Objective To investigate the expression of micro-dystrophin gene in myoblast cultured in vitro, to explore the possibil ity of combining myoblast transplantation with gene transfer for Duchenne muscular dystrophy therapy. Methods Competent Escherichia coli JM109 was prepared, which transformed with plasmid pSL139, and positive clones were picked to cultivate. Plasmid was extracted with Alkal ine lysis method and cutted with both Pvu I and Cla I enzyme. Agarose gel electrophoresis was employed to take pictures. Ten healthy 5-7 days old male C57/BL10 mice were selected, weighing4-5 g, the primary and subcultured myoblasts were cultured with multi-step enzymatic digestion and differential adhesionmethod, and Desmin immunofluorescent method was used to identfy. The 3rd generation myoblasts that were transfected with plasmid pSL139 mediated by l iposome served as the experimental group, untransfected cells served as the control group. After 48 hours of transfection, the expressions of micro-dystrophin mRNA and protein in myoblasts were detected with RTPCR and cell immunofluorescent methods, and the transfection efficiency was caculated. Results After pSL139 plasmids being digested and for 40 minutes agarose gel of electrophoresis, 3.75 kb fragment of target gene and vector were observed. The cells were almost uniform, and triangular or diamond shape after 24-48 hours of culture; the cells turned to fusion manner and could be passaged after 4-6 days. Desmin immunofluorescent result showed that green fluorescence was seen in cytoplasm of most 2nd myoblasts, and the purity of the myoblasts was above 90%. At 48 hours after transfection of myoblasts with plasmid pSL139, RT- PCR results showed that about 300 bp fragment was seen in the experimental group and the control group, and the brightness was higher in experimental group. Immunofluorescent staining displayed that green fluorescence was seen in the cytoplasm of the myoblasts in the experimental group and no green fluorescence in the control group; the expression efficiency of positive cells for micro-dystrophin was 45%-55% in experimental group. Conclusion Micro-dystrophin gene can highly express at the levels of mRNA and protein respectively in myoblasts transfected with plasmid pSL139 mediated by l iposome.
Objective To investigate the effect of myoblast transplantation on duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and to explore the method and feasibil ity of applying gene therapy to DMD. Methods Myoblast of C57/BL10 mice were cultured using multiple-step enzyme digestion method and differential velocity adherent technique. The morphology of the cells was observed with inverted phase contrast microscope. The cells at passage 4 were labeled with 5-BrdU. Twenty-four DMDmodel mice (mdx mice: aged 4-6 weeks, male, 13.8-24.6 g) were randomly divided into two groups (n=12 per group): group A, 1 × 106/mL labeled myoblast were injected via ven caudal is twice at an interval of 2 weeks; group B: 1 mL DMEM/F12 was injected in the same manner serving as a control group. The mice were killed 4 weeks after operation and the motor abil ity of the mice was detected by one-time exhaustive swimming before their death. HE staining and immunohistochemistry staining observation for 5-BrdU, desmin, and dystrophin (Dys) were preformed, and the imaging analysis was conducted. Results The primary myoblast could be sub-cultured 5-7 days after culture, providing stable passage and sufficient cells. The time of onetime exhaustive swimming was (60.72 ± 5.76) minutes in group A and (47.77 ± 5.40) minutes in group B, there was significant significance between two groups (P lt; 0.01). At 4 weeks after injection, HE staining showed that in group A, there were round and transparent-stained myocytes and the percentage of centrally nucleated fibers (CNF) was 67%; while in group B, there were uneven muscle fiber with such pathological changes as hypertrophia, atrophia, degeneration, and necrosis, and the percentage of CNF was above 80%. Immunohistochemistry staining revealed that the expression of 5-BrdU, desmin, and Dys was positive in group A; while in group B, those expressions were l ittle or negative. Image analysis result displayed that integral absorbency (IA) value of desmin was 489.70 ± 451.83 in group A and 71.15 ± 61.14 in group B (P lt; 0.05) and the ratio of positive area to thetotal vision area was 0.314 3 ± 0.197 3 in group A and 0.102 8 ± 0.062 8 in group B (P lt; 0.05); the Dys IA value was 5 424.64 ± 2 658.01 in group A and 902.12 ± 593.51 in group B (P gt; 0.05) and the ratio of positive area to the total vision area was 0.323 7 ± 0.117 7 in group A and 0.035 2 ± 0.032 9 in group B (P lt; 0.05). Conclusion Myoblast transplantation has certain therapeutic effect on DMD of mice.
Objective To introduce the current situation and futureof myoblast transfer therapy (MTT) in clinical application Methods The latest fifteenyear literatures were extensively reviewed, concerninggene therapy for Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy, Parkinson’s disease, myelopathy, permanent facial paralysis, angiocardiopathy, injuries of bone, joint and muscle, hematopathy, and pituitary dwarf. Results In medical field, MTT is an ideal method to treat some common diseases. The problems were immunologic rejection and better carriers for myoblasts implantation. Conclusion It is the focus on the use of myoblast as a vector to carry exogenous gene in some disease therapy. The major problems of MTT include transplantation immunity, cell fusion and target protein expression. It is easy to gain,culture and transfuse to the host for myoblasts, these merits are beneficial to clinical application.