Retroviral Gene Transfer to Cells from Amniotic Membrane of Normal Embryos of Golden Retriever Muscular Dystrophy Dogs (GRMD)

• Published in: Tissue engineering. Part A 2009-03, Vol.15 (3), p.723-723
• Main Authors: Beltrao-Braga, PCB, Wenceslau, C V, Winck, C P, Lima, E B, Goncalves, L G, Fernandes, SWH, Ambrosio, CE, Miglino, MA
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Moloney murine leukemia virus
• ISSN: 1937-3341; 1937-335X

Embryonic stem cells have become a promising tool to be used in cell therapy for many diseases, especially genetic ones. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is a progressive genetic disease that seems to be one candidate to cell therapy with embryonic stem cells. Our group has the best model to study that, a Golden Retriever Muscular Dystrophy dog, which shows the same pattern of the human disease. However, one challenge of cell transplantation is investigate the engraftment of stem cells in the injured site and prove that delivered cells were transformed in local cell lineage. For that, genetic markers should be used. Here, we describe cells derived from Amniotic Membranes (AM) of dog's embryos successfully transducted in vitro by pLNPoZ retrovirus, a Moloney Murine Leukemia Virus vector carrying the reporter bacterial gene LacZ. Retroviruses were produced by PT67 packaging cell lineage and used to infect AM cells. AM cells transduction was confirmed using X-Gal staining method. Additionally, these cells did not show distinct phenotype in cell culture after virus transduction. Next step, these cells will be transplanted in order to study their comportment and therapeutic effectiveness in vivo.