The MBP promoter is selective for oligodendrocytes in a mouse model of the leukodystrophy Canavan Disease.

AAV-MBP-GFP was administered to the striatum of ASPA-deficient mice at P10 and brains analysed three weeks later to determine spread and selectivity of transgene expression. Immunodetection of GFP⁺ cells (A) and counterstaining for NeuN (B) revealed robust GFP-staining in subcortical white matter tracts. While GFP immunoreactivity (green) mostly segregated from neurons (red), the merged image revealed some co-expressing cells in the neocortex (C). High power images of the striatum showed GFP-expression exclusively in white matter oligodendrocytes (D–F). Shown are representative results of three independent experiments. Bars: C, 1 mm; F, 50 µm.