Application of transposon expression system in recombinant protein expression and gene therapy

Mammalian cells are the primary host for recombinant protein production, and the vector system significantly impacts expression efficiency and stability. Traditional vectors often suffer from transgene silencing and clone heterogeneity, requiring large-scale screening to obtain stable and high-yield cell lines, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Transposon expression vector mediate highly efficient, semi-targeted integration of the gene of interest in mammalian cells. Integration occurs at transcriptionally active genomic loci of the host cell, thereby ensuring persistent expression. Moreover, non-viral transposon expression vectors offer a safer and more attractive alternative to viral vectors by avoiding potential tumorigenicity and immune reactions associated with viral proteins and oncogenes, making them ideal for gene therapy applications. This review summarizes the structure, mechanism, and optimization of transposon vectors, as well as their applications in recombinant protein expression and gene therapy.