Cardiovascular gene therapy for myocardial infarction

Expert Opin Biol Ther. 2014 Feb;14(2):183-95. doi: 10.1517/14712598.2014.866085. Epub 2013 Dec 16.

Abstract

Introduction: Cardiovascular gene therapy is the third most popular application for gene therapy, representing 8.4% of all gene therapy trials as reported in 2012 estimates. Gene therapy in cardiovascular disease is aiming to treat heart failure from ischemic and non-ischemic causes, peripheral artery disease, venous ulcer, pulmonary hypertension, atherosclerosis and monogenic diseases, such as Fabry disease.

Areas covered: In this review, we will focus on elucidating current molecular targets for the treatment of ventricular dysfunction following myocardial infarction (MI). In particular, we will focus on the treatment of i) the clinical consequences of it, such as heart failure and residual myocardial ischemia and ii) etiological causes of MI (coronary vessels atherosclerosis, bypass venous graft disease, in-stent restenosis).

Expert opinion: We summarise the scheme of the review and the molecular targets either already at the gene therapy clinical trial phase or in the pipeline. These targets will be discussed below. Following this, we will focus on what we believe are the 4 prerequisites of success of any gene target therapy: safety, expression, specificity and efficacy (SESE).

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / therapy
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Cardiovascular System*
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Genetic Therapy / methods*
  • Humans
  • Myocardial Infarction / therapy*
  • Myocardial Ischemia / pathology
  • Myocardium / pathology
  • Neovascularization, Physiologic
  • Receptors, Adrenergic / metabolism
  • Regeneration
  • Ventricular Dysfunction / physiopathology
  • Ventricular Dysfunction / therapy

Substances

  • Receptors, Adrenergic
  • Calcium