Name: subpial adeno-associated virus 9 (aav9) vector delivery in adult mice
Uploaded: 2017-07-13T12:30:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Subpial Adeno-associated Virus 9 AAV9 Vector Delivery in Adult Mice at JoVE.com

This study was supported by the SANPORC and ALSA Foundation grant (Martin Marsala); the National Sustainability Programme, project number LO1609 (Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports); and RVO: 67985904 (Stefan Juhas and Jana Juhasova).

These studies were carried out under a protocol approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of the University of California, San Diego and were in compliance with the Association for Assessment of Laboratory Animal Care guidelines for animal use. All studies were performed in such a manner as to minimize group size and animal suffering.
1. General Animal and Surgical Preparation
<ol>
	<li>Before starting the surgical procedure, thaw the virus (AAV9-UBI-GFP; 5 &#181;L ...

<ol>
	<li>Foust, K. D., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Intravascular+AAV9+preferentially+targets+neonatal+neurons+and+adult+astrocytes.">Intravascular AAV9 preferentially targets neonatal neurons and adult astrocytes.</a> Nat Biotechnol. 27 (1), 59-65 (2009).</li><li>Duque, S., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Intravenous+administration+of+self-complementary+AAV9+enables+transgene+delivery+to+adult+motor+neurons.">Intravenous administration of self-complementary AAV9 enables transgene delivery to adult motor neurons.</a> Mol Ther. 17 (7), 1187-1196 (2009).</li><li>Gray, S. J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Preclinical+differences+of+intravascular+AAV9+delivery+to+neurons+and+glia:+a+comparative+study+of+adult+mice+and+nonhuman+primates.">Preclinical differences of intravascular AAV9 delivery to neurons and glia: a comparative study of adult mice and nonhuman primates.</a> Mol Ther. 19 (6), 1058-1069 (2011).</li><li>Meyer, K., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Improving+single+injection+CSF+delivery+of+AAV9-mediated+gene+therapy+for+SMA:+a+dose-response+study+in+mice+and+nonhuman+primates.">Improving single injection CSF delivery of AAV9-mediated gene therapy for SMA: a dose-response study in mice and nonhuman primates.</a> Mol Ther. 23 (3), 477-487 (2015).</li><li>Foust, K. D., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Therapeutic+AAV9-mediated+suppression+of+mutant+SOD1+slows+disease+progression+and+extends+survival+in+models+of+inherited+ALS.">Therapeutic AAV9-mediated suppression of mutant SOD1 slows disease progression and extends survival in models of inherited ALS.</a> Mol Ther. 21 (12), 2148-2159 (2013).</li><li>Passini, M. A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Translational+fidelity+of+intrathecal+delivery+of+self-complementary+AAV9-survival+motor+neuron+1+for+spinal+muscular+atrophy.">Translational fidelity of intrathecal delivery of self-complementary AAV9-survival motor neuron 1 for spinal muscular atrophy.</a> Hum Gene Ther. 25 (7), 619-630 (2014).</li><li>Bell, P., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Motor+neuron+transduction+after+intracisternal+delivery+of+AAV9+in+a+cynomolgus+macaque.">Motor neuron transduction after intracisternal delivery of AAV9 in a cynomolgus macaque.</a> Hum Gene Ther Methods. 26 (2), 43-44 (2015).</li><li>Miyanohara, A., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Potent+spinal+parenchymal+AAV9-mediated+gene+delivery+by+subpial+injection+in+adult+rats+and+pigs.">Potent spinal parenchymal AAV9-mediated gene delivery by subpial injection in adult rats and pigs.</a> Mol Ther Methods Clin Dev. 3, 16046 (2016).</li><li>Xu, Q., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=In+vivo+gene+knockdown+in+rat+dorsal+root+ganglia+mediated+by+self-complementary+adeno-associated+virus+serotype+5+following+intrathecal+delivery.">In vivo gene knockdown in rat dorsal root ganglia mediated by self-complementary adeno-associated virus serotype 5 following intrathecal delivery.</a> PLoS One. 7 (3), 32581 (2012).</li><li>Xiao, X., Li, J., Samulski, R. J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Production+of+high-titer+recombinant+adeno-associated+virus+vectors+in+the+absence+of+helper+adenovirus.">Production of high-titer recombinant adeno-associated virus vectors in the absence of helper adenovirus.</a> J Virol. 72 (3), 2224-2232 (1998).</li></ol>

