Endocrine Abstracts

The female genital tract of the mouse was in vivo transfected using the reporter gene β-galactosidase and the liposome Lipofectamine as gene vector. All animals used were anaesthetised. DNA/Liposome complexes were injected through the infundibulum of the tubes in adult, immature and pseudopregnant females. Females that were at different stages of the ovarian cycle were also used. Transfection was analyzed using histochemical, immunological and molecular (Southern blotting, PCR and gene sequencing) procedures. Only epithelial cells appeared transfected in the female genital tract. In alla cases the most transfected areas were the lower region of the uterine glands and cells from the isthmus and juncture regions of the tubes. The hormonal stage of the female was crucial for transfection efficience. The highest number of transfections occurred during meta-oestrus and pseudopregnancy stages, when concentrations of progesterone are high and oestradiol is low. In these cases percentages of transfected epithelial cells were 12% in the uterus and 9% in the tubes. The duration of transgene expression reached a maximum of two weeks in the uterus and one week in the tubes. These data seems to be important regarding future applications of in vivo transfection technologies.