In vitro transfection of the human vas deferens using DNA-liposome and DNA-neutral lipid complexes.

Overview

OBJECTIVE: To transfect the human vas deferens in vitro. DESIGN: Prospective study, description of a procedure. SETTING: Research center and university hospital. PATIENT(S): Seven fertile men undergoing vasectomies or vasovasostomies. INTERVENTION(S): Human vas deferens pieces were transfected in vitro using the p-GeneGrip gene construction, which codifies for the green fluorescent protein (GFP). Lipofectamine or GenePorter were employed as gene vectors. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): After vas deferens epithelium transfection, we described the vas deferens foreign gene expression. Maximum transfection occurred in 14.7% of the vas deferens epithelial cells. After using GenePorter, we observed green fluorescent protein gene expression in 40% of samples, which occupied 9.86% of the epithelial area. After Lipofectamine treatment, transgene expression occurred in 33% of the samples and occupied 9.05% of the epithelial area. CONCLUSION(S): The human vas deferens epithelium has the potential to be modified by gene transfection.