Development of a high-titer retrovirus producer cell line and strategies for retrovirus-mediated gene transfer into rhesus monkey hematopoietic stem cells.

Retroviral-mediated gene transfer into pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells has been difficult to achieve in large animal models. We have compared several infection protocols in a murine model system and concluded that bone marrow can be maintained and infected in vitro for 2-6 days. We have also developed an amphotropic producer clone that generates greater than 10(10) recombinant retroviral particles (CFU) per milliliter of culture medium. Autologous rhesus monkey bone marrow cells were co-cultured with either high- (2 x 10(10) CFU/ml) or low- (5 x 10(6) CFU/ml) titer producer clones for 4-6 days and reinfused into sublethally irradiated animals. The proviral genome was detected in blood and bone marrow cells from all three animals reconstituted with cells co-cultured with the high-titer producer cells. In contrast, three animals reconstituted with bone marrow co-cultured with the low-titer producer clone exhibited no evidence of gene transfer.