GFP Adeno-Associated Virus ( AAV-CAP )

Endothelial cells are integral to a variety of physiological processes, including angiogenesis, blood-brain barrier function, and regulation of vascular tone. Targeting these cells for gene delivery can have therapeutic effects in diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and inherited endothelial dysfunction. Adeno-associated virus (AAV) has emerged as an important vector for gene therapy, primarily due to its unique properties, such as low immunogenicity, ability to transduce both dividing and non-dividing cells, and long-term gene expression. By modifying the viral capsid protein, researchers can alter the tropism of AAV vectors to preferentially infect endothelial cells. Peptide insertion technology was utilized to create variants with enhanced affinity for endothelial cell surface receptors. The AAV-CAP variant is characterized by its GFP (green fluorescent protein) reporter gene and a modified capsid derived from AAV serotype 2 (AAV2). AAV-CAP is unique in its capsid engineering. Specifically, the engineered capsid has the peptide sequence CAPGPSKSG inserted at position I587 of the viral capsid protein. These modifications are designed to enhance viral targeting and transduction efficiency of endothelial cell types.