DEVELOPMENT OF AN HSV-BASED VECTOR FOR THE TREATMENT OF PARKINSONS-DISEASE

The restricted pattern of neurodegeneration seen in Parkinson's diseas e, and the identification of trophic factors that prevent toxin-induce d degeneration of dopaminergic neurons, has spurred research into pote ntial gene therapy for this disease. Herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) is a neurotrophic virus which naturally establishes latency in neurons. HS V-based vectors have been demonstrated to transfer and transiently exp ress transgenes in neurons in brain in vivo. Recent experiments have s hown that deletion of multiple immediately HSV genes reduces the poten tial cytotoxicity of these vectors, and in addition results in altered patterns of transgene expression that may allow for longterm expressi on required for human gene therapy applications. (C) 1997 Academic Pre ss.