Increased stable retroviral gene transfer in early hematopoietic progenitors released from quiescence

It has been previously demonstrated that prestimulation with cytokines could improve gene transfer in hematopoietic progenitors. However, we have should that no combination of cytokines so far tested is able to release rapidly in vitro the stem cell compartment from quiescence unless an autocrine transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) is blocked by specific oligonucleotide antisense or antiserum (Hatzfeld et at, 1991, J Exp. Med., 174, 925). We now report that a 10-hr cytokine prestimulation of SBA(-)CD34(high) human umbilical cord blood progenitors increases retrovirally mediated transfer of the nls-lacZ reporter gene from 1% to 23.8% and addition of anti TGF-beta serum doubles this increase (47.3%). Interestingly, the effect of anti-TGF-beta preincubation on gene transfer is most effective on the most immature progenitors, which develop into high proliferative potential mixed colonies with 1-2 x 10(5) cells. Anti-TGF-beta serum pretreatment increases gene transfer in these early colony-forming units granulocyte-erythroid-megakaryocyte-macrophage (CFU-GEMM) from 54.1% to 93.3%. It augments significantly the stability of gene expression in all subpopulations of mixed colonies. Colonies obtained after pretreatment with anti-TGF-beta serum are larger and the expression of the stably integrated recombinant provirus does not reduce their size. This prestimulation method provides a substantial improvement for gene transfer efficiency within the quiescent stem cell compartment that is responsible for long-term engraftment.