Methods for transfecting T cells
A method for transfecting T cells with a nucleic acid molecule comprising a gene such that the gene is expressed in the T cells is described. The T cells are stimulated and proliferating prior to introduction of the nucleic acid molecule.
1. A method for increasing the expression of an exogenous nucleic acid molecule in T cells, comprising:
(a) contacting the T cells in vitro with at least one stimulatory agent, wherein the T cells are proliferating prior to contact with the at least one stimulatory agent, thereby forming stimulated proliferating T cells; and
(b) introducing the exogenous nucleic acid molecule into the T cells from step (a) in vitro, less than 24 hours after contacting of said T cells, provided that the exogenous nucleic acid molecule is not introduced by particle bombardment,
such that the expression of the exogenous nucleic acid molecule is increased in the T cells compared with T cells not contacted with the stimulatory agent prior to introducing the exogenous nucleic acid molecule.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the T cells are contacted in vitro with at least one proliferative agent which stimulates proliferation of the T cells prior to being contacted with the at least one stimulatory agent.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the T cells are primary T cells.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one stimulatory agent is a combination of a phorbol ester and a calcium ionophore, a super-antigen, a polyclonal activator, a lymphokine, an antigen presented by an antigen presenting cell, or a protein tyrosine kinase activator.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one stimulatory agent is an antibody.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one stimulatory agent is an agent which interacts with the T cell receptor/CD3 complex and provides a primary activation signal to the proliferating T cells.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the agent which interacts with the T cell receptor/CD3 complex is an agent which interacts with the T cell receptor, an agent which interacts with the CD3 complex, or an agent that stimulates the CD2 complex on T cells.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the stimulatory agent is an anti-CD3 antibody, or a combination of anti-CD2 antibodies.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the stimulatory agent is attached to a surface.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the surface is a bead, a cell surface, or a tissue culture dish.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one stimulatory agent is a combination of a first agent which provides a primary activation signal to the proliferating T cells, and a second agent which provides a costimulatory signal to the proliferating T cells.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first agent is an agent which interacts with the T cell receptor/CD3 complex and provides a primary activation signal to the proliferating T cells.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first agent is an anti-CD3 antibody.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first agent interacts with a CD2 complex on the T cells.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first agent is an antigen on an antigen presenting cell.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second agent is an anti-CD28 antibody.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second agent is a stimulatory form of a natural ligand of CD28.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the stimulatory form of a natural ligand of CD28 is the B lymphocyte antigen B7-1.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the stimulatory form of a natural ligand of CD28 is the B lymphocyte antigen B7-2.
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first agent or the second agent is attached to a surface.
21. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first agent and the second agent are attached to a surface.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the first agent and the second agent are attached to the same surface.
23. The method of claim 20 , wherein the surface is a bead, a cell surface, or a tissue culture dish.
24. The method of claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule is introduced into said T cells, between approximately 1 hour and less than 24 hours after contacting said proliferating T cells in vitro with said at least one stimulatory agent.
25. The method of claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule is introduced into said T cells, approximately 10 hours after contacting said proliferating T cells in vitro with said at least one stimulatory agent.
26. The method of claim 1 , wherein the T cells of step (b) are further stimulated in vitro to increase their number.
27. A method for increasing the expression of an exogenous nucleic acid molecule in T cells, comprising:
(a) contacting the T cells with at least one proliferative agent which stimulates proliferation of the T cells, forming proliferating T cells;
(b) contacting the proliferating T cells in vitro with at least one stimulating agent, thereby forming stimulated proliferating T cells, wherein the at least one stimulatory agent is a combination of a first agent which provides a primary activation signal to the T cells and a second agent which provides a costimulatory signal to the T cells; and
(c) introducing the exogenous nucleic acid molecule into the T cells from step (b) in vitro, less than 24 hours after contacting of said T cells, provided that the exogenous nucleic acid molecule is not introduced by particle bombardment,
such that the expression of the gene is increased in the T cells compared with T cells not contacted with the stimulatory agent prior to introducing the exogenous nucleic acid molecule.
28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the T cells are primary T cells.
29. The method of claim 27 , wherein the first agent is an agent which interacts with the T cell receptor/CD3 complex and provides a primary activation signal to the proliferating T cells.
30. The method of claim 29 , wherein the first agent is an anti-CD3 antibody.
31. The method of claim 29 , wherein the first agent interacts with a CD2 complex on the T cells.
32. The method of claim 29 , wherein the first agent is an antigen on an antigen presenting cell.
33. The method of claim 27 , wherein the second agent is an anti-CD28 antibody.
34. The method of claim 27 , wherein the second agent is a stimulatory form of a natural ligand of CD28.
35. The method of claim 34 , wherein the stimulatory form of a natural ligand of CD28 is the B lymphocyte antigen B7-1 or B7-2.
36. The method of claim 27 , wherein the first agent or second agent is an antibody.
37. The method of claim 27 , wherein the first agent and the second agent are antibodies.
38. The method of claim 27 , wherein the first agent or the second agent is attached to a surface.
39. The method of claim 27 , wherein the first agent and the second agent are attached to a surface.
40. The method of claim 39 , wherein the surface is a bead, a cell surface, or a tissue culture dish.
41. The method of claim 27 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule is introduced into said T cells, between approximately 1 hour and less than 24 hours after contacting said proliferating T cells in vitro with said at least one stimulatory agent.
42. The method of claim 27 , wherein said nucleic acid molecule is introduced into said T cells, approximately 10 hours after contacting said proliferating T cells in vitro with said at least one stimulatory agent.
43. The method of claim 27 , wherein the T cells of step (c) are further stimulated in vitro to increase their number.
44. The method of claim 1 , wherein the exogenous nucleic acid molecule is introduced into the T cells by electroporation, calcium phosphate precipitation, DEAE-dextran treatment, lipofection, microinjection, a cell-delivery vehicle, or in the form of a soluble molecular complex.
45. The method of claim 27 , wherein the exogenous nucleic acid molecule is introduced into the T cells by electroporation, calcium phosphate precipitation, DEAE-dextran treatment, lipofection, microinjection, a cell-delivery vehicle, or in the form of a soluble molecular complex.
46. The method of claim 1 , wherein the T cells are obtained from a subject and are readministered to the subject after introducing the exogenous nucleic acid molecule into the T cells.
47. The method of claim 27 , wherein the T cells are obtained from a subject and are readministered to the subject after introducing the exogenous nucleic acid molecule into the T cells.