Viruses, Vol. 15, Pages 2043: Exploring the Potential of Cytomegalovirus-Based Vectors: A Review

Viruses, Vol. 15, Pages 2043: Exploring the Potential of Cytomegalovirus-Based Vectors: A Review Viruses doi: 10.3390/v15102043 Authors: Janine Zeng Dabbu Kumar Jaijyan Shaomin Yang Shakai Pei Qiyi Tang Hua Zhu Viral vectors have emerged as powerful tools for delivering and expressing foreign genes, playing a pivotal role in gene therapy. Among these vectors, cytomegalovirus (CMV) stands out as a promising viral vector due to its distinctive attributes including large packaging capacity, ability to achieve superinfection, broad host range, capacity to induce CD8+ T cell responses, lack of integration into the host genome, and other qualities that make it an appealing vector candidate. Engineered attenuated CMV strains such as Towne and AD169 that have a ~15 kb genomic DNA deletion caused by virus passage guarantee human safety. CMV’s large genome enables the efficient incorporation of substantial foreign genes as demonstrated by CMV vector-based therapies for SIV, tuberculosis, cancer, malaria, aging, COVID-19, and more. CMV is capable of reinfecting hosts regardless of prior infection or immunity, making it highly suitable for multiple vector administrations. In addition to its broad cellular tropism and sustained high-level gene expression, CMV triggers robust, virus-specific CD8+ T cell responses, offering a significant advantage as a vaccine vector. To date, successful development and testing of murine CMV (MCMV) and rhesus CMV (RhCMV) vect...
Source: Viruses - Category: Virology Authors: Tags: Review Source Type: research