The current study describes a technique of subpial vector (AAV9) delivery in adult mice. As demonstrated in the accompanying video, this approach and technique can effectively be used, provided that the required instruments and pia-penetrating needle and subpial injection needle are properly manufactured, according to the established and tested specifications.
Critical Technical Variables in Performing a Consistent and Safe Subpial Injection in Mice: 
As demonstrated, a s...

The use of AAV vectors to treat a variety of spinal cord and CNS neurodegenerative disorders is becoming a well-accepted platform to effectively upregulate or silence the expression of gene(s) of interest. One of the key limitations to the more effective utilization of this technology to treat CNS/spinal cord disorders is the limited ability to deliver AAV vector(s) to the deep brain or spinal cord parenchyma in adult mammals.
It was demonstrated, for example, that the systemic delivery of AAV9 in adult rodents, cats, or non-human primates is only moderately effective at inducing transgene expression in neurons in the brain and spinal cord1,2,3. The more effective intrathecal delivery of AAV9 vectors has also been shown to lead to only limited transgene expression in anatomically-defined pools of neurons. More specifically, it has been demonstrated that cisternal or lumbo-sacral intrathecal AAV9 delivery in non-human primates, pigs, or rodents leads to a high level of transgene expression in spinal &#945;-motoneurons and segmental dorsal root ganglion neurons. However, minimal or no expression in spinal interneurons or ascending or descending axons in the white matter is seen4,5,6,7. Collectively, these data show that a highly effective biological-anatomical barrier exists, which prevents the diffusion of intrathecally delivered AAV into deeper spinal parenchyma.
In a previous study using adult rats and pigs, a novel subpial vector delivery technique was developed8. Using this approach, highly potent and multi-segmental transgene expression was demonstrated after a single-bolus subpial AAV9 delivery. Intense GFP expression was consistently seen in neurons, glial cells, and descending/ascending axons through the injected spinal segments. This study demonstrated for the first time that the pia mater represents the primary barrier limiting effective AAV9 diffusion into the spinal parenchyma from the intrathecal space. While this previously developed technique and subpial injection device is relatively easy to use in large rodents (like rats) or adult pigs, the system is not suitable for use in small animals, such as adult mice. Because of the high number of available transgenic mouse models of a variety of neurodegenerative disorders, there is a clear need for the development of an effective spinal-parenchymal vector delivery technique in mice. The availability of such a technique would permit the study of the effect of specific gene silencing (e.g., using shRNA) or upregulation using cell-non-specific (e.g., cytomegalovirus-CMV or Ubiquitin) or cell-specific (e.g., synapsin or glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)) promoters during early postnatal development or under diseased conditions.
Accordingly, in the present study, we have developed and validated a miniature subpial vector delivery system that can effectively be used in adult mice. Similarly, as in previous rat and pig studies, this work demonstrates potent transgene expression throughout the spinal parenchyma after a single-bolus subpial AAV9 delivery in mice. The simplicity of this approach, the very good tolerability of injected mice to subpial AAV9 delivery, and the high potency of transgene expression in the spinal parenchyma suggest that this technique can effectively be implemented in any laboratory setting and used in experiments targeting spinal gene expression.

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			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:255px;">C57BL/6J Mice</td>
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			<td colspan="2">UCSD Viral Vector Core Laboratory</td>
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subpial adeno-associated virus 9 (aav9) vector delivery in adult mice

