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Mycoplasmas as gene therapy vectors?

Nature Biotechnology volume 17, page 4 (1999)Cite this article

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Gene therapy is based on the delivery of therapeutic genes into target cells. Strategies for gene transfer has been limited so far to two approaches using either viral vector or non viral vector methods, but recent data published in Nature Biotechnology suggest a new approach based on bacteria-mediated gene delivery1. Traditional strategies are based on the assumption that the introduction of a therapeutic gene into target cells is a prerequisite step to any successful gene therapy. The concept of gene therapy can be reformulated however, if we consider the delivery of the therapeutic gene at the cell surface as an alternative to its penetration into cells. Such targeting at the cell surface could be achieved by the use of mycoplasma2.

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References

  1. Grillot-Courvalin, C. et al. 1998. Nat. Biotechnol. 16: 862–866.

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  2. Berger, F. et al. 1999. Med. Hypotheses. In press.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. INSERM U 318, CHU Michallon, Grenoble, 38043, France

    David Blum, Jean Michel Vicat, François Berger, Alim-Louis Benabid & Didier Wion

Authors
  1. David Blum
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  2. Jean Michel Vicat
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  3. François Berger
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  4. Alim-Louis Benabid
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  5. Didier Wion
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Blum, D., Vicat, J., Berger, F. et al. Mycoplasmas as gene therapy vectors?. Nat Biotechnol 17, 4 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/5166

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