We have previously shown by reverse transcriptase-PCR (rtPCR) that CML CD34+ HLA-DR- cells are enriched for BCR/ABL(-) hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPC) while leukemic HPC reside predominately within CML CD34+ HLA-DR+ cells. We investigated whether the 30/35 kDa fragment of fibronectin (FN) could be used to enhance retroviral-mediated gene transfer (RMGT) in chronic phase CML marrow HPC. CML CD34+ HLA-DR- and CD34+ HLA-DR+ cells were transduced with vector supernate containing the neomycin resistance gene on plates coated with either FN or bovine serum albumin (BSA) as control, then assayed for transduced HPC in progenitor cell assays in the presence or absence of G418. Transduction efficiency of CML CD34+ HLA-DR- cells over BSA ranged from 0.09 to 7.2% (mean 3.3 +/- 1.5%), while that over FN plates ranged from 3.8 to 23% (mean 11.0 +/- 4.5%) (n = 4). Transduction efficiencies of CML CD34+ HLA-DR+ cells ranged from 0.4 to 9.8% (mean 3.7 +/- 1.7%) and 6.0 to 26% (mean 17.3 +/- 4.5%) (n = 5) over BSA and FN, respectively. rtPCR analysis for BCR/ABL mRNA of individual G418-resistant HPC generated from CD34+ HLA-DR- cells revealed that normal BCR/ABL(-) HPC were successfully transduced under these experimental conditions. These results demonstrate the feasibility of transducing normal CML primitive HPC, and illustrate the potential clinical use of FN in the setting of gene therapy for CML, as well as other diseases.