Quantitative analysis of reciprocal connection between the thalamus and neocortex by using lentiviral vectors

我们利用Tet-Off系统开发了新型慢病毒载体，并成功地在体内实现了高水平和神经元特异性的基因转导。病毒注射到大鼠新纹状体一周后，GFP的表达几乎完全是神经元特异性的，大约是传统慢病毒载体表达的40倍。高转录活性和神经元特异性持续长达8周。此外，通过将质膜靶向信号添加到GFP中，感染神经元的神经元突起被有效地可视化。这些结果表明，本方法具有很强的基因转导能力和清晰的活体神经元可视化的价值。

We developed novel lentiviral vectors by using "Tet-Off system" and succeeded in achieving high-level and neuron-specific gene transduction in vivo. One week after viral injection into the rat neostriatum, the GFP expression was almost completely neuron-specific and about 40 times higher than the expression of a conventional lentiviral vector. High transcriptional activity and neuronal specificity were sustained for up to 8 weeks. Furthermore, neuronal processes of the infected neurons were efficiently visualized by adding a plasma membrane-targeting signal to GFP. These results suggest that the present method is valuable for strong gene transduction and clear visualization of neurons in vivo.