Inducible lentiviral vectors for reprogramming somatic cells
AssigneesThe General Hospital Corporation, President and Fellows of Harvard College
InventorsKonrad Hochedlinger, Nimet Maherali
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Described herein is a method for reprogramming a somatic cell using an inducible lentiviral vector that permits the expression of stem-cell associated genes to be turned off or on as necessary by one of skill in the art. Inducible expression of stem-cell associated genes permits the genes to be expressed until such time that induction of iPS cells occurs and then expression can be turned off to prevent the pathological growth of cells leading to e.g., cancer or teratoma. Also described herein are secondary cell compositions, the use of which can speed the production of iPS cells, providing for a faster, more efficient system for iPS cell induction.
Claims23
A method for producing an induced pluripotent stem cell from a somatic cell, the method comprising:
- (a) contacting a somatic cell with an inducible lentiviral vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding at least one reprogramming factor under the control of an inducible expression control element;
- (b) placing said somatic cell of step (a) under conditions that induce expression via inducible expression control element;
- and
- (c) isolating a reprogrammed cell of step (b).
A secondary cell composition comprising a cell having a nucleic acid encoding at least one reprogramming factor operatively linked to an inducible promoter, wherein said at least one reprogramming factor is not substantially expressed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.