[Prospects of use of gene therapy in head trauma]

Neuronal injury may have one of the following three sequelae: death of the neurone, persistent atrophy or recovery. The ability of mature neurones to recover is dependent to a not inconsiderable degree on neurotrophins, on the basis of which consideration the following objective of genotherapy in craniocerebral injury (CCI) is formulated: achievement of therapeutically useful levels of expression of neutrophins by employment of genetical methodological approaches. The next prerequisite for institution of genotherapy in CCI is a proved dependance of CCI sequelae on individual genetic features, on APO E-genotype in particular, which fact suggests to us that specific correction is within the bounds of possibility. Another precondition for use of genotherapy in CCI is considered to be higher permeability of the blood-brain barrier in trauma, which even can facilitate the delivery of transgenes into the brain with the aid of those vectors the access of which to the central nervous system is limited under other conditions.