Tetracysteine as a reporter for gene therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To study the feasibility of using tetracysteine (TC) reporter in gene therapy. METHODS: Effects of TC reporter and conventional reporter genes encoding green fluorescence protein (GFP) and luciferase (Luc) on expression and function of the therapeutic gene MGMT(P140K) were compared. Cytotoxicity and drug resistance were studied by Western blot. TC reporter used in therapy was analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM). RESULTS: The TC reporter had no toxicity to cells and neither affected the expression or activity of therapeutic gene as compared to GFP and Luc. TC could be used in blood sample detection. CONCLUSION: TC is a new kind of reporter gene for lentiviral vector in future gene therapy.