RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF CANCER-TARGETING VECTORS: AN EXPLORATION ON ONCOTROPISM AND ONCOSUPPRESSION OF AUTONOMOUS PARVOVIRUSES

Autonomous parvoviruses are single-stranded DNA viruses with a genome size of about 5 kb. They are characterized by their oncotropism and oncosuppression to the hosts. After infection the viral genes are not integrated into the chromosome of host cells. Autonomous parvoviruses could be used as potential vectors carrying heterologous therapeutic genes for the construction of recombinant autonomous parvoviruses. The specific advantages of these viral vectors to cancer gene therapy are discussed.