DELIVERY OF LIPOSOME-ENCAPSULATED RNA TO CELLS EXPRESSING INFLUENZA-VIRUS HEMAGGLUTININ

This chapter focuses on the delivery of liposome encapsulated RNA to cells expressing influenza virus hemagglutinin. The virus binds to sialic acid-containing receptors on the target cell surface and fuses when it encounters low pH in the endosome. in this manner, the influenza virus RNA genome gains access to the cell interior for replication. in the RNA delivery scheme, HA is expressed on the target cell surface and RNA-containing liposomes are prepared with the red blood cell sialoglycoprotein, glycophorin, which provides a specific attachment site for the HA. After binding the liposomes to HA-expressing cells, fusion is induced (at the cell surface) by a brief drop in medium pH. The result is synchronous delivery of RNA into the cells. The method has been used in the laboratory for studying the replication of hepatitis delta virus, a virus with an RNA genome. This chapter also expect the method to be helpful in investigating other aspects of viral life cycles, such as packaging of the viral genome and budding of virus particles. The HA-mediated liposome delivery technique may be particularly well suited for studying the intracellular effects of antisense RNA and ribozymes, agents designed to destroy specific RNA molecules. © 1993