title: How to avoid complement attack in baculovirus-mediated gene delivery.
abstract: Serum inactivation of baculovirus vectors is a significant barrier to the development of these highly efficient vectors for therapeutic gene delivery. In this review we will describe the efforts taken to avoid complement attack by passive or active measures. Evidently good targets for baculovirus-mediated gene delivery include immunoprivileged tissues, such as eye, brain and testis. Similarly baculovirus vectors have also proven their efficacy in an ex vivo setting for tissue engineering. Active measures to inhibit complement include the use of pharmacological inhibitors of complement as well as surface engineering of the baculoviral vectors through the use of synthetic polymers, pseudotyping or display of complement inhibitors. Lessons learned from these studies will significantly increase the possibility of using baculovirus vectors for therapeutic applications.
authors.affiliation: AI Virtanen Institute, Department of Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, PO Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Minna U
authors.initials: MU
authors.lastname: Kaikkonen
authors.forename: Seppo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ylä-Herttuala
authors.forename: Kari J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Airenne
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016367:Baculoviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D003167:Complement Activation; D003169:Complement Inactivator Proteins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015938:Complement Membrane Attack Complex / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D017924:Nucleopolyhedroviruses / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D003169:Complement Inactivator Proteins; D015938:Complement Membrane Attack Complex; D007155:Immunologic Factors