FGF2-targeted adenoviral vectors for systemic and local disease

Adenoviral vectors have proven useful for transducing a variety of cell types. However, both adenoviral resistant cell types and vector-related toxicities (due to non-specific tropism), limit their widespread clinical utility. These limitations can be greatly reduced by targeting adenoviral vectors to alternative cell surface receptors. One ligand family, highly effective at targeting adenoviral vectors, is the family of fibroblast growth factors (FGFs). The FGFs allow a high degree of targeting specificity due to their cognate high affinity FGF receptors, which are expressed on cells undergoing repair and regeneration. Recent publications, reviewed herein, demonstrate that FGF-targeted adenoviruses result in enhanced potency and reduced toxicity, and thus substantially increase the therapeutic index in vivo. As a result, vector delivery through FGF receptors provides the targeting specificity required for successful local and systemic clinical applications of gene therapy.