Targeted delivery of large fusion protein into hippocampal neurons by systemic administration.

Targeted delivery of proteins into the hippocampus has not yet been achieved. Here, we show that systemic administration of the β-galactosidase, fused to a 43-amino-acid peptide derived from rabies virus glycoprotein (RVG), results in targeted delivery of the fusion protein into the hippocampal neurons. This approach may enable the development of protein therapy for neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease. This result may open new possibilities in using neurotropic virus glycoprotein-derived peptides for targeted delivery of therapeutic molecules into local brain regions.