Expression of biological activity analysis of recombinant adenovirus expression vector for receptor TrkC of neurotrophin-3

Objective: To detect the expression and the biological activity of a recombinant adenovirus expression vector carrying human neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) receptor TrkC gene (Adeno-TrkC) in neural stem cells. Methods: The expression of TrkC mRNA in 293 cells infected with Adeno-TrkC was detected by RT-PCR, and the expression of TrkC protein in neural stem cells infected by Adeno-TrkC was detected with immunocytochemistry and Western blotting. The effects of human neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) on the neural stem cells infected by Adeno-TrkC differentiating into neuron-like cells and astrocyte-like cells in vitro were observed. Results: The transcription of TrkC mRNA and the expression of TrkC protein was detected in 293 cells and neural stem cells infected by Adeno-TrkC. This kind of TrkC was able to make more neural stem cells differenting into neuron-like cells in vitro with its ligand NT-3 and the percentage of neuron-like cell's differentiation was 55.2% which was higher than that of other control groups. Conclusion: TrkC protein is expressed in neural stem cells transfected with Adeno-TrkC and is able to make neural stem cells differenting into neuron-like cells. The present study may provide the basis on gene therapy of central nervous injury using further NT-3 and TrkC.