Pseudovirus to cure

1994/06/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Medikuntza

The Genetic Chemistry Laboratories of Illkirch, in Alsace, have created a series of pseudoviruses that will soon be used in the oncohematology service of the Strasbourg hospital. Although originally created for purely theoretical purposes, it has been seen that they can be vectors of some genes and that they can be used in vitro in a new geneterapia.

When it comes to solving the genetic abnormality, in conventional classical technique a normal gene is applied in the non-harmful virus that is introduced by the virus in diseased cells.

Unfortunately, vector viruses can only be carried through short genes and once applied to the cells they can become ineffective.

Pseudobirus do not have that problem. Thanks to a protein called Espermina, the volume of the gene to be transferred is reduced and everything is surrounded by an artificial lipid membrane. The set measures 0.1 microns, that is, measured approximately by the “real” virus.

Pseudobiruses are not toxic and can carry long genes, but they have the disadvantage that they have no cellular specificity and are less effective than biologics. Therefore, the next step of the Strasbourg team of researchers will be the implementation of elements that improve affinity towards target cells in pseudoviruses.