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Adenovirus-mediated gene transfer to retinal ganglion cells
1Laboratoire de Transfert de Gènes, Centre de Recherche Université Laval Robert-Giffard, Beauport, Québec, Canada.
Purpose:
To evaluate the capacity of a replication-defective adenoviral vector to transport retrogradely from the superior colliculus to the nuclei of retinal ganglion cells and to express in these cells vector-encoded transgene.
Methods:
A replication-deficient adenovirus encoding an expression cassette for the Escherichia coli gene lacZ was injected into the right superior colliculus of mice. Brain sections and both eyes were tested histochemically and/or immunohistochemically for E. coli beta-galactosidase (LacZ) activity at 3, 7, 14, and 30 days after injection.
Results:
lacZ expression was detected in the retinal ganglion cells of the contralateral eye at 7, 14, and 30 days after injection, but no expression was observed in the retina at 3 days after injection. No signs of retinal pathology was observed histologically. LacZ-positive cells also were found in other afferent systems to the superior colliculus, such as the reticular formation, layer V of the ipsilateral visual cortex, and pars reticulata of the ipsilateral substantia nigra.
Conclusions:
Injection of an adenovirus vector into the superior colliculus is an effective means to transfer and express a gene in retinal ganglion cells while avoiding damage to the eye tissues; thus, it represents a potentially useful tool to manipulate gene expression selectively in the retina.