Scavenger Receptors and Their Potential as Therapeutic Targets in the Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease

Table 2

The advantages and disadvantages of the major gene therapy vectors currently used.

Gene therapy vector	Genetic material	Advantages	Disadvantages
Nonviral vectors	Mainly DNA	Large transgene capacity, biosafety	Low efficiency, immune response (cationic lipids and polymers), toxicity
Retro-/lentiviral vectors	RNA	Stable integration, lack of immune response, up to 10 kb cloning capacity	Insertional mutagenesis following integration is higher
Adeno-associated viral vectors	DNA	Long-term expression, site-specific integration	Immune response, small transgene capacity
First-generation adenoviral vectors	DNA	High titer, up to 8 kb of cloning capacity	Immune response and toxicity leading to shortened duration of transgene expression in vivo
High capacity adenoviral vectors	DNA	High titer, longevity of transgene expression, up to 36 kb cloning capacity	Immune response directed against the viral capsid