Quantification of Xenoprotein Electroinsertion in Mammalian Cells

Recent studies reported the so-called “electroinsertion” of proteins having a membrane-spanning sequence into mouse red blood cell or Chinese hamster ovary cell membrane by exposing the cell suspension to electrical field pulses (1 –6 ). The viability of the pulsed cells is not affected. New receptors are then present on the cell surface. It is proposed to use such a technology in clinical applications such as AIDS therapy (7 ). Genetically engineered CD4s are inserted in red blood cells (RBC) and act as lures to trap the virus. A critical parameter for the practical use of such a methodology is to know the number of inserted xenoproteins.