[Towards gene therapy in familial hypercholesterolemia].
Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an inherited disease caused by a defect in the gene encoding the Low Density Lipoprotein receptor (LDL-R). The ex vivo hepatic gene therapy which restore the expression of the normal protein in hepatocytes should correct the disease. Improved transduction efficiency and long lasting expression of the transduced gene remain the main goals of gene therapy research. We developed an efficient and reliable method for in vivo transduction of human, mouse and primate primary hepatocytes. A retroviral vector bearing the LDL-R cDNA driven by the liver-type pyruvate kinase promoter allows high and tissue specific expression of the gene in primary hepatocytes. A second vector with a housekeeping promoter corrects the LDL-R deficiency in fibroblasts from a FH patient. Ex vivo preclinical studies in non-human primates will provide new insight in transduced cells biology after reimplantation.
Pagès
J C
JC
INSERM U380, ICGM, Méchain, Paris.
Andreoletti
M
M
Loux
N
N
Vons
C
C
Mahieu
D
D
Bargy
F
F
Chapman
J
J
Briand
P
P
Franco
D
D
Weber
A
A
D000818:Animals; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D006938:Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II / Q000628:therapy*; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology; D008251:Macaca; D051379:Mice; D011973:Receptors, LDL / Q000235:genetics; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000235:genetics; D014161:Transduction, Genetic
D011973:Receptors, LDL