title: Anterograde or retrograde transsynaptic labeling of CNS neurons with vesicular stomatitis virus vectors.
abstract: To understand how the nervous system processes information, a map of the connections among neurons would be of great benefit. Here we describe the use of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) for tracing neuronal connections in vivo. We made VSV vectors that used glycoprotein (G) genes from several other viruses. The G protein from lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus endowed VSV with the ability to spread transsynaptically, specifically in an anterograde direction, whereas the rabies virus glycoprotein gave a specifically retrograde transsynaptic pattern. The use of an avian G protein fusion allowed specific targeting of cells expressing an avian receptor, which allowed a demonstration of monosynaptic anterograde tracing from defined cells. Synaptic connectivity of pairs of virally labeled cells was demonstrated by using slice cultures and electrophysiology. In vivo infections of several areas in the mouse brain led to the predicted patterns of spread for anterograde or retrograde tracers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Kevin T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Beier
authors.forename: Arpiar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saunders
authors.forename: Ian A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Oldenburg
authors.forename: Kazunari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyamichi
authors.forename: Nazia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akhtar
authors.forename: Liqun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Sean P J
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Whelan
authors.forename: Bernardo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sabatini
authors.forename: Constance L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Cepko
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000821:virology; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000166:cytology*; D005123:Eye / Q000821:virology; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000235:genetics*; D008217:Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus; D051379:Mice; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D009833:Olfactory Pathways / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D011995:Recombination, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism*; D018116:Vesiculovirus / Q000235:genetics*