GFP Adeno-Associated Virus ( AAV-EYRDSSG )

As with nearly all other gene therapy vectors, the tropism of AAV-2-derived vectors limits their use for gene transduction in certain tissues, especially when the vectors are delivered systemically. The identification of many tissue-directed peptide ligands over the past decade appears to offer nearly unlimited potential for introducing ligands into AAV capsids to establish targeted gene delivery in vivo. For many peptides, cellular tropism changes or disappears after their insertion into the AAV capsid (authors’ unpublished observations). This may be due to a variety of reasons. First, the conformation of the peptide may change unpredictably when incorporated into the structured AAV capsid environment, resulting in reduced receptor-ligand affinity and specificity. In addition, peptides isolated by phage display screening are often selected based on receptor binding rather than subsequent internalization, nuclear transfer, and transgene expression. GFP adeno-associated virus (AAV-EYRDSSG) is specifically designed with capsid engineering and modifications that enhance its targeting ability and efficacy. AAV-EYRDSSG is derived from the widely studied and used adeno-associated virus serotype 2 (AAV2), which is known for its desirable gene delivery properties, including low immunogenicity and strong safety profile. GFP AAV-EYRDSSG has the peptide sequence EYRDSSG inserted at position I588. This strategic modification was implemented to enhance the ability of the virus to target and transduce specific cell types, with a particular focus on tumor cells. By incorporating the EYRDSSG peptide, AAV-EYRDSSG confers increased affinity and selectivity for malignant cells, thereby increasing the potential for precision therapeutic interventions in oncology.