THE USE OF EPSTEIN-BARR VIRUS-BASED SHUTTLE VECTORS IN RAT PC12 CELLS

I, The rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cell line has been a commonly used mo del for studies of neuronal development, function, and death, Thus the ability to transfect PC12 cells in an efficient manner and to manipul ate their gene expression would enhance the usefulness of these cells, 2, We demonstrate that EBV-based vectors provide a useful expression system for gene manipulation in rat PC12 cells. 3, The EBV-based vecto rs replicate episomally in PC12 cells for at least 2 months, as eviden ce by their recovery from the transfected cells and by the digestion o f the episomal plasmid with the isoschizomer MboI and DpnI restriction enzymes. 3, PC12 cells are efficiently transfected by EBV-based vecto rs both transiently and stably, 4, Transfection of PC12 cells with an EBV-based vector containing tau cDNA in the antisense orientation resu lted in a decrease in the level of tau protein in the transfected cell s, 5. The results demonstrate that EBV-based vectors can be a useful e xpression system for gene manipulation in PC12 cells.