IN-VIVO GENE-TRANSFER - FOCUS ON THE KIDNEY

Renal gene transfer techniques are being developed as a novel experime ntal approach to understand the pathogenesis of renal disease and to p otentially develop new therapeutic tools. We review the currently avai lable technology to introduce foreign genetic material into renal tiss ue, i.e., retroviral, adenoviral, and liposomal transfer systems with their respective advantages and caveats. Today, the transfer efficienc y of these methods appears to be sufficiently high to study the effect s of transduced genes on renal function and morphology in rat kidney. This will allow (i) the elucidation of the function of genes on the co urse of renal disease in experimental animal models and (ii) the modul ation of local expression of endogenous genes which presumptively cont ribute to renal pathology in these models. One strategy to accomplish this aim is the use of recombinant DNA technology to design antisense DNA constructs or oligonucleotides, which interfere with the renal exp ression of target genes. We will also discuss some of the shortcomings of the currently used techniques with respect to potential therapeuti c use of gene transfer systems and gene modulation.