They find patterns in the prevalence of the AAV virus among the Basques.

Researchers from the Basque center CIC BioGUNE collaborated in a study that identified patterns of adeno-associated virus (AAV) prevalence in the Basque population.which is a crucial step in developing effective gene therapyAccording to the aforementioned research center, the study revealed patterns of distribution of these viruses among the Basque population, as well as their distribution and potential impact on gene therapy.

There was work under the direction of Nicola G.A. Abreshia, Professor at Ikerbas University and Head of the Structural and Cell Biology of Viruses Group at CIC bioGUNEand it was recently published in the journal Scientific Reports of Nature.

As CIC bioGUNE explains, AAVs are increasingly being used as vectors for gene therapy aimed at treating various genetic disorders, but “one must face the problem of patients already having neutralizing antibodies that can reduce the effectiveness of the treatment.”

Thus Among the Basques, AAV3 was shown to be predominant, with AAV9 being the least prevalent.It is important to note that less than half of the population has antibodies against AAV4, AAV6 and AAV9, highlighting the need for personalized gene therapy in this special demographic.

According to the researchers, Knowing the prevalence of AAV ‘improves the development of targeted gene therapy’

As gene therapy becomes increasingly important in the treatment of genetic disorders, they say, identifying common AAV strains in specific populations can help develop optimized treatments and inform research. In this sense, the CIC bioGUNE study represents a significant advance in this emerging field, highlighting the variability of virus types that underpins personalized medical approaches.