Fig. 1: Targeting astrocytes with the VSV-G envelope and an astrocyte promoter.

a Diagram of the astrocytic LV expressing fluorescent reporter genes under the control of the GfaABC1D and GfaABC1D(B)3 (G1B3 hereafter) promoters and the miR124T targeting sequence. b Representative images of cortical astrocyte cultures transduced with GfaABC1D-GFP-miR124T or G1B3-GFP-miR124T LV pseudotyped with the VSV-G envelope (scale bar: 100 μm). Much lower levels of GFP expression were observed with the GfaABC1D-GFP-miR124T than with G1B3-GFP-miR124T. Immunostaining demonstrated that transgene expression was restricted to GFAP-positive astrocytes (red). c Transduction of mouse cortical astrocytes using LV encoding a GFP reporter under the control of either a GfaABC1D or a G1B3 promoter demonstrated that the B3 enhancer increased transgene expression. Data are represented as means ± SD and were analyzed with GraphPad Prism. Unpaired t test was performed. d Images of GLT1-EGFP-positive astrocytes in the striatum of adult mice. e Transduced striatal cells expressing DsRedNuc. f Merged image of GLT-eGFP⁺ and DsRedNuc⁺ cells (scale bar: 50 μm). (g) High-magnification image showing the colocalization of DsRednuc and GFP (scale bar: 20 μm). h Analysis of astrocytic tropism with the quantification of DsRedNuc- and GLT1-positive cells expressed as a percentage ± SD.