Question

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) can carry a human gene into bone marrow cells. A patient received this genetically modified bone marrow, which resulted in production of a required enzyme. This is an example of
a. protein therapy.
b. germline therapy
c. somatic gene therapy
d. retroviral gene therapy
e. in vivo gene therapy

Answer 1

Adeno associated viruses are small viruses that infect humans. They are not currently known to cause any disease. They only induce a very mild immune response. These viruses can be used as vectors to carry human genes directly into the cells of a particular tissue for gene therapy. In the current example, the patient received the genetically modified bone marrow. This is an example of somatic gene therapy as the genes are transferred into the somatic cells of the patient but the genes do not enter the gametes and hence the gene therapy is not inherited. So, the correct option is option C, Somatic gene therapy.