Objectives: To obtain transgenic bovine iris pigment epithelial cells (IPECs) by adeno-associated virus (AAV) mediated delivery of cDNA of glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF).
Methods: AAV-GDNF was titrated by slot blotting. Cultured bovine passage two IPECs were transfected using AAV-GDNF at dosage of MOI (multiplicity of infection) = 50, then were cultured in DMEM medium complemented with 3% FBS for 4 weeks with no change of medium. The expression of GDNF in culture medium was examined using ELISA test. By using the same methods, cultured passage two IPECs were transfected with AAV-GFP (green fluorescent protein) at dosage of MOI = 50, and then were cultured in DMEM medium complemented with 20% FBS. The expression of GFP in IPECs was examined using fluorescence microscope every 2 days after transfection.
Results: (1) GFP expression in IPECs could not be detected until 4 days after transfection. The positive GFP expression in IPECs reached fastigium in day 8 or 10. (2) According to the results of ELISA test, concentration of GDNF in the culture medium was (17.14 +/- 1.10) micro g/L.
Conclusions: AAV-GDNF can effectively transfect cultured IPECs, and the transgenic cells show a high expression of GDNF.