The successful development of a subpial adeno-associated virus 9 (AAV9) vector delivery technique in adult rats and pigs has been reported on previously. Using subpially-placed polyethylene catheters (PE-10 or PE-5) for AAV9 delivery, potent transgene expression through the spinal parenchyma (white and gray matter) in subpially-injected spinal segments has been demonstrated. Because of the wide range of transgenic mouse models of neurodegenerative diseases, there is a strong desire for the development of a potent central nervous system (CNS)-targeted vector delivery technique in adult mice. Accordingly, the present study describes the development of a spinal subpial vector delivery device and technique to permit safe and effective spinal AAV9 delivery in adult C57BL/6J mice. In spinally immobilized and anesthetized mice, the pia mater (cervical 1 and lumbar 1-2 spinal segmental level) was incised with a sharp 34 G needle using an XYZ manipulator. A second XYZ manipulator was then used to advance a blunt 36G needle into the lumbar and/or cervical subpial space. The AAV9 vector (3-5 &#181;L; 1.2 x 1013 genome copies (gc)) encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP) was then injected subpially. After injections, neurological function (motor and sensory) was assessed periodically, and animals were perfusion-fixed 14 days after AAV9 delivery with 4% paraformaldehyde. Analysis of horizontal or transverse spinal cord sections showed transgene expression throughout the entire spinal cord, in both gray and white matter. In addition, intense retrogradely-mediated GFP expression was seen in the descending motor axons and neurons in the motor cortex, nucleus ruber, and formatio reticularis. No neurological dysfunction was noted in any animals. These data show that the subpial vector delivery technique can successfully be used in adult mice, without causing procedure-related spinal cord injury, and is associated with highly potent transgene expression throughout the spinal neuraxis.

Potent Transgene Expression in Subpially AAV9-injected Segments: 
The analysis of transgene (GFP) expression in spinal cord sections at 14 days after AAV9 delivery showed AAV9-dose dependent GFP expression throughout the spinal parenchyma. First, two bilateral 3 &#181;L injections of AAV9-UBI-GFP injected into the upper lumbar subpial space were associated with the near-complete infection of the white and gray matter in the whole lumbar spinal cord, extending to the ...

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Subpial Adeno-associated Virus 9 AAV9 Vector Delivery in Adult Mice at JoVE.com

Subpial Adeno-associated Virus 9 AAV9 Vector Delivery in Adult Mice

The goal of the present study was to develop and validate the potency and safety of spinal adeno-associated virus 9 (AAV9)-mediated gene delivery by using a novel subpial gene delivery technique in adult mice.

Subpial Adeno-associated Virus 9 (AAV9) Vector Delivery in Adult Mice

The successful development of a subpial adeno-associated virus 9 (AAV9) vector delivery technique in adult rats and pigs has been reported on previously. ...

