Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 11, 2026

Lentiviral Vector Preparation for Efficient Gene and MicroRNA Modulation of Peritoneal Cavity Tissue-Resident Macrophages In Vivo in Mice
06:33

Lentiviral Vector Preparation for Efficient Gene and MicroRNA Modulation of Peritoneal Cavity Tissue-Resident Macrophages In Vivo in Mice

Published on: February 16, 2024

Creating higher titer lentivirus with caffeine.

Brian L Ellis1, Patrick Ryan Potts, Matthew H Porteus

  • 1Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390-9148, USA.

Human Gene Therapy
|July 15, 2010
PubMed
Summary

Caffeine significantly enhances lentiviral vector production by 3- to 8-fold. This simple method increases viral titers for gene therapy research and clinical applications, offering a cost-effective solution.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Harmonizing standards and resources for the medical genome.

Nature·2026
Same author

Mass drug administration approved and candidate anthelmintics beginning on larval stage 1 Caenorhabditis elegans are generally potent, suggesting a novel, pre-infective control for helminths.

PloS one·2026
Same author

Novel humanized loss-of-function NF1 mouse model of juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia.

Blood advances·2025
Same author

A cancer-specific antigen drives histone acetylation by stabilizing the acetyltransferases.

Cell reports·2025
Same author

Sticky business: Rationalizing CRBN's zinc-finger targeting by molecular glues.

Molecular cell·2025
Same author

Load and lock: An emerging class of therapeutics that influence macromolecular dissociation.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2025

Area of Science:

  • Biotechnology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Virology

Background:

  • Lentiviral vectors are crucial tools in basic research and gene therapy.
  • Current production methods, while standardized, can be improved for higher viral titers.
  • Increased lentiviral vector titers have significant implications for both research and clinical applications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a simple, inexpensive method to increase lentiviral vector production titers.
  • To evaluate the efficacy of caffeine compared to other known titer-enhancing agents.

Main Methods:

  • Standard lentiviral vector production protocols were modified by adding caffeine.
  • The effect of caffeine concentration and treatment duration on viral titer was assessed.
  • Comparisons were made with sodium butyrate and a DNA-PKcs inhibitor (NU7026).

More Related Videos

Designing, Packaging, and Delivery of High Titer CRISPR Retro and Lentiviruses via Stereotaxic Injection
11:28

Designing, Packaging, and Delivery of High Titer CRISPR Retro and Lentiviruses via Stereotaxic Injection

Published on: May 23, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 11, 2026

Lentiviral Vector Preparation for Efficient Gene and MicroRNA Modulation of Peritoneal Cavity Tissue-Resident Macrophages In Vivo in Mice
06:33

Lentiviral Vector Preparation for Efficient Gene and MicroRNA Modulation of Peritoneal Cavity Tissue-Resident Macrophages In Vivo in Mice

Published on: February 16, 2024

Designing, Packaging, and Delivery of High Titer CRISPR Retro and Lentiviruses via Stereotaxic Injection
11:28

Designing, Packaging, and Delivery of High Titer CRISPR Retro and Lentiviruses via Stereotaxic Injection

Published on: May 23, 2016

Main Results:

  • Caffeine addition (2-4 mM) increased lentiviral vector titers by 3- to 8-fold.
  • Caffeine was more effective than sodium butyrate and showed no additive benefit with NU7026.
  • Optimal caffeine treatment occurred between 17 and 41 hours post-transfection.
  • Caffeine did not increase adeno-associated virus type 2 vector titers.

Conclusions:

  • Caffeine provides a novel, simple, and cost-effective method to significantly boost lentiviral vector titers.
  • This finding has broad applications for lentiviral vector-based research and clinical gene therapy.
  • The timing of caffeine addition is critical for maximizing lentiviral vector yield.