High efficiency gene transfer to human CD34+ cells

We have previously reported the development of improved MLV-based retroviral vectors whose prototype is entitled MT (Kim et al, J. Virol. 72:994–1044; Yu et al, Gene Therapy 7:797–804). The MT vector does not contain any viral coding sequences, and thus the possibility of homologous recombination between the vector and the packaging genome is virtually nil. Indeed, in a shotgun RCR detection assay, an MT-based vector did not produce any RCR. On the contrary, the MFG vector, containing parts of all three viral coding sequences (gag, pol, and env), generated a significant number of RCR. In addition to being safe, MT-based vectors produce levels of gene expression and viral titer comparable to or higher than other vectors currently available within the community. Based on this vector, we have constructed a number of retroviral vectors that can be used for the treatment of a variety of human diseases. Our major target diseases are those that can be treated with or the status of which can be significantly improved with bone marrow transplantation. To obtain the most significant therapeutic effects, it is necessary to achieve the highest possible gene delivery efficiency, drive the highest level of gene expression, and prevent expression of the inserted therapeutic gene from being negatively influenced by the genome environment. To these ends, we compared various LTRs for their effects on the level of gene expression, tested the effect of cisacting elements that may influence chromatin structure or position effect of the inserted gene, and studied different transduction conditions for their gene delivery efficiency. Data recently obtained from these experiments will be presented. *** DIRECT SUPPORT *** A00RC002 00014