Gentherapie zur behandlung des ischämie-/reperfusionsschadens

In recent years the introduction of gene therapy into molecular medicine has gained more and more interest. The prevention of allogeneic transplant rejection and the reduction of ischemia-reperfusion injury seems to be an interesting target for gene therapy applications. Although clinical studies using gene therapy in transplantation do not exist so far, many pre-clinical studies with promising results have been performed. These studies mainly try to protect the cells of the transplant from apoptotic cell death by the introduction of anti-apoptotic and cytoprotective genes. In addition, down-regulation of adhesion molecules and blockade of gene expression in graft cells could protect transplants from ischemia-reperfusion injury. The development of novel, low-immunogenic gene therapy vectors in the near future might further contribute to the minimization of ischemia-reperfusion injury, probably together with other therapeutic strategies. The easy access to the donor organ reduces potentially harmful side effects of systemic application of gene therapy vectors.