What can cardiovascular gene transfer learn from genomics: and vice versa?

Abstract

The field of gene transfer has developed in an era of expanding biomedical knowledge. The potential for gene transfer to treat cardiovascular disease is great, yet identified and unidentified barriers remain. Gene transfer and its ultimate application, gene therapy, require extensive details of not only the mechanism of disease but the biological implications of the vectors used to deliver the therapeutic genes as well. Many of these details are becoming available via the study of genomics. Genomics, the study of complete genetic sequences, holds the potential for enabling and amplifying the therapeutic hopes for gene transfer. Identification of new therapeutic genes, new regulatory sequences, and establishing the patterns of gene expression from tissues exposed to vectors and transgenes will rapidly advance the application of gene transfer. Finally, there are historical and ongoing lessons learned from the development of gene transfer that may be applicable to the challenging field of genomics and may enable its future success.

Robust Adenoviral and Adeno-Associated Viral Gene Transfer to the In Vivo Murine Heart

“…[1][2][3] Although cardiomyocytes are good vector targets, efforts have been impeded by low transfection efficiencies and difficulties in culturing and studying mature cells. [1][2][3][4][5] In vivo studies have generally used left ventricle (LV) cavity or aortic root virus injection during proximal (ascending) aortic constriction, with successes reported in rat, rabbit, and Syrian hamster. 6 -11 The addition of total body cooling has facilitated longer cross-clamp times, enhancing gene transfer in smaller animals.…”