In vivo expression of rat insulin after intravenous administration of the liposome-entrapped gene for rat insulin I.

A recombinant plasmid encoding rat preproinsulin I was encapsulated in large liposomes and intravenously injected in rats. Glycemia and blood, splenic, and hepatic insulin were assayed at various times beginning 6 hr after inoculation. The results were compared with controls that had received (i) empty liposomes, (ii) liposomes carrying the Escherichia coli pBR322 plasmid, (iii) the free rat insulin I gene, and (iv) no injection at all. Whereas all controls showed unchanged glucose and insulin levels, the treated animals had, 6 hr after inoculation, a blood glucose level of 72 +/- 5 mg of glucose/100 ml of blood as compared with 107 +/- 2 mg/ml for controls. Radioimmunoassay of blood insulin gave 61 +/- 8 microunits/ml as compared with 43 +/- 5 microunits/ml for controls and the spleen and liver values were 242 +/- 22 and 204 +/- 20 microunits/g of tissue, respectively, as compared with 112 +/- 20 and 87 +/- 15 microunits/g in controls. External gamma-camera imaging of the organ uptake of 111In-labeled liposomes permitted study of the kinetics and extent of uptake of the liposomes by spleen and liver, results that support the findings concerning insulin synthesis in the two organs.