NEURAL TOXICITY OF RETROVIRUSES

Recombinant retroviruses containing the cDNA for human tyrosine hydrox ylase-l and Escherichia coli lacZ gene were used to infect primary foe tal ventral mesencephalon and cortical cultures from rat brain. Severe neuronal toxicity resulted 3-4 days after infection, glial cells seem ed to be much more resistant. The toxicity was likely to have resulted from an agent present within the virus-containing medium itself, rath er than from the retrovirus itself. The results of this study indicate that retroviruses are not suitable vectors for the introduction of ty rosine hydroxylase into primary neuronal cultures. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.