Figure 2.

rAAV-delivered transgenes display robust hippocampal expression. (A) rAAV-Homer1c can transduce the entire rostro-caudal extent of the dorsal hippocampus. The H1-KO mouse in the figure was injected with a high dose rAAV-Homer1c into the CA1-CA3 dorsal hippocampus. The staining shows immunoreactivity to Homer1b/c in a H1-KO mouse expressing Homer1c transgene. (B) Transverse section of an H1-KO mouse injected with rAAV-Homer1c shows staining in hippocampus (Hpc) and hippocampal connections with cell bodies in prefrontal cortex due to retrograde transport of the viral vector. (C) GFP immunoreactivity is detected in rAAV-GFP injected KO mice in the hippocampal neurons, but also in cortex (ctx), resulting from anterograde transport of the gene product. (D) Transverse section of rAAV-GFP injected mice shows GFP immunoreactivity in the fornix (Fx), thalamic nuclei (Thl), septal nuclei (Spn) and cingulate cortex (Cg). (E) Representative Western blot showing Homer1c expression patterns in H1-KO mice injected with H1c or GFP, relative to LM-WT levels. Endogenous levels of Homer1c are half fold lower in LM-WT (SV129 and C57/BL/6 mixed genotype) when compared to the CB57BL/6 strain. (F) Expression levels were normalized to beta tubulin expression levels. Homer1c expression levels in the different experimental groups are represented as % relative to LM-WT ± SEM (n = 3 animals per group).