title: Bcl-2 and GDNF delivered by HSV-mediated gene transfer after spinal root avulsion provide a synergistic effect.
abstract: Proximal spinal nerve injury results in the death of motor neurons in ventral horn. We have previously demonstrated this cell death can be prevented by HSV-mediated transfer of the gene coding for the antiapoptotic peptide Bcl-2 7 days prior to injury, but that expression of Bcl-2 does not preserve ChAT expression in the lesioned cells. In the current study, we examined two related issues: whether Bcl-2 delivered by HSV-mediated gene transfer 30 min after injury could similarly protect motor neurons from cell death, and whether the additional HSV-mediated expression of the glial cell derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) could improve the result. At 30 min after avulsion of the L4, L5, and L6 spinal nerves, replication defective genomic HSV-based vectors coding for Bcl-2, GDNF, a reporter transgene (lacZ), or the Bcl-2 and GDNF vectors together were injected into spinal cord. Transduction of motor neurons with either the Bcl-2-expressing vector or the GDNF-expressing vector resulted in a substantial increase in the number of surviving motor neurons, and coinjection of the two vectors together resulted in cell survival that was similar to the result obtained with either vector alone. Neither the Bcl-2-expressing vector nor the GDNF-expressing vector delivered alone protected choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) expression in lesioned neurons. However, simultaneous injection of the Bcl-2- and the GDNF-expressing vectors together resulted in a substantial increase in the number of ChAT in cells in the lesioned ventral horn. Together, these findings suggest an approach to improving cell survival and regeneration following proximal root injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Natsume
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mata
authors.forename: Darren
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wolfe
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oligino
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goss
authors.forename: Shaohua
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Glorioso
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Fink
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death; D002470:Cell Survival; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000235:genetics; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D008297:Male; D009046:Motor Neurons; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000235:genetics; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D019076:Transgenes
chemical_list: C495041:Gdnf protein, rat; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase