Vaccinia Virus Vectors and Methods to Prevent the Pathology
Caused by Infectious Agents
Modified vaccinia virus can be used as a vector to deliver
genes encoding proteins for therapeutic and vaccine applications. Researchers at
the Biodesign Institute of Arizona State University and their collaborators at
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a form of vaccinia
virus with genetic modifications that decrease the risk of recipient viral
infection.
Potential Applications
The modified vaccinia virus of this technology has numerous
potential applications. An almost limitless variety of foreign DNAs can be
recombined with the virus for subsequent expression in the infected host. The
attenuated and hence safer vaccinia virus developed here may also find use as a
smallpox vaccine. This may be important, as smallpox has been defined as a
potential biological weapon.
- Gene therapy vector
- Delivery of Anticancer Agents and Other Medically Useful
Molecules
- Immunization Against Various Diseases in Mammals
- Smallpox Vaccine
Benefits and Advantages
- The modified vaccinia virus offers benefits over the form
of the virus currently in use in the following ways:
- Reduced Pathogenicity – reduced pathogenicity decreases
the chance of side effects such as host infection and excessive host immune
response
- Increased Effectiveness – the reduced pathogenicity of
the modified virus has the potential to allow the virus to live longer in the
infected host and thus produce a more robust immune response or, in the case
of a gene therapy vector, allow for the production of higher levels of the
protein encoded for delivery
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