mediated transfer of the fusion gene encoding EGFP-BMP2 in mesenchymal stem cells. Methods Mesenchymal stem cells from New Zealand white rabbits were transduced with retroviral pLEGFP-BMP2 vector by the optimized retroviral transduction protocol. Fluorescent microscopy's examination was to evaluate the results of the transduction, flow cytometer's analysis was to evaluate the transduction efficiency and the Fluorescence-activated cell sorting method was to sort the transduced cells. Bioactivity test from C2C12K4 cells was to show the expression and bio-activity of the fusion gene. Results Fluorescent microscopy showed the success of the transduction. By flow cytometer's analysis, the mean efficiency of the transduction with EGFP was (42.8±6.1)% SD. Transduced cells were sorted efficiently by the fluorescence-activated cell sorting method and after sorting, almost of those showed the expression of BMP2. Fluorescently and strongly bioactivity test for C2C12K4 cells demonstrated that fluorescent materials were located the surface of cells and the activity of luciferase increased compared with the control. Analysis of long-term expression showed there was no difference between 2 week-time point and 3 month-time point of culture post-sorting. Conclusion Mesenchymal stem cells can be transduced efficiently by retrovirus-mediated transfer of the fusion gene encoding EGFP-BMP2, the highly pure transduced cells are obtained by the fluorescence-activated cell sorting technique, the expressed chimeric protein embraced the double bioactivity of EGFP and BMP2, and moreover, the expression had not attenuated over time.