The overall goal of this subpial AAV9 delivery technique is to achieve a potent spinal parenchymal transgene expression throughout the entire length of spinal chord in adult mice. This method can facilitate studies targeted to manipulate spinal gene expression and help to understand the mechanism of several spinal neurodegenerative disorders including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, spinal traumatic injury, or chronic pain. The main advantage of this technique is that highly potent transgene expression is achieved through the spinal gray and white matter in multiple spinal segments, which are adjacent to subpial AAV9 injected segment.Visual demonstration of this method is critical because the dura-opening step and placement of subpial needle are difficult to learn without visual demonstration. Demonstrating the procedure will be Takahiro Tadokoro, a post-doctorate fellow in our laboratory. Begin by properly anesthetizing the animal for surgery, isoflurane is used here.Ensure the absence of a paw pinch response before proceeding, then cover the eyes with ophthalmic ointment. Next, shave the back of the animal with clippers and clean the skin with 2%chlorhexidine. If lumbar subpial injections are to be performed, cut the skin overlying the T8 to L1 vertebrae with a scalpel and then use scissors to detach the paravertebral muscle from the T10 to T12 spinal vertebrae.Mount the animal into a standard stereotaxic frame, using mouse spinal clamps. Next, use a dental drill to shave both sides of the lamina of the T10 to T12 vertebrae until cracks appear then use forceps to remove cracked bone fragments and expose the dorsal surface of the lumbar spinal chord. The dura is now visible, use a 30 gauge stainless steel needle to make a one to two millimeter incision into the dura.It is important to carefully cut open the dura to avoid injury to the underlying pia membrane. Now, grasp the edge of the cut dura with forceps and extend the dura opening for up to five millimeters. If cervical subpial injections are to be performed, immobilize the head of the mouse by placing the head into a stereotaxic frame using ear bars and use scissors to make a 1.5 to two centimeter incision in the dorsal neck skin to expose the C1 and C2 segments and occipital bone.Then, shave a portion of exposed occipital bone using a dental drill and remove the bone fragments using forceps. Then, use a 23 gauge stainless steel needle and forceps to remove the atlanto occipital membrane of the cisterna magna. Use cotton swabs to clean the incision site of any tissue and bone debris, then cut open the dura, making a two to three millimeter incision.Mount the 34 gauge pia-penetrating needle and 36 gauge injection needle on to the Z arms of two separate X, Y, Z manipulators using glass capillary holders. Next, use a 50 microliter microsyringe connected with PE10 or PE20 tubing to load AAV9-UBI-GFP virus. After the virus is loaded, connect the end of the tubing to the injection needle.Next, while looking through a surgical dissecting scope set to eight to ten X magnification, use the X arm to lower the pia-penetrating needle into the pia to a depth of one millimeter. Keep the angle of the penetrating needle at five to 10 degrees relative to the tissue surface. After opening the pia, use the X arm to remove the pia penetrating needle from the subpial space.Note the penetrated site using a landmark such as a blood vessel. Move the X, Y, and Z arms of the second manipulator to position the tip of the AAV9 virus loaded injection needle into the pia penetrated site. Then, after inserting the tip of the injection needle about 0.5 millimeters in to the subpial space, use the Z arm to lift the pia about 0.3 millimeters, then use the X arm to continue advancing the needle horizontally into the subpial space.Advance the needle until it enters the subpial space at a depth of about two to three millimeters, then use the 50 microliter microsyringe to inject the AAV9-UBI-GFP virus into the subpial space. Remove the injection needle from the subpial space after the AAV9-UBI-GFP injection is complete. Close the muscle and skin using foromonofilament suture and surgical clips.Allow the animal to recover on a heating pad before housing in a clean cage. Two bilateral injections of AAV9-UBI-GFP were delivered into the upper lumbar subpial space and the animals were profusion fixed 14 days after AAV9 delivery. Intense GFP expression is seen in the gray matter located within the dotted area and white matter outside the dotted area.This extends from the lumbar to the upper thoracic segments in animals injected with three plus three microliters of AAV9. Animals injected with a lower volume of AAV9 have less intense expression of GFP. The following images depict potent retrograde and anterograde AAV9-UBI-GFP mediated GFP expression in brain motor and sensory centers.This low-power image clearly shows the presence of intense GFP positivity in the cervical spinal cord, medulla oblongata, cerebellum, and motor cortex. This high-power image taken from a sagittal brain section shows the presence of GFP florescence in neurons in the reticular formation, nucleus ruber, and axons of the spinocerebellar tract. This lower-power image taken from a coronal brain section demonstrates the presence of GFP florescence in pyramidal neurons in the motor cortex and in the terminals of the spinothalamic tract in areas of the reticular thalamic nuclei.Finally, this high-power image demonstrates an intense GFP expression in pyramidal neurons in the motor cortex. Once mastered, this technique can be completed in 30 to 40 minute. The use of this technique by researchers in the field of neuroscience will be an effective tool to study the role of specific genes in the evolution of spinal degenerative disorders.It will also help to explore potential treatment efficacy by suppressing mutated genes known to be linked with progressive spinal neuronal degeneration as in the familiar form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

subpial-adeno-associated-virus-9-aav9-vector-delivery-in-adult-mice

Research

JoVE Journal

Neuroscience

Intracranial Injection of Adeno-associated Viral Vectors

Intracranial injection of viral vectors engineered to express a fluorescent protein is a versatile labeling technique for visualization of specific subsets of cells in different brain regions both in vivo and in brain sections. Unlike the injection of fluorescent dyes, viral labeling offers targeting of individual cell types and is less expensive and time consuming than establishing transgenic mouse lines. In this technique, an adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector is injected intracranially using stereotaxic coordinates, a micropipette and an automated pump for precise delivery of AAV to the desired area with minimal damage to the surrounding tissue. Injection parameters can be tailored to individual experiments by adjusting the animal age at injection, injection location, volume of injection, rate of injection, AAV serotype and the promoter driving gene expression. Depending on the conditions chosen, virally-induced transgene expression can allow visualization of groups of cells, individual cells or fine cellular processes, down to the level of dendritic spines. The experiment shown here depicts an injection of double-stranded AAV expressing green fluorescent protein for the labeling of neurons and glia in the mouse primary visual cortex.

