Lentiviral gene delivery to plasmolipin-expressing cells using Mus caroli endogenous retrovirus envelope protein

Gene therapy is a promising method for treating malignant diseases. One of the main problems is target delivery of therapeutic genes. Here we show that lentiviral vector particles pseudotyped with Mus caroli endogenous retrovirus (McERV) envelope protein can be used for selective transduction of PLLP-expressing cells. As a therapeutic gene in McERV-pseudotyped vector particles we used miniSOG encoding the cytotoxic FMN-binding protein, which can generate reactive oxygen species under illumination. Significant cytotoxic effect (up to 80% of dead cells in population) was observed in PLLP-expressing cells transduced with McERV-pseudotyped vector particles and subjected to illumination. We demonstrated that the McERV-pseudotyped HIV-1 based lentiviral vector particles are an effective tool for selective photoinduced destruction of PLLP-expressing cells. •A lentiviral system for gene delivery using envelope protein that target tissue-specific protein plasmolipin is introduced.•A genetically encoded photosensitizer miniSOG is used as a therapeutic gene.•PLLP-positive malignant neural cells transduced with lentiviral particles and illuminated by blue light are destroyed.