Dicistronic MLV-retroviral vectors transduce neural precursors in vivo and co-express two genes in their differentiated neuronal progeny.
Dicistronic MLV-based retroviral vectors, in which two IRESes independently initiate the translation of two proteins from a single RNA, have been shown to direct co-expression of proteins in several cell culture systems. Here we report that these dicistronic retroviral vectors can drive co-expression of two gene products in brain cells in vivo. Injection of retroviral vector producer cells leads to the transduction of proliferating precursors in the external granular layer of the cerebellum and throughout the ventricular regions. Differentiated neurons co-expressing both transgenes were observed in the cerebellum and in lower numbers in distant brain regions such as the cortex. Thus, we describe an eukaryotic dicistronic vector system that is capable of transducing mouse neural precursors in vivo and maintaining the expression of genes after cell differentiation.
Derrington
Edmund A
EA
LaboRétro, INSERM U412, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, 46 Allée d'Italie, Lyon 69364 Cedex 07, France. derrington@cgmc.univ-lyon1.fr
López-Lastra
Marcelo
M
Darlix
Jean-Luc
JL
D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000378:metabolism; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000235:genetics*; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics; D019868:Kanamycin Kinase / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008979:Moloney murine leukemia virus / Q000235:genetics*; D041681:NIH 3T3 Cells; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014161:Transduction, Genetic; D019076:Transgenes
D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D007527:Isoenzymes; D019868:Kanamycin Kinase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; C019839:alkaline phosphatase, placental