Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Modified Adenoviral Vectors for Gene Therapy: A View through Animal Models Tested

The central dogma of gene therapy relies on the application of novel therapeutic genes to treat or prevent diseases. The main types of vectors used for gene transfer are adenovirus, retrovirus, lentivirus, liposome, and adeno-associated virus vectors. Gene therapy has emerged as a promising alternative for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. The main targets are cytokines, co-stimulatory molecules, and different types of cells from hematological and mesenchymal sources. In this review, we focus on molecules with anti-inflammatory effects used for in vivo gene therapy mediated by adenoviral gene transfer in the treatment of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, with particular emphasis on autoinflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

Positive association between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) -2578 C/A variant and prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene is an important angiogenesis regulator related to cancer development and progression. We evaluated the association between -2578 C/A (rs699947) VEGF polymorphism and PCa in Mexican subjects, to contribute to knowledge of VEGF role in genetic epidemiology of prostate cancer (PCa).

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between -2578 C/A VEGF variant and PCa in Mexican population.

METHODS

A total of 249 men (77 PCa cases and 172 controls) from the Northwestern region of Mexico were screened for the -2578 C/A VEGF variant. The polymorphism was determined by polymerase chain reaction-based restriction analysis.

RESULTS

Genotype frequencies for C/C, C/A, and A/A, were 0.48, 0.49, 0.03 for cases and 0.41, 0.45, 0.14 for controls respectively. Genotype A/A of -2578 VEGF variant reduces the risk of PCa in an 84% among studied population (Odds Ratio 0.16; 95% CI: 0.04-0.71, P=0.007). C/C carriers showed an increased PCa risk of 6.1 times among the study population.

CONCLUSIONS

Inheritance of -2578 A/A genotype of VEGF gene may modify PCa susceptibility risk in Mexican population.