GREEN FLUORESCENT PROTEIN AS A REPORTER FOR RETROVIRUS AND HELPER VIRUS-FREE HSV-1 AMPLICON VECTOR-MEDIATED GENE-TRANSFER INTO NEURAL CELLSIN CULTURE AND IN-VIVO

GREEN fluorescent protein (GFP) is an effective marker for retrovirus and herpes virus vector-mediated gene transfer into various central ne rvous system-derived cells, both proliferative and non-proliferative, in culture and in vivo. Retrovirus vectors were used to stably transdu ce several rat and human glioma lines, and a multipotent mouse neural progenitor line in culture. Implantation of selected pools of transduc ed glioma cells into rodent brain allowed clear visualization of the t umor and the invading tumor edge. Helper virus-free HSV-1 amplicon vec tors successfully transferred gfp into non-dividing primary neural cel ls in culture and in the rat brain. This study describes the versatili ty of GFP for: (i) labelling of glioma cells in experimental brain tum or models and neural progenitor cells by retrovirus vectors, and (ii) efficient, non-toxic delivery of genes to Post mitotic cells of the ne rvous system using helper-virus free HSV-1 amplicon vectors.