Controlled expression of transgenes introduced by in vivo electroporation

T Matsuda, CL Cepko - Proceedings of the National …, 2007 - National Acad Sciences
T Matsuda, CL Cepko
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2007National Acad Sciences
In vivo electroporation is a powerful technique for the introduction of genes into organisms.
Temporal and spatial regulation of expression of introduced genes, or of RNAi, would further
enhance the utility of this method. Here we demonstrate conditional regulation of gene
expression from electroporated plasmids in the postnatal rat retina and the embryonic
mouse brain. For temporal regulation, Cre/loxP-mediated inducible expression vectors were
used in combination with a vector expressing a conditionally active form of Cre …
In vivo electroporation is a powerful technique for the introduction of genes into organisms. Temporal and spatial regulation of expression of introduced genes, or of RNAi, would further enhance the utility of this method. Here we demonstrate conditional regulation of gene expression from electroporated plasmids in the postnatal rat retina and the embryonic mouse brain. For temporal regulation, Cre/loxP-mediated inducible expression vectors were used in combination with a vector expressing a conditionally active form of Cre recombinase, which is activated by 4-hydroxytamoxifen. Onset of gene expression was regulated by the timing of 4-hydroxytamoxifen administration. For spatial regulation, transgenes were expressed by using promoters specific for rod photoreceptors, bipolar cells, amacrine cells, Müller glia or progenitor cells. Combinations of these constructs will facilitate a variety of experiments, including cell-type-specific gene misexpression, conditional RNAi, and fate mapping of progenitor and precursor cells.
National Acad Sciences