In vivo transfection in avians

Abstract

The present invention provides for methods of producing transgenic avians which may include delivering a heterologous nucleic acid to oviduct tissue of an avian wherein the nucleic acid enters a cell of the oviduct tissue and is expressed.

1 . A method comprising:
 injecting a solution containing nucleic acid into a blood vessel of an avian wherein the nucleic acid enters a cell of the oviduct tissue and is expressed.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the avian is selected from the group consisting of chicken, quail, turkey, duck, goose, pheasant, parrot, finche, hawk, crow, ratite, ostrich, emu and cassowary. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the avian is a chicken. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the nucleic acid is RNA. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the nucleic acid is DNA. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the nucleic acid is delivered under pressure to the oviduct tissue of the avian. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the cell is a tubular gland cell. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the injecting is into a blood vessel having no organs between the oviduct and point of injection. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the injecting introduces pressure into the blood vessel such that the blood vessel diameter is enlarged as a result of pressure incurred by the injecting. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the blood vessel is selected form the group consisting of an anterior oviductal vein; a middle oviductal vein; a hypogastric vein; an anterior oviductal artery; a middle oviductal artery; a superior uterine artery; inferior oviductal artery; a middle uterine artery; an inferior uterine artery; a renal portal vein; a renal rehevens vein and a dorsal arota artery. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a polypeptide encoded by a coding sequence of the nucleic acid is present in egg white produced by the avian. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the polypeptide is a pharmaceutical protein. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the polypeptide is an antibody. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the polypeptide is a cytokine. 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 injecting a nucleic acid containing solution into a blood vessel which delivers blood to or delivers blood away from oviduct tissue of an avian wherein the blood vessel intersects no organs between the oviduct and where the nucleic acid enters the blood vessel wherein the nucleic acid enters a cell of the oviduct tissue and is expressed.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the injecting introduces pressure into the blood vessel such that the blood vessel diameter is enlarged as a result of pressure incurred by the injecting. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the blood vessel diameter is enlarged by more than about 5%. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the blood vessel diameter is enlarged by between about 20% and about 200%. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the blood vessel diameter is enlarged for between about 2 seconds and 20 minutes. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the blood vessel diameter is enlarged for between about 5 seconds and 5 minutes. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the avian is a chicken. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the avian is selected from the group consisting of chicken, quail, turkey and duck. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the nucleic acid is RNA 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the nucleic acid is DNA. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the cell is a tubular gland cell. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the blood vessel is selected form the group consisting of an anterior oviductal vein; a middle oviductal vein; a hypogastric vein; an anterior oviductal artery; a middle oviductal artery; a superior uterine artery; inferior oviductal artery; a middle uterine artery; an inferior uterine artery; a renal portal vein; a renal rehevens vein and a dorsal arota artery. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the nucleic acid encodes a therapeutic protein. 
     
     
         28 . A method comprising:
 injecting a nucleic acid into an artery which provides blood to oviduct tissue of an avian wherein the artery intersects no organs between the oviduct and point of injection into the artery wherein the nucleic acid enters a cell of the oviduct tissue and is expressed.