GENE TRANSFER AND THE EXPRESSION OF A FOREIGNGENE IN VIVO IN POST-MITOTIC NEURONS OF THE ADULT RAT BRAIN

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Neurons in the adult rat brain were transfected in vivo with a simple plasmid that harvored the gene forbeta-galactosidase from Escherichia coli under control of a chiken beta-actin promoter by use of the hemagglutinating virus of Japan (HVJ) and loposomes. Cells that expressed beta-galactosidase were detected only in the target area of the central nervous system for 10 days by light microscopic analysis. Since electron microscopic analysis revealed that the products of the histochemical reaction were predominantly associated with the nuclear membrane and the endoplasmic reticulum of positive cells, it appeard that the products were translated endogenously and had not been entrapped by endocytocis. Furthermore, the products were observed in typical neuronal cells with a large, round, and pale nuclei, and with direct axo-somatic and axo-dendritic synaptic contacts. This report suggests the possibility of introducing functionally sgnificant genes neurons in targeted areas of the adult central nervous system.