HYBRID TETNUS TOXOID PROTEINS THAT MIGRATE RETROGRADELY AND TRANSYNAPTICALLY INTO THE CNS

摘要

The non-toxic proteolytic C fragment of tetanus toxin (TTC peptide) has the same ability to bind nerve cells and be retrogradely transported through a synapse as the native toxin. A hybrid protein encoded by the LacZ-TTC gene fusion retains the biological functions of both proteins in vivo, i.e. retrograde transynaptic transport of the TTC fragment andβgal enzymatic activity. After intramuscular injection, enzymatic activity can be detected in motoneurons and connected neurons of brainstem areas. This strategy is useful for the delivery of a biological activity to neurons from the periphery to the central nervous system. Such a hybrid protein can also be used to map synaptic connections between neural cells.