A LIVE NON-NEUROVIRULENT HERPES-SIMPLEX VIRUS VECTOR EXPRESSES BETA-GALACTOSIDASE IN THE NERVOUS-SYSTEM OF THE WISTAR AND SPRAGUE-DAWLEY STRAIN RAT FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD

We have constructed a live non-neurovirulent herpes simplex virus vect or expressing beta-galactosidase under the control of the latency asso ciated transcript promoter without inducing inflammation. Pathogenicit y of the recombinant virus (beta H1) was not observed in the cutaneous , intravenous and intracerebral infection in mice. When beta H1 was in oculated at the caudate putamen of rats, beta-galactosidase activity w as observed in neurons at the inoculation site and its projecting fron tal cortex. Expression of beta-galactosidase was observed in the neuro ns of the innervating dorsal root ganglia 45 days after inoculation of beta H1 into the hind paws of the rats. Neither inflammation nor tiss ue destruction was observed in both neural tissues in this study. Thus this non-neurovirulent recombinant virus is a suitable vector for exp ressing the foreign genes in the nervous system for the prolonged peri od. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.