title: Gene therapy for viral hepatitis.
abstract: Hepatitis B and C infections are two of the most prevalent viral diseases in the world. Existing therapies against chronic viral hepatitis are far from satisfactory due to low response rates, undesirable side effects and selection of resistant viral strains. Therefore, new therapeutic approaches are urgently needed. This review, after briefly summarising the in vitro and in vivo systems for the study of both diseases and the genetic vehicles commonly used for liver gene transfer, examines the existing status of gene therapy-based antiviral strategies that have been employed to prevent, eliminate or reduce viral infection. In particular, the authors focus on the results obtained in clinical trials and experimental clinically relevant animal models.
authors.affiliation: University of Navarra, Division of Gene Therapy and Hepatology, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), 31008 Pamplona, Spain. ggasegui@unav.es
authors.forename: Gloria
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gonzalez-Aseguinolaza
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Crettaz
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ochoa
authors.forename: Itziar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Otano
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aldabe
authors.forename: Astrid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paneda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control; D006524:Hepatitis, Viral, Animal / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000235:genetics* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans