Gene therapy and musculoskeletal diseases

Abstract

Gene therapy represents the transfer of a gene or a fragment of the gene into a somatic cell to produce a therapeutic effect. The transfer of genetic material in the interior of the cell can be realized on multiple ways, the most often used being the viral vector. For this, the virus is subjected to a genetic engineering with the purpose of modifying its infectious potential, keeping its capacity to transport one or more genes inside a target cell.

If the initial gene transfer has targeted only a therapeutic purpose, as the treating of genetic diseases, cancer, infections and degenerative diseases, in present we can observer an amplification of the usage sphere also in the sports world, both as a therapeutic mean in the specific traumatic pathology, but also for the sport performance enhancement, as a way of doping.

Taking in consideration the subject of the musculoskeletal affections treatment at athletes through gene therapy the authors make a short introduction of some results from the specialty literature of the last years referring to the research conducted in this direction.

Key words:

gene, musculoskeletal tissues.