Cell-specific targeting by engineered M13 bacteriophage expressing VEGFR2 nanobody

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Biotechnology Research Center, Venom & Biotherapeutics Molecules Lab, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran

2 National Cell Bank of Iran, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran

3 Biotechnology Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

4 Department of Medical Biotechnology, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

Abstract

Objective(s): Filamentous bacteriophage M13 was genetically engineered to specifically target mammalian cells for gene delivery purpose.
Materials and Methods: A vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2)-specific nanobody was genetically fused to the capsid gene III of M13 bacteriophage (pHEN4/3VGR19). A mammalian expression construct containing Cop-green fluorescent protein (Cop-GFP), as a reporter gene, was amplified by PCR and then sub-cloned in the pHEN4/3VGR19 phagemid. The resulting construct was transfected into 293KDR cell. The recombinant phage was extracted and confirmed and then transduced into VEGFR2 expressing cell (293KDR).
Results: Seventy-two hr after transfection, green fluorescence was detected in 30% of the cells. About 1% of the cells which transduced by recombinant phages were able to express GFP.
Conclusion: It is hoped that the results from this study will help to find potential vectors to improve the efficiency of gene delivery. Taken together, we conclude that this newly-introduced vector can be used in cancer researches.

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Main Subjects


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