Salivary glands: novel target sites for gene therapeutics.
Directing the local or systemic expression of therapeutic proteins is a potentially important clinical application of gene transfer technology. Gene-based therapeutics theoretically offer many advantages over protein therapeutics. Numerous tissues have been evaluated for this purpose in animal models, most commonly the liver and skeletal muscle. Based on pre-clinical studies, we suggest that salivary glands are a valuable, yet under-appreciated, target tissue for both systemic and upper gastrointestinal tract gene therapeutic applications.
Baum
Bruce J
BJ
Gene Therapy and Therapeutics Branch, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, DHHS, Bethesda, MD 20892-1190, USA.
Voutetakis
Antonis
A
Wang
Jianghua
J
D000818:Animals; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014780:Viruses / Q000235:genetics