Gene therapy basics · USMLE Step 1

What is one major limitation of AAV vectors in gene therapy?

  1. They always integrate into the host cell's DNA
  2. Large genes exceed their small packaging capacity
  3. They frequently cause severe immunodeficiency
  4. They cannot transduce non-dividing cells at all
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Correct answer: Large genes exceed their small packaging capacity

AAV vectors have a small packaging capacity (~4.7 kb), so large therapeutic genes plus their regulatory elements often cannot fit. AAV is mostly non-integrating and can transduce non-dividing cells, so the other options are false.

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