Adenovirus-mediated urokinase gene transfer induces liver regeneration and allows for efficient retrovirus transduction of hepatocytes in vivo.

Retrovirus-mediated gene transfer into hepatocytes in vivo results in long-term gene expression. Limitations include the need to remove two-thirds of the liver and the relatively low frequency of gene transfer. To increase gene transfer without surgical hepatectomy, mouse hepatocytes were transduced in vivo with a recombinant adenovirus that transiently expressed urokinase, resulting in high rates of asynchronous liver regeneration. During the regenerative phase, in vivo retroviral-mediated gene transfer in hepatocytes resulted in 5- to 10-fold greater transduction efficiencies than that obtained by conventional partial hepatectomy. In 3-4 weeks, the architecture and microscopic structure of the recipient livers were normal. The two-viral system of achieving permanent transgene expression from hepatocytes in vivo offers an alternative approach to current ex vivo and in vivo gene-transfer models.