In vivo transfer and expression of the lacZ gene in the mouse lung.

In vivo gene transfer by lipofection was studied in the mouse lung to develop a gene therapy protocol for disorders in which the lung is affected, such as cystic fibrosis. The bacterial lacZ gene encoding beta-galactosidase was used as a reporter, and the X-GAL staining procedure was optimized for cryostat sections of mouse lung. Three to five days after intratracheal instillation of a lacZ DNA-liposome mixture, lacZ expression was shown in a high percentage of airway epithelium cells. The staining proved to be restricted mainly to the epithelium of the bronchi.