@article{Jiao2026, 
author = {Jian Jiao and Yi-Jun Xu and Xue-Dong Li and Wen Hua and Yan-Rong Jiang},
title = {Laser photocoagulation improves the transduction efficiency of lentivirus vectors injected intravitreally},
year = {2026},
journal = {International Journal of Ophthalmology},
volume = {19},
number = {6},
pages = {1057-1064},
keywords = {gene therapy, laser photocoagulation, lentivirus vector, transduction efficiency, intravitreal injection},
url = {https://www.sciopen.com/article/10.18240/ijo.2026.06.05},
doi = {10.18240/ijo.2026.06.05},
abstract = {AIMTo evaluate the effect of laser photocoagulation on transfection efficiency of lentivirus (LV) vectors injected intravitreally.METHODSThe rat retina was photocoagulated prior to intravitreal injection of LV vectors encoding red fluorescent protein. Rats given intravitreal injection or photocoagulation alone served as controls. The transduction efficiency was analyzed by fundus angiography, histopathology, and immunofluorescence staining. Potential adverse effect of laser photocoagulation was evaluated in choroid flat mounts by observing the morphology of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) that formed the outer blood-retina barrier.RESULTSLaser photocoagulation enhanced the retinal area transduced by LV vectors in fundus images and increased the maximum transduction thickness in histopathological sections. Choroid flat mounts showed the RPE transduced by LV vectors maintained normal morphology.CONCLUSIONLaser photocoagulation improves the transduction efficiency of LV vectors injected intravitreally, identifying this as a promising gene therapy strategy for inherited retinal dystrophies caused by gene mutations in RPE and photoreceptor cells.}
}