Polyethylenimine-mediated NGF gene delivery protects transected septal cholinergic neurons.
Polyethylenimine (PEI) is an effective vehicle for in vivo gene delivery in many tissues including brain. PEI mediates transgene expression in brain neurons and glia. To investigate whether PEI-mediated nerve growth factor (NGF) gene transfer protected axotomized septal cholinergic neurons, we injected linear PEI (in vivo jetPEI, Qbiogene) complexed with a plasmid encoding for mouse NGF (PEI/pNGF-W) into the rat septum. PEI complexed with a plasmid encoding for green fluorescent protein (PEI/pGFP) was used as the control. PEI-mediated gene expression was predominantly neuronal. Fimbria-fornix transections (FFTs), conducted 1 day after rats were injected with control vector, resulted in a 70% loss of septal cholinergic neurons. In contrast, PEI/pNGF-W injection prior to FFTs attenuated the loss of septal cholinergic neurons. This is the first study, to our knowledge, that shows the neuroprotective effects induced by PEI-mediated trophic factor gene transfer in brain.
Wu
Ke
K
Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, ARB5-148, 1600 SW Archer Rd, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA. kewu@ulf.edu
Meyers
Craig A
CA
Bennett
Jennifer A
JA
King
Michael A
MA
Meyer
Edwin M
EM
Hughes
Jeffrey A
JA
D000818:Animals; D019771:Axotomy; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D051379:Mice; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology*; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology*; D011094:Polyethyleneimine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020665:Septum of Brain / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology*; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques; D019076:Transgenes
D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D011094:Polyethyleneimine; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor