Retrograde transfer of replication deficient recombinant adenovirus vector in the central nervous system for tracing studies

We assessed the application of a replication deficient recombinant adenovirus vector as a retrograde tracer in neural pathway studies. The adenovirus vector, Ad.RSV beta gal, containing the intracellular marker gene, B-galactosidase, was injected directly into the laterodorsal striatum of rats. The retrograde transport of the vector from the injection site was clearly visible in the cerebral cortex, thalamic nucleus, and substantia nigra. No evidence for anterograde transport of the vector was found. When the vector was injected into the genu of the corpus callosum, little uptake of the vector by fibers was noted which suggested that uptake by fibers-of-passage should not be a problem in tracing studies. The present study demonstrates that adenoviral vectors can be useful retrograde tracers in the study of afferent connections within the central nervous system.