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Review
. 2022 Oct 31;19(1):173.
doi: 10.1186/s12985-022-01900-4.

Adeno-associated virus infection and its impact in human health: an overview

Thaís B Sant'Anna  1 , Natalia M Araujo  2
Affiliations
Review

Adeno-associated virus infection and its impact in human health: an overview

Thaís B Sant'Anna et al. Virol J. .

Abstract

Discovered as a contaminant of adenovirus stocks in the 1960s, adeno-associated virus (AAV) is a mono-stranded DNA virus that depends on helper factors to replicate. Even though AAV is endemic in the human population (35-80%), it is remarkable that many issues concerning the natural infection by this virus remain unanswered. In this study, we reflect on the main basic aspects of AAV biology and provide an overview of the studies exploring the impact of AAV infection on human health, focusing on three major research areas including, (i) cervical and (ii) liver cancer, and (iii) reproductive system disorders. Conflicting results have been obtained into the association of AAV infection with the occurrence of adverse reproductive outcomes, such as placental complications, spontaneous abortion, and fertility disorders, or with a protective role in HPV-related cervical carcinogenesis. Noteworthy, recent reports have identified AAV insertional mutagenesis as a novel risk factor for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. This latest finding raises concern regarding the widespread usage of AAV vectors in liver-targeted gene therapy.

Keywords: Adeno-associated virus; Cervical cancer; Gene therapy; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Human health; Pathogenesis; Reproductive disorders; Tumorigenesis; Wildtype AAV.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Transcriptional map of the AAV genome for major viral structural and nonstructural proteins. Spliced and unspliced forms of all three major transcripts are shown (for details, see text).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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