Infection of intact human islets by a lentiviral vector

Adeno-associated virus vector mediated gene transfer to pancreatic beta cells

“…14,16 Recent evidence suggests that elimination of the 12-lipoxygenase (12-LO) gene can protect islets from inflammatory cytokine and toxin-induced damage. 41 Therefore gene targeting of 12-LO could provide one way of protecting islets.…”

“…34,45 Also lentiviral vectors can transduce islet cells very efficiently. [14][15][16] Islet grafts transduced with lentiviral vector encoding IL-4 protect the transplant from insulitis. 14 AAV vectors are likely to be safe, as they are not known to cause any clinical symptoms.…”

“…In this regard several viral vectors have been tested for their efficacy to transduce islet cells. Adenovirus vectors [11][12][13] and lentivirus vectors [14][15][16] have been shown to transduce pancreatic islet cells efficiently. However, the efficacy of AAV vector transduction to islet cells has not been demonstrated to date.…”

Both HIV- and EIAV-based lentiviral vectors mediate gene delivery to pancreatic cancer cells and human pancreatic primary patient xenografts

“…6 Lentivectors have been successfully used to transfer genes in a large range of cell types including benign cellular components of the pancreas. [37][38][39][40] Their application for gene delivery to tumor cells is increasingly being examined and in this context they have fared very well when compared to other vector types. 41,42 Vectors developed using EIAV provide an alternative to HIV-based vectors.…”

Prevention of beta cell dysfunction and apoptosis activation in human islets by adenoviral gene transfer of the insulin-like growth factor I

“…[39][40][41][42] Ad-eGFP was used as a control virus that we have shown does not affect function or apoptosis of human islets in vitro, similar to Ad-LacZ. 20,43 IL-1␤ was added to mock-infected, Ad-eGFP and Ad-IGF-I-infected islets and the agonistic antibody was then added for 1 h. Caspase-3 activity was normalised to the number of cells in the lysate by an indirect quantitative method whereby the amount of DNA is evaluated using a fluorescent intercalating agent.…”