In vitro and in vivo cell selection method

The selection of specific groups of cells is a widely used practice in both basic and applied biomedical science. The present invention relates to a process for inducing diphtheria toxin resistance in human cells, allowing their in vitro and in vivo selection. The selection of specific groups of human cells is typically carried out through stable transduction, i.e. permanent integration of exogenous genetic material in the cellular genome, capable of making cells resistant to specific cytotoxic antibiotics. The object of the present invention relates to a new selection method based on the resistance to diphtheria toxin. Compared to the systems used today, the proposed method allows to select human cells both in vitro and in vivo. In fact, the selection of transduced human cells propagated in animals, such as mice, cannot be carried out with traditional systems because the drugs used for the selection are also lethal for the host animal. Since diphtheria toxin invariably kills human cells but has no effect on mouse tissues, it is possible to select the population of human cells of interest propagated in the animal, previously inducing their resistance to diphtheria toxin.

• In vivo selection with high performance
• High-efficiency 
• High-stability
• No toxicity

Filing date: 21/07/2015

Application number: 102015000036514