Direct gene transfer into rat articular cartilage by in vivo electroporation.

Laurent Grossin (1) , Christel Cournil-Henrionnet (1) , Lluis M Mir (2) , Bertrand Liagre (1) , Dominique Dumas (3) , Stéphanie Etienne (1) , Corinne Guingamp (1) , Patrick Netter (1) , Pierre Gillet (1)

1 PPIA - Physiopathologie, Pharmacologie et Ingénierie articulaires
2 VTG / UMR8121 - Vectorologie et transfert de gènes
3 LEMTA - Laboratoire d'Energétique et Mécanique Théorique et Appliquée

To establish a system for efficient direct in vivo gene targeting into rat joint, we have evaluated a strategy of gene transfer by means of the delivery of external electric pulses (EP) to the knee after intra-articular injection of a reporter gene (GFP). Rats were killed at various times after the electro gene-therapy to analyze GFP gene expression by immunohistochemistry. GFP staining was detected in the superficial, middle, and deep zones of the patellar cartilage at days 2 and 9, and thereafter only in the deep zone (months 1 and 2). The average percentage of GFP-positive cells was estimated at 30% both one and 2 months after the gene transfer. Moreover, no pathologic change caused by the EP was detected in the cartilage. The level and stability of the long-term GFP expression found in this study demonstrate the feasibility of a treatment of joint disorders (inflammatory or degenerative, focal or diffuse) using electric gene transfer.

Domaines: Biochimie [q-bio.BM]

Laurent Grossin, Christel Cournil-Henrionnet, Lluis M Mir, Bertrand Liagre, Dominique Dumas, et al.. Direct gene transfer into rat articular cartilage by in vivo electroporation.. FASEB Journal, 2003, 17 (8), pp.829-35. ⟨10.1096/fj.02-0518com⟩. ⟨hal-00319726⟩