Adeno-associated virus (AAV) has emerged as a leading platform for in vivo gene therapy, particularly in ocular diseases. AAV-based therapies are characterized by low pathogenicity and broad tissue tropism and have demonstrated clinical success, as exemplified by voretigene neparvovec-rzyl (Luxturna) being the first gene therapy to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat RPE65-associated Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA). However, several challenges remain in the development of AAV-based gene therapies, including immune responses, limited cargo capacity, and the need for enhanced transduction efficiency, especially for intravitreal delivery to photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium cells. This review explores the biology of AAVs in the context of gene therapy, innovations in capsid engineering, and clinical advancements in AAV-based ocular gene therapy. We highlight ongoing clinical trials targeting inherited retinal diseases and acquired conditions, discuss immune-related limitations, and examine novel strategies for enhancing AAV vector performance to address current barriers.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ymthe.2024.10.017 | DOI Listing |
Angew Chem Int Ed Engl
January 2025
University of Chicago Division of the Physical Sciences, chemistry, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has revolutionized the treatment of many cancers by leveraging the immune system to combat malignancies. However, its efficacy is limited by the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and other regulatory mechanisms of the immune system. Innate immune modulators (IIMs) provide potent immune activation to complement adaptive immune responses and help overcome resistance to ICB.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFACS Appl Mater Interfaces
January 2025
Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 600 Tianhe Road, Guangzhou 510630, China.
Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1), a sequence-specific DNA binding protein of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), is essential for viral genome replication and maintenance and is therefore an attractive target for the therapeutic intervention of EBV-associated cancers. Several EBNA1-specific inhibitors have demonstrated the ability to block EBNA1 function in vitro, but practical delivery strategies for these inhibitors in vivo are still lacking. Here, we report an intelligent hierarchical targeting theranostic nanosystem (denoted as mZGOCS@MnO-P5) that integrates an azide (N3) terminal dual-targeting peptide (N3-P5), a tumor microenvironment-responsive degradable MnO nanosheet, and a mesoporous ZnGaO:Cr, Sn near-infrared persistent luminescence (NIR-PL) nanosphere (mZGOCS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProc Natl Acad Sci U S A
January 2025
Center for Mitochondrial and Epigenomic Medicine, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104.
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is highly polymorphic, and host mtDNA variation has been associated with altered cancer severity. To determine the basis of this mtDNA-cancer association, we analyzed conplastic mice with the C57BL/6J (B6) nucleus but two naturally occurring mtDNA lineages, and , where mitochondria generate more oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS)-derived reactive oxygen species (mROS). In a cardiac transplant model, Foxp3+ T regulatory (Treg) cells supported long-term allograft survival, whereas Treg cells failed to suppress host T effector (Teff) cells, leading to acute rejection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Adv
January 2025
Department of Cardiac Surgery, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100191, China.
Following myocardial infarction (MI), the accumulation of CD86-positive macrophages in the ischemic injury zone leads to secondary myocardial damage. Precise pharmacological intervention targeting this process remains challenging. This study engineered a nanotherapeutic delivery system with CD86-positive macrophage-specific targeting and ultrasound-responsive release capabilities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPLoS One
January 2025
Center of Medical and Bio-Allied Health Sciences Research (CMBHSR), Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates.
Epigenetic processes are the critical events in carcinogenesis. Histone modification plays a crucial role in gene expression regulation, where histone deacetylases (HDACs) are key players in epigenetic processes. Inhibiting HDACs has shown promise in modern cancer therapy.
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