Targeting of tetracycline-regulatable transgene expression specifically toneuronal and glial cell populations using adenoviral vectors

Targeting regulatable transgene expression specifically to neuronal or glia l cell populations would facilitate studies of CNS gene function. We have d eveloped the tetracycline (Tet) regulatable adenoviral system by expressing the Tet-off transactivator (tTA) under the control of the neuronal-specifi c synapsin I promoter and the well characterized glial-specific glial fibri llary acidic protein (GFAP) promoter. Transfection of primary hippocampal c ultures demonstrated that the respective promoters restricted reporter tran sgene expression exclusively to neuronal or glial populations. Delivery of the vectors into adult rat hippocampus resulted in a similar pattern of cel l-specific transgene expression. These novel vectors provide a highly effec tive means of directing regulated, cell-specific, transgene expression and as such are important tools for investigations of neuronal and glial cell f unction and advancing gene therapy studies. NeuroReport 11:2051-2055 (C) 20 00 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.