Adenoviral and additional viral-based vectors

A number of additional viral types may also prove useful as vectors in the practice of gene therapy. Chief amongst these are the adenoviruses. Adeno-associated virus, the herpes virus, and a number of other viruses, are also being considered (Table 14.2). 

As potential vectors for gene therapy, adenoviruses display a number of both advantages and disadvantages (Table 14.3), and they have been used in over 300 gene therapy trials to date. Their major advantage relates to their ability to infect non-dividing cells efficiently and the usually 

Adenoviruses are capable of gene transfer to nondividing cells 

They are easy to propagate in large quantities High levels of gene expression are usually recorded They are relatively stable viruses 

The duration of expression of transferred genes can vary, and is usually transient Infection of permissive cells with wild-type adenovirus usually results in cell lysis Adenoviruses display a broad selectivity in the cell types they can infect 

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