Use of Self-Complementary Adeno-Associated Virus Serotype 2 as a Tracer for Labeling Axons: Implications for Axon Regeneration

Researchers explored viral vectors to study axon regeneration after injury, focusing on self-complementary Adeno-Associated Virus (scAAV). They found scAAV2-GFP effectively labels long-projection axons in the corticospinal tract (CST), rubrospinal tract (RST), and central axons of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) in normal and lesioned animal models. The study compared scAAV2 with single-stranded (ss) AAV2 vectors. Results showed scAAV2 induced faster and stronger transgene expression in DRG neurons and their axons, highlighting its efficiency. In spinal cord lesion and dorsal root crush injury models, scAAV-GFP effectively labeled lesioned and regenerated axons near the lesion cavity and dorsal root entry zone (DREZ), demonstrating its potential for tracing axon regeneration after injury.

• 1
  scAAV2-GFP efficiently transduces neurons in the sensorimotor cortex, red nucleus, and DRG, with strong GFP expression transported anterogradely along axons to label numerous axon fibers from CST, RST, and central axons of DRG.
• 2
  scAAV2 vector induces faster and stronger transgene expression than the ssAAV2 vector in DRG neurons and their axons, as shown in co-labeled sections.
• 3
  scAAV-GFP efficiently labels lesioned and regenerated axons around the lesion cavity and the dorsal root entry zone (DREZ) in spinal cord lesion and dorsal root crush injury models.