[The development in the studies of AAV-mediated gene therapy in retina]

Significant progress in understanding the molecular basis of retinal disorders has led to the development of gene therapies for treatment of these diseases. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) is a useful vector for the treatment of retinal diseases due to its low toxicity and immunogenicity, ability to transducer both dividing and non-dividing cells, and stable transgene expression. A variety of animal studies and clinical trials have proved the safety and effectivity of retinal AAV-mediated gene therapy. AAV-mediated gene therapy, such as anti-angiogenic proteins, neurotrophic factors, anti-apoptosis factors were studied in animal disease models, and the results were satisfactory. However, the main drawback of AAV vectors is its relatively small packaging capacity, which needs further improvement.