Engineered HSV vector achieves safe long-term transgene expression in the central nervous system.

ABSTRACT: Previously we reported a new series of highly defective herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) vectors that were functionally devoid of all viral immediately early (IE) genes, resulting in virtual absence of viral gene expression. Nevertheless, a reporter gene cassette inserted into the vector flanked by boundary elements from the viral latency locus showed high, persistent reporter gene activity in non-neuronal cells while an independent expression cassette inserted into a deleted ICP4 locus remained almost silent. In contrast to non-neuronal cells, we show here that the ICP4 locus cassette permitted robust reporter gene expression in a diversity of neurons following stereotactic injection of different rat brain regions; transgene expression in the hippocampus lasted up to 6 months and was e

SUBMITTER: Verlengia G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5431452 | biostudies-literature | 2017 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature