Retrovirus-mediated gene transfer targeted to malignant glioma cells in murine brain

A murine model for meningeal metastasis of malignant glioma was developed to study selective gene transfer into tumor cells and to establish a reliable means of determining the rate of tumor cell infection. A murine ecotropic retroviral vector was created in which the Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase gene served as a marker for gene expression from the integrated retrovirus. This retrovirus exhibited a high rate of infectivity in RSV-M mouse glioma cells in vitro. The recombinant retrovirus was injected directly into the cisterna magna of the mice. Staining of beta-galactosidase showed that the rate of gene integration was high in the disseminated glioma cells. These results suggest the possibility of retrovirus-mediated gene therapy for meningeal dissemination of malignant glioma.