Suppression of adult hippocampal neurogenesis due to Wnt3a lentivirus transduction

The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of lentivirus-induced Wnt3a overexpression in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus on the intensity of neurogenesis in this neurogenic zone of adult rats. Virus transduction resulting in local overproduction of Wnt3a was accompanied by a significant decrease in the density of doublecortin-positive cells in the transfected area. This may reflect the suppression of neuronal differentiation of cells generated in the hippocampus during adult neurogenesis. This effect was limited to the region of local overproduction of Wnt3a. A decreased level of doublecortin was not associated with any degenerative alterations in the dentate-gyrus tissue.