Gene Transfer into Mammalian Central Nervous System Using Herpes Virus Vectors: Extended Expression of Bacterial lacZ in Neurons Using the Neuron-Specific Enolase Promoter

Abstract

A herpes simplex virus (HSV) vector in which the mammalian promoter for neuron-specific enolase (NSE) controls expression of a marker gene was analyzed for its ability to drive expression of this foreign gene in culture and in vivo. In cultured cells, the vector appeared to give neuron-specific expression. Introduction of 10⁶ pfu of the virus into the adult rat caudate nucleus by stereotactic injection was not toxic to the animals and yielded β-galactosidase (β-gal)-positive neurons for at least 30 days after viral inoculation. This recombinant herpes virus vector is the first described to use a mammalian promoter to yield extended expression of a foreign gene product in the adult mammalian central nervous system (CNS).

Overview summary

A large number of cell types are being considered as targets for gene therapy. Andersen et al. demonstrate the in vivo transfer and expression of a reporter gene into rat brain neurons using a herpes simplex viral vector together with a neuron-specific promoter.