Improvement of gene transfer efficiency for establishing cells with higher safety for gene therapy by using surface discharge*

We investigate the easy method of safe cell establishment for gene therapy using surface discharge. The experimental results show that gene transferred cells efficiently express target protein and suggest that surface discharge is an efficient gene transfer method for primary cells. In addition, This method induces low/no random integration in the genome of the established cells.

It is difficult to establish safe cells for gene therapy with conventional gene transfer methods that are not free from causing damage to cells. Therefore, we investigate the safety of the established cells with surface discharge by comparing them with conventional gene transfer methods.

As a result, more expressed cells were produced efficiently by one treatment. In addition, the surface discharge method causes few random integrations into chromosomes. We reported that the complex stimuli of electrical and chemical factors generated by a discharge plasma promote gene introduction via endocytosis. 

The surface discharge method enables us to collect efficiently expressed cells in only one treatment and reduce random integration. The surface discharge method is expected to bring a safe gene therapy.