Poly-L-lysine-based molecular conjugate vectors: a high efficiency gene transfer system for human progenitor and leukemia cells.

Background: Targeted, specific receptor mediated gene transfer is a major goal of gene therapy research to accomplish gene transfer exclusively to the desired cell population.

Methods: First, the use of natural receptor for stem cell factor and transferrin receptor-targeted gene transfer using poly-L-lysine-based molecular conjugate vectors was evaluated in a panel of hematopoietic progenitor cell lines. Second, the ability of poly-L-lysine to enhance adenovirus mediated gene transfer efficiency was examined in different cell lines by using recombinant adenovirus-poly-L-lysine molecular conjugate conglomerates (recMCVEGFP).