Transient expression of foreign genes in lymphoid cells is enhanced by phorbol ester

In lymphoid cells and an erythroleukemia cell line, phorbol myristate acetate significantly enhanced (up to 90-fold) expression of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase driven by four unrelated viral transcriptional units. The results suggest that phorbol myristate acetate acts via a general mechanism to enhance gene expression in these cells and provides a convenient means for increasing transient expression of foreign DNA.