Here we present the intracranial injection of AAV vectors for fluorescent labeling of neurons and glia in the visual cortex.

Intracranial injection of viral vectors engineered to express a fluorescent protein is a versatile labeling technique for visualization of specific ...

Methods and Tips for Intravenous Administration of Adeno-associated Virus to Rats and Evaluation of Central Nervous System Transduction

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors are a key reagent in the neurosciences for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR), optogenetics, cre-lox targeting, etc. The purpose of this manuscript is to aid the investigator attempting expansive central nervous system (CNS) gene transfer in the rat via tail vein injection of AAV. Wide-scale expression is relevant for conditions with widespread pathology, and a rat model is significant due to its greater size and physiologic similarities to humans compared to mice. In this example application, a wide-scale neuronal transduction is used to mimic a neurodegenerative disease that affects the entire spinal cord, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The efficient wide-scale CNS transduction can also be used to deliver therapeutic protein factors in pre-clinical studies. After a post-injection expression interval of several weeks, the effects of the transduction are evaluated. For a green fluorescent protein (GFP) control vector, the amount of GFP in the cerebellum is estimated quickly and reliably by a basic imaging program. For motor disease phenotypes that are induced by the ALS related protein transactive response DNA-binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43), the deficits are scored by escape reflex and rotarod. Beyond disease modeling and gene therapy, there are diverse potential applications for the wide-scale gene targeting described here. The expanded use of this method will aid in expediting hypothesis testing in the neurosciences and neurogenetics.

Methods for a wide-scale central nervous system gene delivery in the rat are covered. In this example, the purpose is to mimic a disease that affects the entire spinal cord. The widespread transduction can be used to deliver a therapeutic protein to the CNS from a one-time, peripheral administration.

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors are a key reagent in the neurosciences for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR), ...

Visualization and Live Imaging of Oligodendrocyte Organelles in Organotypic Brain Slices Using Adeno-associated Virus and Confocal Microscopy

Neurons rely on the electric insulation and trophic support of myelinating oligodendrocytes. Despite the importance of oligodendrocytes, the advanced tools currently used to study neurons, have only partly been taken on by oligodendrocyte researchers. Cell type-specific staining by viral transduction is a useful approach to study live organelle dynamics. This paper describes a protocol for visualizing oligodendrocyte mitochondria in organotypic brain slices by transduction with adeno-associated virus (AAV) carrying genes for mitochondrial targeted fluorescent proteins under the transcriptional control of the myelin basic protein promoter. It includes the protocol for making organotypic coronal mouse brain slices. A procedure for time-lapse imaging of mitochondria then follows. These methods can be transferred to other organelles and may be particularly useful for studying organelles in the myelin sheath. Finally, we describe a readily available technique for visualization of unstained myelin in living slices by Confocal Reflectance microscopy (CoRe). CoRe requires no extra equipment and can be useful to identify the myelin sheath during live imaging.

Myelinating oligodendrocytes promote rapid action potential propagation and neuronal survival. Described here is a protocol for oligodendrocyte-specific expression of fluorescent proteins in organotypic brain slices with subsequent time-lapse imaging. Further, a simple procedure for visualizing unstained myelin is presented.

Neurons rely on the electric insulation and trophic support of myelinating oligodendrocytes. Despite the importance of oligodendrocytes, the advanced ...

