Efficient gene transfer via retrograde transport in rodent and primate brains using a human immunodeficiency virus type 1-based vector pseudotyped with rabies virus glycoprotein.
The primate lentiviral vector system based on human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) has been used for a wide range of gene therapy trials in animal models. Axonal transport in the retrograde direction, which is observed with some viral vectors, confers a considerable advantage to gene transfer into neuronal cell bodies that are localized in regions remote from the injection site of the vectors. However, retrograde axonal transport of the HIV-1-based lentiviral vector pseudotyped with vesicular stomatitis virus glycoprotein is reported to be inefficient. In the present study, we developed an efficient gene transfer system through retrograde transport in the brain with the HIV-1-based vector pseudotyped with rabies virus glycoprotein (RV-G). Injection of the RV-G-pseudotyped HIV-1 vector into the dorsal striatum of mice yielded an increase in gene transfer into neuronal populations in the cerebral cortex, thalamus, and ventral midbrain, each of which innervates the striatum. In addition, injection of the RV-G-pseudotyped vector into the monkey striatum (putamen) resulted in highly efficient transfer into neurons in the ventral midbrain (nigrostriatal dopamine neurons). Our results indicate that pseudotyping of the HIV-1 vector with RV-G enhances the efficiency of gene transfer through retrograde axonal transport in both mouse and monkey brains. This primate lentiviral vector system will provide a powerful approach to gene therapy for neurological and neurodegenerative diseases by means of enhanced retrograde transport.
Kato
Shigeki
S
Department of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima 9601295, Japan.
Inoue
Ken-ichi
K
Kobayashi
Kenta
K
Yasoshima
Yasunobu
Y
Miyachi
Shigehiro
S
Inoue
Satoshi
S
Hanawa
Hideki
H
Shimada
Takashi
T
Takada
Masahiko
M
Kobayashi
Kazuto
K
D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D001370:Axonal Transport / Q000502:physiology; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000235:genetics; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011323:Primates; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*
D000956:Antigens, Viral; D006023:Glycoproteins; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C064951:glycoprotein G, Rabies virus