A MicroRNA124 Target Sequence Restores Astrocyte Specificity of gfaABC₁D-Driven Transgene Expression in AAV-Mediated Gene Transfer.

ABSTRACT: Experimentally restricting transgene expression exclusively to astrocytes has proven difficult. Using adeno-associated-virus-mediated gene transfer, we assessed two commonly used glial fibrillary acidic protein promoters: the full-length version gfa2 (2,210-bp human glial fibrillary acidic protein [GFAP] promoter) and the truncated variant gfaABC₁D (681-bp GFAP promoter). The capacity to drive efficient, but also cell-type specific, expression of the EGFP in astrocytes was tested both in vitro in rat primary cortical cultures as well as in vivo in the rat striatum. We observed an efficient, but not entirely astrocyte-specific, gfa2-driven reporter expression. gfaABC₁D exhibited a weaker activity, and most importantly, off-target, neuronal expression of the transgene o

SUBMITTER: Taschenberger G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5476465 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature