The application of a herpes simplex virus Type I vector for transgenic therapy

The key to successful gene therapy is to effectively transfer genes to target cells and control the effective expression of genes to avoid expression in non-target tissues. At present, there are two common methods of gene therapy: non-replicating viruses and viral vectors. The use of non-replicating viruses as vectors often limits the efficiency of gene transfer and is unsatisfactory for clinical application. In contrast, replicative viral vectors can deliver genes from a small number of cells to neighboring cells, significantly improve the efficiency of gene delivery, and stably and persistently express exogenous genes. As a result, the investigation and application of viral vectors are recommended. Herpes simplex virus Type I-derived vectors have gradually become important biological treatments due to their wide host range, integration of long fragments of exogenous DNA, neurotropism, and various animal models.