Herpes simplex virus-based vectors.
Herpes simplex virus (HSV)-based vectors have primarily been developed for neuronal gene delivery, taking advantage of the virus' natural neurotropism. Two types of vector are available: replication defective viruses, whose cytotoxicity has been abolished by deleting viral gene products, and amplicon vectors, which are plasmids packaged into HSV particles with the aid of a helper virus. In this review I discuss how the cytotoxicity of the wild-type virus has been abolished, the progress which has been made toward defining promoter elements capable of directing long-term transgene expression form the latent viral genome and some of the potential clinical uses of these versatile vectors.
Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK. rhl20@cam.ac.uk
Robin
R
Lachmann
D018390:Gene Targeting / Q000379:methods; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D010957:Plasmids; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology