In Vivo Protein Transduction

What is “In Vivo Protein Transduction?”

The phrase "in vivo protein transduction" should not intimidate anybody.  If the phrase is examined in small parts, one can realize that it is not a difficult idea to grasp.  “In vivo” means in a living cell or organism and "protein transduction" occurs when a virus picks up a protein from one cell and injects it another cell. (1)

In vivo protein transduction is a relatively new molecular method.  The laboratory of Stephen F. Dowdy, Ph.D., a pioneer in this type of research, has discovered a way of introducing extremely large proteins across the cell membrance and blood-brain barrier.   This "methodology opens new possibilities for the development of vaccines and protein therapies for cancer and infectious diseases." (2)  This methodology allows larger proteins to be introduced into a cell at lower doses because of the proteins higher target specificity.  Lower doses, potentially, can result in fewer side effects.  This is an ingenious technique.

“Currently, efficient delivery of therapeutic compounds, peptidyl mimetics, and proteins into cells in vivo can be achieved only when the molecules are small—typically less than 600 daltons.” (2)  This severely limits therapeutic proteins from entering tissues and the blood-brain barrier.   The purpose of this method is to show that, through protein transduction, it is possible to deliver biologically active protein to every tissue in a living organism, including the brain.  Instead of delivering a protein that is 600 daltons, a 100,000 dalton protein can be delivered.  This marked difference was elaborated by Dr. Dowdy

In this method, proteins
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

© Copyright 2000 Department of Biology, Davidson College, Davidson, NC 28036
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