Improved Vascular Gene Transfer With a Helper-Dependent Adenoviral Vector

Abstract
Background— Adenoviral vectors are the most widely used agents for vascular gene transfer. However, the utility of adenoviral vectors for vascular gene transfer is limited by brevity of expression and by the induction of a significant host inflammatory response. Third-generation or “helper-dependent” adenoviral vectors have achieved prolonged recombinant gene expression in liver and muscle with minimal associated inflammation; however, they have never been tested for vascular gene transfer.