High-level transgene expression in neurons by lentivirus with Tet-Off system

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. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ireland Ltd and the Japan Neuroscience Society. All rights reserved.