The experimental study of transferring the hTERT gene

Objective: To establish the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene viral transferring system. Methods: By means of liposome mediation, a retroviral vector pLNC-hTERT carrying a selectable marker neomycin resistance genes (Neo^r) and a target gene (hTERT) was transferred into the ectropic package cells ψ-2, and by using the supernatant of ψ-2 cells to infect the amphotropic producer clone PA317, established PA317/hTERT package cell line. In order to get higher-titer virus, the supernatants of ψ-2 infected PA317 repeatedly. Human endothelial cells were used to detect the effect of gene transfer. Results: We established a PA317/hTERT package cell line which produced high-titer virus. The viral titer produced by PA317 cells was raised 20 times by repeated infection method, and with higher-titer virus the exogenous genes were successfully transferred into endothelial cell. Conclusion: This method can be used to establish higher-titer viral transferring system.