ly detected in the dorsal column, deep dorsal horn and dorsal roots. This distribution was consistent with the prominent GFP labeling in the NF200-positive DRG neurons, which give rise to largediameter, myelinated primary afferents and the transport to the distal terminals. The lack of GFP labeling in the superficial layers paralleled the very modest expression of GFP in nociceptors. Importantly, there was almost no cell body labeling in the dorsal horn, suggesting that AAV5 vector either does not penetrate well into the gray matter or was not taken up by 
non-afferent neurons. It has been hypothesized that the viral vector may enter the DRG neurons through dorsal roots, which are accessible to intrathecally administered agents. In some rats, we did observe lower intensity GFP labeling in the ventral horn and white matter. Similar to dorsal horn labeling, ventral horn GFP was predominantly associated with nerve fibers. Occasionally we could see ventral horn cell bodies, presumably motor neurons labeled with GFP in the sacral region. The GFP labeling in the white matter was almost invariably associated with GFAP, suggesting it was of astrocyte origin. AAV5 was chosen over other serotypes for superior transduction efficacy in the DRG as evidenced by GFP expression, a finding consistent with a previous report. In our preliminary study, IT AAV2 and 6 produced no detectable GFP expression, neither in the DRG nor in spinal cord, although a previous study reported superb transduction in mouse DRG by IT AAV6. AAV8 and AAV9 produced substantial amount of GFP in some DRG neurons PubMed ID:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22190001 however the purchase 910232-84-7 diffusion was limited compared to AAV5. We think low dose was a possible reason to explain why those vectors were outperformed by AAV5 in our preliminary study. Interestingly, different AAV serotypes seem to target different populations of neurons even with the same route of delivery. Intrathecal AAV6 preferentially transduced nociceptors while AAV9 produced considerable labeling in motor neurons. The mechanism behind these preferences remains to be deciphered. An important observation was that GFP expression was largely confined to the lumbar area. Few cells from the cervical and thoracic DRGs were labeled with detectable GFP. Indeed, there was no GFP expression in the cervical or thoracic dorsal horn. The weak GFP expression that was restricted to the dorsal column likely comes from the proprioceptive primary afferent neurons at the lumbar level. This spatial localization of viral transduction reflects the lack of prominent cerebrospinal fluid movement 6 In Vivo DRG Gene Knockdown Mediated by AAV5 pattern in the intrathecal space. Indeed, many studies have shown that the circulation of the CSF is limited and the diffusion of large particles in the CSF is relatively slow. The spatially limited transduction is of particular advantage where targeting of only the lumbar DRGs is desired. The spatial confinement of transduction, as is the distribution of most intrathecally delivered agents, can be manipulated by changing the positioning of the catheter tip and the volume of viral vector dosing. Smaller volumes would likely be useful under these circumstances for targeting of a yet fewer number of DRGs. For transduction of a specific ganglion, a direct injection may be more appropriate, but that brings out the issue regarding the likelihood of injury. mTOR is distributed in all populations of DRG neurons, where it has been implicated in peripheral nociception. In th
