To increase the susceptibility of epithelial cells to viral infection and increase the gene transfer efficiency to epithelial tissues when using viruses and viral vectors by increasing transepithelial permeability of the epithelial tissues.
The transepithelial permeability of epithelial tissues, containing epithelial cells (preferably an airway epithelial tissue, e.g. a bronchial tissue, a tracheal tissue or an alveolar tissue) is increased to thereby increase the susceptibility of the epithelial cells to viral infection. Furthermore, the epithelial cells are proliferated by bringing the epithelial cells into contact with a proliferative factor (preferably a growth factor) to thereby achieve an increase in the susceptibility. Furthermore, the increase in the susceptibility can be achieved by bringing the cells of the epithelial tissues into contact with a tissue permealizing agent [preferably a hypotonic solution, an ion chelator (e.g. EGTA), a cationic peptide (e.g. poly-L-lysine), etc.].
GOSUHAN WAN
BEVERLY DAVIDSON
MOODIKAI BODDONAA
STEVEN M HERMAN
JOLLY DOUGLAS J
CHIRON CORP