Lust Katharina, Tanaka Elly M
Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Sciences (IMBA), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Vienna 1030, Austria.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2025 Mar 11;122(10):e2421373122. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2421373122. Epub 2025 Mar 5.
Axolotls are amphibian models for studying nervous system evolution, development, and regeneration. Tools to visualize and manipulate cells of the axolotl nervous system with high-efficiency, spatial and temporal precision are therefore greatly required. Recombinant adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) are frequently used for in vivo gene transfer of the nervous system but virus-mediated gene delivery to the axolotl nervous system has not yet been described. Here, we demonstrate the use of AAVs for efficient gene transfer within the axolotl brain, the spinal cord, and the retina. We show that serotypes AAV8, AAV9, and AAVPHP.eB are suitable viral vectors to infect both excitatory and inhibitory neuronal populations of the axolotl brain. We further use AAV9 to trace retrograde and anterograde projections between the retina and the brain and identify a cell population projecting from the brain to the retina. Together, our work establishes AAVs as a powerful tool to interrogate neuronal organization in the axolotl.
美西螈是用于研究神经系统进化、发育和再生的两栖动物模型。因此,非常需要能够高效、在空间和时间上精确地可视化和操纵美西螈神经系统细胞的工具。重组腺相关病毒(AAV)常用于神经系统的体内基因转移,但病毒介导的基因传递到美西螈神经系统尚未见报道。在这里,我们展示了AAV在美西螈脑、脊髓和视网膜内进行高效基因转移的应用。我们表明,血清型AAV8、AAV9和AAVPHP.eB是感染美西螈脑内兴奋性和抑制性神经元群体的合适病毒载体。我们进一步使用AAV9追踪视网膜和脑之间的逆行和顺行投射,并确定从脑投射到视网膜的细胞群体。总之,我们的工作确立了AAV作为研究美西螈神经元组织的有力工具。