Development of a high-titer retrovirus producer cell line capable of gene transfer into rhesus monkey hematopoietic stem cells

Retroviral-mediated gene transfer into primitive hematopoietic cells has been difficult to achieve in large-animal models. The authors have developed an amphotropic producer clone that generates >1010 recombinant retroviral particles (colony-forming units) per ml of culture medium. Autologous rhesus monkey bone marrow cells were cocultured with either high or low titer producer clones for 4-6 days and reinfused into sublethally irradiated animals. The proviral genome was detected in blood and bone-marrow cells from all three animals reconstituted with cells cocultured with the high-titer producer cells. In contrast, three animals reconstituted with bone marrow cocultured with the low-titer producer clone exhibited no evidence of gene transfer