Adeno-associated Virus-mediated Transgene Expression in Genetically Defined Neurons of the Spinal Cord

Selective manipulation of spinal neuronal subpopulations has mainly been achieved by two different methods: 1) Intersectional genetics, whereby double or triple transgenic mice are generated in order to achieve selective expression of a reporter or effector gene (e.g., from the Rosa26 locus) in the desired spinal population. 2) Intraspinal injection of Cre-dependent recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV); here Cre-dependent AAV vectors coding for the reporter or effector gene of choice are injected into the spinal cord of mice expressing Cre recombinase in the desired neuronal subpopulation. This protocol describes how to generate Cre-dependent rAAV vectors and how to transduce neurons in the dorsal horn of the lumbar spinal cord segments L3-L5 with rAAVs. As the lumbar spinal segments L3-L5 are innervated by those peripheral sensory neurons that transmit sensory information from the hindlimbs, spontaneous behavior and responses to sensory tests applied to the hindlimb ipsilateral to the injection side can be analyzed in order to interrogate the function of the manipulated neurons in sensory processing. We provide examples of how this technique can be used to analyze genetically defined subsets of spinal neurons. The main advantages of virus-mediated transgene expression in Cre transgenic mice compared to classical reporter mouse-induced transgene expression are the following: 1) Different Cre-dependent rAAVs encoding various reporter or effector proteins can be injected into a single Cre transgenic line, thus overcoming the need to create several multiple transgenic mouse lines. 2) Intraspinal injection limits manipulation of Cre-expressing cells to the injection site and to the time after injection. The main disadvantages are: 1) Reporter gene expression from rAAVs is more variable. 2) Surgery is required to transduce the spinal neurons of interest. Which of the two methods is more appropriate depends on the neuron population and research question to be addressed.

Intraspinal injection of recombinase dependent recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) can be used to manipulate any genetically labelled cell type in the spinal cord. Here we describe how to transduce neurons in the dorsal horn of the lumbar spinal cord. This technique enables functional interrogation of the manipulated neuron subtype.

Selective manipulation of spinal neuronal subpopulations has mainly been achieved by two different methods: 1) Intersectional genetics, whereby double or ...

Direct Intrathecal Injection of Recombinant Adeno-associated Viruses in Adult Mice

Intrathecal (IT) injection of adeno-associated virus (AAV) has drawn considerable interest in CNS gene therapy by virtue of its safety, noninvasiveness, and excellent transduction efficacy in the CNS.&#160;Previous studies have demonstrated the therapeutic potency of AAV-delivered gene therapy in neurodegenerative disorders by IT administration. However, high rates of unpredictable failure due to the technical limitation of IT administration in small animals have been reported. Here, we established a scoring system to indicate the success extent of lumbar puncture in small animals by adding 1% lidocaine hydrochloride into the injection solution. We further show that the extent of transient weakness following injection can predict the transduction efficiency of AAV. Thus, this IT injection method can be used to optimize therapeutic trials in mouse models of CNS diseases that afflict wide regions of the CNS.

Here we present a direct intrathecal injection technique using 1% lidocaine hydrochloride in a viral solution to ensure efficient adeno-associated virus delivery to small animals and establish a scoring system to predict transduction efficiency in the central nervous system according to the degree of transient weakness induced by lidocaine.

Intrathecal (IT) injection of adeno-associated virus (AAV) has drawn considerable interest in CNS gene therapy by virtue of its safety, noninvasiveness, ...

Production, Purification, and Quality Control for Adeno-associated Virus-based Vectors

Gene delivery tools based on adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) are a popular choice for the delivery of transgenes to the central nervous system (CNS), including gene therapy applications. AAV vectors are non-replicating, able to infect both dividing and non-dividing cells&#160;and provide long-term transgene expression. Importantly, some serotypes, such as the newly described PHP.B, can cross the blood-brain-barrier (BBB) in animal models, following systemic delivery. AAV vectors can be efficiently produced in the laboratory. However, robust and reproducible protocols are required to obtain AAV vectors with sufficient purity levels and titer values high enough for in vivo applications. This protocol describes an efficient and reproducible strategy for AAV vector production, based on an iodixanol gradient purification strategy. The iodixanol purification method is suitable for obtaining batches of high-titer AAV vectors of high purity, when compared to other purification methods. Furthermore, the protocol is generally faster than other methods currently described. In addition, a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)-based strategy is described for a fast and accurate determination of the vector titer, as well as a silver staining method to determine the purity of the vector batch. Finally, representative results of gene delivery to the CNS, following systemic administration of AAV-PHP.B, are presented. Such results should be possible in all labs using the protocols described in this article.

