PROSPECTS OF GENE THERAPY FOR THE TREATMENT OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES

In the review possibilities of gene therapy of cardiovascular diseases are discussed. The information on gene structures, expression of which can exert therapeutic effects is given. These effects can be used in the treatment of various heart and blood vessels pathologies. The viral and plasmid vectors as well as modern delivery systems of therapeutic transgenes to the target tissues which are used in cardiovascular disease gene therapy are described. The results of experimental and clinical studies of gene therapy aimed to finding new cardiovascular disease treatment strategies either by transfer of transgenes encoding certain proteins in recombinant constructions or by modulation of expression of corresponding genes in vessel and myocardium cells are analyzed.