title: Advances in Non-Viral DNA Vectors for Gene Therapy.
abstract: Uses of viral vectors have thus far eclipsed uses of non-viral vectors for gene therapy delivery in the clinic. Viral vectors, however, have certain issues involving genome integration, the inability to be delivered repeatedly, and possible host rejection. Fortunately, development of non-viral DNA vectors has progressed steadily, especially in plasmid vector length reduction, now allowing these tools to fill in specifically where viral or other non-viral vectors may not be the best options. In this review, we examine the improvements made to non-viral DNA gene therapy vectors, highlight opportunities for their further development, address therapeutic needs for which their use is the logical choice, and discuss their future expansion into the clinic.
authors.affiliation: Interdepartmental Program in Integrative Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Cinnamon.Hardee@bcm.edu.|Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Cinnamon.Hardee@bcm.edu.
authors.forename: Cinnamon L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Hardee
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.|Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA..|Department of Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Lirio Milenka
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Arévalo-Soliz
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA. hornstei@bcm.edu.
authors.forename: Benjamin D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Hornstein
authors.affiliation: Interdepartmental Program in Integrative Molecular and Biomedical Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA. elz@bcm.edu.|Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA. elz@bcm.edu.|Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.. elz@bcm.edu.|Department of Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA. elz@bcm.edu.
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zechiedrich
keywords: DNA vaccine; antibiotic-free plasmid; minicircle; minimized vector; miniplasmid; minivector