Figure 2.

In vivo analysis of AdV vector-mediated neurotrophin expression by transduced OEG after implantation in the lesioned spinal cord. At 7 d after implantation, many cells expressing high levels of BDNF and NT-3 mRNA were detected in the lesion area. Animals implanted with uninfected or AdV-LacZ-transduced OEG (control implants) did not display such neurotrophin mRNA expression at the injury site. Transgene-expressing cells were nicely integrated in the host spinal cord bridging the injury site. Histological analysis of adjacent sections showed that these cells were detected within the confines of p75^NTR immunoreactivity, which identifies them as implanted OEG. Some additional labeling for p75^NTR (Schwann cells) was found at the lateral edges of the spinal cord, at the level of the dorsal root (dr) entry zone (dashed line). Visualization of the developing glial scar showed that the vast majority of transgene-expressing cells was present in the lesion center and surrounded by GFAP-positive reactive astrocytes. Scale bar, 100 μm.