The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Mcw Research Foundation, Inc.

Oxford Biomedica (uk) Limited

Oxford Biomedica, Inc.

John Christian Olsen

Alan John Kingsman

Kyriacos Andreou Mitrophanous

Fiona Margaret Ellard

Jonathan Rohll

David Allen Wilcox

Manij Patel

The present invention provides a modified cell having adhesion properties that are increased as compared to the adhesion properties of an unmodified cell, comprising a) a recombinant nucleic acid encoding an integrin &#x3b2;subunit; b) a recombinant nucleic acid encoding an integrin &#x3b1;subunit; c) a recombinant nucleic acid encoding an integrin &#x3b1;subunit; and/or d) any combination of (a), (b) and (c).

Methods and compositions for enhancing cell adhesion properties

A retroviral delivery system capable of transducing a target site is described. The retroviral delivery system comprises a first nucleotide sequence coding for at least a part of an envelope protein; a second nucleotide sequence coding for at least a part of an envelope protein and one or more other nucleotide sequences derivable from a retrovirus that ensure transduction of the target site by the retroviral delivery system; wherein the first and second nucleotide sequences are heterologous with respect to at least one of the other nucleotide sequences; and wherein the first nucleotide sequence codes for at least a part of an influenza HA protein or a mutant, variant, derivative or fragment thereof that is capable of recognising the target site. Preferably said second protein is an influenza M2 protein.

Delivery system

A method for producing viral vectors is described using packaging and producer cell lines is described. The producer cell comprises: (i) a first nucleotide sequence (NS) encoding a toxic viral envelope protein operably linked to a promoter; wherein the promoter is operably linked to at least one copy of a TRE; (ii) a second NS wherein the second NS comprises a sequence encoding a tetracycline modulator; (iii) a third NS encoding a retrovirus nucleocapsid protein; and (iv) a fourth NS comprising a retroviral sequence capable of being encapsidated in the nucleocapsid protein such that the retroviral vector particle titre obtainable from the producer cell is regulatable by tetracycline and an initial stimulus with sodium butyrate or functional analogues thereof.

Methods for producing high titre vectors and compositions used in such methods

A recombinant lentiviral vector expression system comprises a first vector that comprises a nucleic acid sequence of at least part of the Equine Infectious Anemia Virus (EIAV) genome. The vector contains at least one defect in at least one gene encoding an EIAV structural protein, but is preferably a gag/pol expression vector. The expression system further comprises a second vector, also comprising a nucleic acid sequence of at least part of the Equine Infectious Anemia Virus (EIAV) genome, and additionally containing a multiple cloning site wherein a heterologous gene may be inserted. The expression system also comprises a third vector which expresses a viral envelope protein. The first and third vectors are packaging signal-defective. When the expression system is transfected into a lentivirus-permissive cell, replication-defective EIAV particles may be produced, which particles are useful in delivering heterologous genes to a broad range of both dividing and non-dividing cells.

Lentivirus-based gene transfer vectors

A recombinant lentiviral vector expression system comprises a first vector that comprises a nucleic acid sequence of at least part of the Equine Infectious Anemia Virus (EIAV) genome. The vector contains at least one defect in at least one gene encoding an EIAV structural protein, but is preferably a gaglpol expression vector. The expression system further comprises a second vector, also comprising a nucleic acid sequence of at least part of the Equine Infectious Anemia Virus (EIAV) genome, and additionally containing a multiple cloning site wherein a heterologous gene may be inserted. The expression system also comprises a third vector which expresses a viral envelope protein. The first and third vectors are packaging signal-defective. When the expression system is transfected into a lentivirus-permissive cell, replication-defective EIAV particles may be produced, which particles are useful in delivering heterologous genes to a broad range of both dividing and non-dividing cells.

Growing community of inventors

Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America

John Christian Olsen