AAV-Mediated Expression Of CNTF Promotes Long-Term Survival And Regeneration Of Adult Rat Retinal Ganglion Cells

Journal:
Gene Therapy (2006) 13, 1328–1341.

Authors:
S G Leaver, Q Cui, G W Plant, A Arulpragasam, S Hisheh, J Verhaagen and A R Harvey

Abstract

We compared the effects of intravitreal injection of bi-cistronic adeno-associated viral (AAV-2) vectors encoding enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP) and either ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) or growth-associated protein-43 (GAP43) on adult retinal ganglion cell (RGC) survival and regeneration following (i) optic nerve (ON) crush or (ii) after ON cut and attachment of a peripheral nerve (PN). At 7 weeks after ON crush, quantification of III-tubulin immunostaining revealed that, compared to AAV-GFP controls, RGC survival was not enhanced by AAV-GAP43-GFP but was increased in AAV-CNTF-GFP (mean RGCs/retina: 17 450 358 s.e.m.) and AAV-BDNF-GFP injected eyes (10 200 4064 RGCs/retina). ……more…..

Correspondence:
Dr AR Harvey, School of Anatomy and Human Biology, The University of Western Australia, M309, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
E-mail: arharvey@anhb.uwa.edu.au

(C) Gene Therapy.

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