Here, we describe an efficient and reproducible strategy to produce, titer, and quality-control batches of adeno-associated virus vectors. It allows the user to obtain a vector preparation with high-titer&#160;(&#8805;1 x 1013 vector genomes/mL) and a high purity, ready for in vitro or in vivo use.

Gene delivery tools based on adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) are a popular choice for the delivery of transgenes to the central nervous system (CNS), ...

Convection Enhanced Delivery of Optogenetic Adeno-associated Viral Vector to the Cortex of Rhesus Macaque Under Guidance of Online MRI Images

In non-human primate (NHP) optogenetics, infecting large cortical areas with viral vectors is often a difficult and time-consuming task. Here, we demonstrate the use of magnetic resonance (MR)-guided convection enhanced delivery (CED) of optogenetic viral vectors into primary somatosensory (S1) and motor (M1) cortices of macaques to obtain efficient, widespread cortical expression of light-sensitive ion channels. Adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors encoding the red-shifted opsin C1V1 fused to yellow fluorescent protein (EYFP) were injected into the cortex of rhesus macaques under MR-guided CED. Three months post-infusion, epifluorescent imaging confirmed large regions of optogenetic expression (&#62;130 mm2) in M1 and S1 in two macaques. Furthermore, we were able to record reliable light-evoked electrophysiology responses from the expressing areas using micro-electrocorticographic arrays. Later histological analysis and immunostaining against the reporter revealed widespread and dense optogenetic expression in M1 and S1 corresponding to the distribution indicated by epifluorescent imaging. This technique enables us to obtain expression across large areas of the cortex within a shorter period of time with minimal damage compared to the traditional techniques and can be an optimal approach for optogenetic viral delivery in large animals such as NHPs. This approach demonstrates great potential for network-level manipulation of neural circuits with cell-type specificity in animal models evolutionarily close to humans.&#160;

Here, we demonstrate magnetic resonance (MR)-guided convection enhanced delivery (CED) of viral vectors into the cortex as an efficient and simplified approach for achieving optogenetic expression across large cortical areas in the macaque brain.

In non-human primate (NHP) optogenetics, infecting large cortical areas with viral vectors is often a difficult and time-consuming task. Here, we ...

Electrocorticographic Recording of Cerebral Cortex Areas Manipulated Using an Adeno-Associated Virus Targeting Cofilin in Mice

The use of electrocorticographic (ECoG) recordings in rodents is relevant to sleep research and to the study of a wide range of neurological conditions. Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) are increasingly used to improve understanding of brain circuits and their functions. The AAV-mediated manipulation of specific cell populations and/or of precise molecular components has been tremendously useful to identify new sleep regulatory circuits/molecules and key proteins contributing to the adverse effects of sleep loss. For instance, inhibiting activity of the filamentous actin-severing protein&#160;cofilin&#160;using AAV prevents sleep deprivation-induced memory impairment. Here, a protocol is&#160;described that combines the manipulation of cofilin function in a cerebral cortex area with the recording of ECoG activity to examine whether cortical cofilin modulates the wakefulness and sleep ECoG signals. AAV injection is performed during the same surgical procedure as the implantation of ECoG and electromyographic (EMG) electrodes in adult male and female mice. Mice are anesthetized, and their heads are shaved. After skin cleaning and incision, stereotaxic coordinates of the motor cortex are determined, and the skull is pierced at this location. A cannula prefilled with an AAV expressing cofilinS3D, an inactive form of cofilin, is slowly positioned in the cortical tissue. After AAV infusion, gold-covered screws (ECoG electrodes) are screwed through the skull and cemented to the skull with gold wires inserted in the neck muscles (EMG electrodes). The animals are allowed three weeks to recover and to ensure sufficient expression of cofilinS3D. The infected area and cell type are verified using immunohistochemistry, and the ECoG is analyzed using visual identification of vigilance states and spectral analysis. In summary, this combined methodological approach allows the investigation of the precise contribution of molecular components regulating neuronal morphology and connectivity to the regulation of synchronized cerebral cortex activity during wakefulness and sleep.

This article describes a protocol for the manipulation of molecular targets in the cerebral cortex using adeno-associated viruses and for monitoring the effects of this manipulation during wakefulness and sleep using electrocorticographic recordings.

