Second generation adeno-associated virus type 2-based gene therapy systems with the potential for preferential integration into AAVS1.
Adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV-2) is a non-pathogenic human parvovirus that is being developed as a gene therapy vector for the treatment of numerous diseases. One property of wild-type AAV-2, that is highly desirable in a gene therapy vector, is its ability to preferentially integrate its DNA into a 4 kilobase region of human chromosome 19, designated AAVS1. One disadvantage of AAV-2 is its relatively small packaging capacity, approximately 4.7 kilobases. Because of this size limitation, the AAV-2 rep and cap genes were removed from first-generation AAV-2-based gene therapy vectors to make room for the therapeutic or marker gene. It was later discovered that the rep gene, or at least one of its products, the Rep68 or Rep78 protein, is required for preferential integration of AAV-2. Recent developments in AAV-2 gene therapy vector construction allow the inclusion of the rep gene into a second generation of AAV-2-based gene therapy systems. These new systems fall into four major categories: plasmid-based systems, co-transduction with multiple AAV-2 vectors, incorporation of the AAV-2 vector into a larger virus, and in vitro packaging. These systems not only allow the inclusion of the rep gene, they also allow the delivery of larger therapeutic genes.
Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes, and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bldg. 8, Rm. 310, National Institutes of Health, 8 Center Drive MSC 0840, Bethesda, MD 20892-0840, USA. ro6n@nih.gov
Roland A
RA
Owens
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D000229:Dependovirus / Q000235:genetics*; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000235:genetics; D016679:Genome, Viral; D006801:Humans; D008957:Models, Genetic; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014161:Transduction, Genetic; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; C068734:rep proteins, Adeno-associated virus 2