Optimization of Methods for the Genetic Modification of Human T Cells

CD4+ T cells are critical in the fight against parasitic, bacterial, and viral infections, but are also involved in many autoimmune and pathological disorders. Studies of protein function in human T cells are confined to techniques such as RNAi due to ethical reasons and relative simplicity of these methods. However, introduction of RNAi or genes into primary human T cells is often hampered by toxic effects from transfection or transduction methods that yield cell numbers inadequate for downstream assays. Additionally, the efficiency of recombinant DNA expression is frequently low due to multiple factors including efficacy of the method and strength of the targeting RNAs. Here, we describe detailed protocols that will aid in the study of primary human CD4+ T cells. First, we describe a method for development of effective microRNA/shRNAs using available online algorithms. Second, we illustrate an optimized protocol for high efficacy retroviral or lentiviral transduction of human T cell lines. Importantly, we demonstrate that activated primary human CD4+ T cells can be transduced efficiently with lentiviruses, with a highly activated population of T cells receiving the largest number of copies of integrated DNA. We also illustrate a method for efficient lentiviral transduction of hard-to-transduce un-activated primary human CD4+ T cells. These protocols will significantly assist in understanding the activation and function of human T cells and will ultimately aid in the development or improvement of current drugs that target human CD4+ T cells.