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AAV-Mediated Gene Therapy for Atherosclerosis

  • Clinical Trials and Their Interpretations (JR Kizer, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Atherosclerosis Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The prognosis of patients with coronary artery disease and stroke has improved substantially over the last decade as a result of advances in primary and secondary preventive care as well as novel interventional approaches, including the development of drug-eluting stents and balloons. Despite this progress, however, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in industrialized nations. Sustained efforts to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of atherogenesis, reperfusion-induced cardiac injury, and ischemic heart failure have led to the identification of several target genes as key players in the development and progression of atherosclerotic vascular disease. This knowledge has now enabled genetic therapeutic modulation not only for inherited diseases with a single gene defect, such as familial hypercholesterolemia, but also for multifactorial disorders. This review will focus on approaches in adeno-associated viral (AAV)-mediated gene therapy for atherosclerosis and its long-term sequelae.

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Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: •• Of major importance

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Conflict of Interest

Michael Lehrke and Corinna Lebherz declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Aachen, Pauwelstr. 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany

    Michael Lehrke & Corinna Lebherz

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  1. Michael Lehrke
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  2. Corinna Lebherz
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Correspondence to Corinna Lebherz.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Clinical Trials and Their Interpretations

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Lehrke, M., Lebherz, C. AAV-Mediated Gene Therapy for Atherosclerosis. Curr Atheroscler Rep 16, 434 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11883-014-0434-0

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