Novel vectors and approaches for gene therapy in liver diseases

Gene therapy is becoming an increasingly valuable tool to treat many genetic diseases with no or limited treatment options. This is the case for hundreds of monogenic metabolic disorders of hepatic origin, for which liver transplantation remains the only cure. Furthermore, the liver contains 10-15% of the body's total blood volume, making it ideal for use as a factory to secrete proteins into the circulation. In recent decades, an expanding toolbox has become available for liver-directed gene delivery. Although viral vectors have long been the preferred approach to target hepatocytes, an increasing number of non-viral vectors are emerging as highly efficient vehicles for the delivery of genetic material. Herein, we review advances in gene delivery vectors targeting the liver and more specifically hepatocytes, covering strategies based on gene addition and gene editing, as well as the exciting results obtained with the use of RNA as a therapeutic molecule. Moreover, we will briefly summarise some of the limitations of current liver-directed gene therapy approaches and potential ways of overcoming them.

Role of Blood Oxygen Saturation During Post-Natal Human Cardiomyocyte Cell Cycle Activities

Blood oxygen saturation (SaO₂) is one of the most important environmental factors in clinical heart protection. This study used human heart samples and human induced pluripotent stem cell-cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) to assess how SaO₂ affects human CM cell cycle activities. The results showed that there were significantly more cell cycle markers in the moderate hypoxia group (SaO₂: 75% to 85%) than in the other 2 groups (SaO₂ <75% or >85%). In iPSC-CMs 15% and 10% oxygen (O₂) treatment increased cell cycle markers, whereas 5% and rapid change of O₂ decreased the markers. Moderate hypoxia is beneficial to the cell cycle activities of post-natal human CMs.