Transgene delivery to endothelial cultures derived from porcine carotid artery ex vivo

Viral-mediated gene therapy in pediatric neurological disorders

BACKGROUND

Due to the broad application of next-generation sequencing, the molecular diagnosis of genetic disorders in pediatric neurology is no longer an unachievable goal. However, treatments for neurological genetic disorders in children remain primarily symptomatic. On the other hand, with the continuous evolution of therapeutic viral vectors, gene therapy is becoming a clinical reality. From this perspective, we wrote this review to illustrate the current state regarding viral-mediated gene therapy in childhood neurological disorders.

DATA SOURCES

We searched databases, including PubMed and Google Scholar, using the keywords "adenovirus vector," "lentivirus vector," and "AAV" for gene therapy, and "immunoreaction induced by gene therapy vectors," "administration routes of gene therapy vectors," and "gene therapy" with "NCL," "SMA," "DMD," "congenital myopathy," "MPS" "leukodystrophy," or "pediatric metabolic disorders". We also screened the database of ClinicalTrials.gov using the keywords "gene therapy for children" and then filtered the results with the ones aimed at neurological disorders. The time range of the search procedure was from the inception of the databases to the present.

RESULTS

We presented the characteristics of commonly used viral vectors for gene therapy for pediatric neurological disorders and summarized their merits and drawbacks, the administration routes of each vector, the research progress, and the clinical application status of viral-mediated gene therapy on pediatric neurological disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

Viral-mediated gene therapy is on the brink of broad clinical application. Viral-mediated gene therapy will dramatically change the treatment pattern of childhood neurological disorders, and many children with incurable diseases will meet the dawn of a cure. Nevertheless, the vectors must be optimized for better safety and efficacy.

Curcumin accelerates reendothelialization and ameliorates intimal hyperplasia in balloon-injured rat carotid artery via the upregulation of endothelial cell autophagy

Delayed reendothelialization and intimal hyperplasia (IH) contribute to the failure of vascular interventions. Curcumin (Cur) has been used for various types of diseases with antioxidant, antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory effects. However, investigations involving the application of Cur in inhibiting IH are limited. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential therapeutic effects of Cur and its underlying mechanisms on a rat model of carotid artery (CA) intimal injury. In vitro, an endothelial cell (EC) migration assay was conducted using cultured primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) that were exposed to Cur. In vivo, CA angioplasty injury was used to generate a rat model of intimal injury. CAs were collected at 3 days, and 1 and 4 weeks after injury, respectively, for western blot analysis and double-immunofluorescence analyses, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling staining, oxidative stress indicator analysis and hematoxylin and eosin staining of the neointima. In vivo, Cur significantly enhanced the migration and healing of HUVECs and simultaneously promoted microtubule-associated protein light chain 3-II (LC3-II) expression when HUVECs were subjected to an artificial scratch. In vitro, endangium from the Cur-treated rats exhibited a significantly reduced number of apoptotic ECs and oxidative stress level compared to that of the sham group. In addition, Cur treatment markedly improved quantification of the LC3-II concomitant with the downregulation of p62 in the injured CA. At 1 week following injury, sizable neointimal lesions had developed, although prominent intima thickening was not observed. At 4 weeks, apparent hemadostenosis occurred resulting from the exorbitance IH. Cur treatment markedly reduced the thickness of the neointimal lesion. It is noteworthy that high-dose Cur may have exerted more significant effects than low-dose Cur. Cur can potentially become a therapeutic drug for angiostenosis by imparting a protective effect that accelerates reendothelialization and ameliorates IH and was mediated by its pro-autophagic effect.