Insertion of new genes into bone marrow cells of mice.

Drug resistance genes such as those coding for a methotrexate-resistant dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) or the thymidine kinase from herpes simplex virus can be used to confer a proliferative advantage on bone marrow cells of mice. As a result of this proliferative advantage, transformed cells become the predominant population in the bone marrow. Efficient gene expression was obtained for both the thymidine kinase and DHFR genes inserted into mouse bone marrow. Such gene insertion techniques may ultimately lead to the cure of life-threatening globinopathies such as sickle cell disease or the beta thalassemias. They may also be useful in reducing the hematopoietic toxicity of anticancer drugs.