title: Genetic manipulation of specific neural circuits by use of a viral vector system.
abstract: To understand the mechanisms underlying higher brain functions, we need to analyze the roles of specific neuronal pathways or cell types forming the complex neural networks. In the neuroscience field, the transgenic approach has provided a useful gene engineering tool for experimental studies of neural functions. The conventional transgenic technique requires the appropriate promoter regions that drive a neuronal type-specific gene expression, but the promoter sequences specifically functioning in each neuronal type are limited. Previously, we developed novel types of lentiviral vectors showing high efficiency of retrograde gene transfer in the central nervous system, termed highly efficient retrograde gene transfer (HiRet) vector and neuron-specific retrograde gene transfer (NeuRet) vector. The HiRet and NeuRet vectors enable genetical manipulation of specific neural pathways in diverse model animals in combination with conditional cell targeting, synaptic transmission silencing, and gene expression systems. These newly developed vectors provide powerful experimental strategies to investigate, more precisely, the machineries exerting various neural functions. In this review, we give an outline of the HiRet and NeuRet vectors and describe recent representative applications of these viral vectors for studies on neural circuits.
authors.affiliation: Section of Viral Vector Development, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Okazaki, 444-8585, Japan. kobaya@nips.ac.jp.|SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Hayama, 240-0193, Japan. kobaya@nips.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Kenta
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigeki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuto
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D016086:Lentivirus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
keywords: Intracellular signaling; Lentiviral vector; Recombinant immunotoxin; Retrograde gene transfer; Specific neuronal pathway; Tetanus neurotoxin