The use of electrocorticographic (ECoG) recordings in rodents is relevant to sleep research and to the study of a wide range of neurological conditions. ...

Time-Lapse Imaging of Neuronal Arborization using Sparse Adeno-Associated Virus Labeling of Genetically Targeted Retinal Cell Populations

Discovering mechanisms that pattern dendritic arbors requires methods to visualize, image, and analyze dendrites during development. The mouse retina is a powerful model system for the investigation of cell type-specific mechanisms of neuronal morphogenesis and connectivity. The organization and composition of retinal subtypes are well-defined, and genetic tools are available to access specific types during development. Many retinal cell types also constrain their dendrites and/or axons to narrow layers, which facilitates time-lapse imaging. Mouse retina explant cultures are well suited for live-cell imaging using confocal or multiphoton microscopy, but methods optimized for imaging dendrite dynamics with temporal and structural resolution are lacking. Presented here is a method to sparsely label and image the development of specific retinal populations marked by the Cre-Lox system. Commercially available adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) used here expressed membrane-targeted fluorescent proteins in a Cre-dependent manner. Intraocular delivery of AAVs in neonatal mice produces fluorescent labeling of targeted cell types by 4-5 days post-injection (dpi). The membrane fluorescent signals are detectable by confocal imaging and resolve fine branch structures and dynamics. High-quality videos spanning 2-4 h are acquired from imaging retinal flat-mounts perfused with oxygenated artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF). Also provided is an image postprocessing pipeline for deconvolution and three-dimensional (3D) drift correction. This protocol can be used to capture several cellular behaviors in the intact retina and to identify novel factors controlling neurite morphogenesis. Many developmental strategies learned in the retina will be relevant for understanding the formation of neural circuits elsewhere in the central nervous system.

Here, we present a method for investigating neurite morphogenesis in postnatal mouse retinal explants by time-lapse confocal microscopy. We describe an approach for sparse labeling and acquisition of retinal cell types and their fine processes using recombinant adeno-associated virus vectors that express membrane-targeted fluorescent proteins in a Cre-dependent manner.

Discovering mechanisms that pattern dendritic arbors requires methods to visualize, image, and analyze dendrites during development. The mouse retina is a ...

Lumbar Puncture Delivery of AAV9 in Juvenile Rats for CNS Gene Therapy

Intrathecal Vector Delivery in Juvenile Rats via Lumbar Cistern Injection

Gene therapy is a powerful technology to deliver new genes to a patient for the treatment of disease, be it to introduce a functional gene, inactivate a toxic gene, or provide a gene whose product can modulate the biology of the disease. The delivery method for the therapeutic vector can take many forms, ranging from intravenous infusion for systemic delivery to direct injection into the target tissue. For neurodegenerative disorders, it is often desirable to skew transduction towards the brain and/or spinal cord. The least invasive approach to target the entire central nervous system involves injection into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), allowing the therapeutic to reach a large fraction of the central nervous system. The safest approach to deliver a vector into the CSF is the lumbar intrathecal injection, where a needle is introduced into the lumbar cistern of the spinal cord. This technique, also known as a lumbar puncture, has been widely used in neonatal and adult rodents and in large animal models. While the technique is similar across species and developmental stages, subtle differences in size, structure, and elasticity of tissues surrounding the intrathecal space require accommodations in the approach. This article describes a method for performing lumbar puncture in juvenile rats to deliver an adeno-associated serotype 9 vector. Here, 25-35 &#181;L of vector were injected into the lumbar cistern, and a green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter was used to evaluate the transduction profile resulting from each injection. The benefits and challenges of this approach are discussed.

Author Spotlight: Assessing Intrathecal Gene Therapy Efficacy in Juvenile Rats

A surgical procedure is described to perform injections into the lumbar cistern of the juvenile rat. This approach has been used for the intrathecal delivery of gene therapy vectors, but it is anticipated that this approach can be used for a variety of therapeutics, including cells and drugs.

Gene therapy is a powerful technology to deliver new genes to a patient for the treatment of disease, be it to introduce a functional gene, inactivate a ...