Evaluation of the role of lipoprotein metabolism genes in systemic cationic liposome-mediated gene transfer in vivo

Germ line gene disruption and gene insertion are often used to study the function of selected genes in vivo. We used selected knockout and transgenic mouse models to attempt to identify lipoprotein-related genes and gene products that regulate the process of intravenous cationic liposome-DNA complex (CLDC)-based gene delivery. Several observations suggested that proteins involved in lipoprotein metabolism might be important in influencing the delivery and/or expression of CLDC. First, in vitro transfection of either K562 or CHO cells by CLDCs was enhanced by the presence of a functional low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR). Second, pretreatment of mice with 4-aminopyrazolopyrimidine (4APP), an agent that alters lipoprotein profiles in mice, significantly decreased expression of luciferase (luc) after intravenous injection of CLDC-luc complexes in mice. Therefore, we tested mouse model systems either deficient for, or overexpressing, selected genes involved in lipoprotein metabolism, for their potential to regulate intravenous, CLDC-based gene delivery. Although homozygous knockout mutation in the apoE gene caused a significant decrease in gene expression in many tissues of apoE-deficient mice, mice with homozygous deletion of both the apoE and LDLR genes showed wild-type levels of gene transfer efficiency. Thus, a secondary event, produced by homozygous deletion of apoE, but compensated for by the concomitant deletion of LDLR, and/or effects resulting from strain-related, genetic background differences, appeared to play a significant role in mediating intravenous, CLDC-based gene delivery. Secondary alterations resulting from germ line knockouts, as well as epigenetic effects produced by strain differences, may limit the ability to assign specific, gene transfer-related functions to the deleted gene.