GENE-THERAPY FOR INFECTIOUS-DISEASES

Gene therapy is being investigated as an alternative treatment for a w ide range of infectious diseases that are not amenable to standard cli nical management. Approaches to gene therapy for infectious diseases c an be divided into thr ee broad categories: (i) gene therapies based o n nucleic acid moieties, including antisense DNA or RNA, RNA decoys, a nd catalytic RNA moieties (ribozymes); (ii) protein approaches such as transdominant negative proteins and single-chain antibodies; and (iii ) immunotherapeutic approaches involving generic vaccines or. pathogen -specific lymphocytes. It is further possible that combinations of the afore mentioned approaches will be used simultaneously to inhibit mul tiple stages of the life cycle of the infectious agent.