Gene Therapy Approaches to Cardiovascular Disease

The potential of enhanced cardiovascular function via gene therapy has aroused extensive interest. Both viral and nonviral vectors have shown prom ise in the realm of cardiovascular gene therapy. Modification of vectors or addition of further transgenes to the expression cassette has permitted targeted and regulated gene expression. The many potential targets of cardiovascular gene therapy can be considered under the following headings: vascular, con genital heart disease, and myocardial. Cardiac gene delivery may be to either the endothelium of either native coronary vessels or coronary artery bypass grafts, or to the myocardium. Myocardial gene delivery is possible either via direct myocardial injection or via the coronary vasculature.