Title:Current Landscape of Gene Therapy for the Treatment of Cardiovascular
Disorders
Volume: 24
Issue: 5
Author(s): Pranay Wal, Namra Aziz*, Chetan Pratap Singh, Azhar Rasheed, Lalit Kumar Tyagi, Ankur Agrawal and Ankita Wal
Affiliation:
- PSIT-Pranveer Singh Institute of Technology (Pharmacy), NH-19, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, 209305, India
Keywords:
Gene, vectors, non-viral vector, gene therapy, gene editing technology, cardiovascular disorder.
Abstract: Cardiovascular disorders (CVD) are the primary cause of death worldwide. Multiple
factors have been accepted to cause cardiovascular diseases; among them, smoking, physical inactivity,
unhealthy eating habits, age, and family history are flag-bearers. Individuals at risk of developing
CVD are suggested to make drastic habitual changes as the primary intervention to prevent
CVD; however, over time, the disease is bound to worsen. This is when secondary interventions
come into play, including antihypertensive, anti-lipidemic, anti-anginal, and inotropic drugs. These
drugs usually undergo surgical intervention in patients with a much higher risk of heart failure.
These therapeutic agents increase the survival rate, decrease the severity of symptoms and the
discomfort that comes with them, and increase the overall quality of life. However, most individuals
succumb to this disease. None of these treatments address the molecular mechanism of the disease
and hence are unable to halt the pathological worsening of the disease. Gene therapy offers a
more efficient, potent, and important novel approach to counter the disease, as it has the potential
to permanently eradicate the disease from the patients and even in the upcoming generations. However,
this therapy is associated with significant risks and ethical considerations that pose noteworthy
resistance. In this review, we discuss various methods of gene therapy for cardiovascular disorders
and address the ethical conundrum surrounding it.