title: Effect of lentiviruses carrying enhanced green fluorescent protein injected into the scala media through a cochleostomy in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purposes of the current study were to assess the feasibility of post-auricular microinjection of lentiviruses carrying enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) into the scala media through cochleostomies in rats, determine the expression of viral gene in the cochlea, and record the post-operative changes in the number and auditory function of cochlear hair cells (HCs).
  
  
  METHODS
  Healthy rats were randomly divided into two groups. The left ears of the animals in group I were injected with lentivirus carrying EGFP (n=10) via scala media lateral wall cochleostomies, and the left ears of the animals in group II were similarly injected with artificial endolymph (n=10). Prior to and 30 days post-injection, auditory function was assessed with click-auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing, EGFP expression was determined with cochlear frozen sections under fluorescence microscopy, and survival of HCs was estimated based on whole mount preparations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty days after surgery, click-ABR testing revealed that there were significant differences in the auditory function, EGFP expression, and survival of HCs in the left ears before and after surgery in the same rats from each group. In group I, EGFP was noted in the strial marginal cells of the scala media, the organ of Corti, spiral nerves, and spiral ganglion cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lentiviruses were successfully introduced into the scala media through cochleostomies in rats, and the EGFP reporter gene was efficiently expressed in the organ of Corti, spiral nerves, and spiral ganglion cells.
authors: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hang Zhou, People's Republic of China.
authors: Yan
authors: Y
authors: Wei
authors: Yong
authors: Y
authors: Fu
authors: Shaosheng
authors: S
authors: Liu
authors: Guihua
authors: G
authors: Xia
authors: Song
authors: S
authors: Pan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival; D003051:Cochlea / Q000601:surgery*; D003053:Cochlear Duct / Q000601:surgery* / Q000821:virology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006198:Hair Cells, Auditory / Q000502:physiology; D015552:Injections, Intralesional; D016086:Lentivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: C485184:enhanced green fluorescent protein; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins