Table 2 Benefits and drawbacks of employing AAV vectors in HCC gene therapy [161,162,163]

1. No immunogenicity (absence of viral coding sequences)

2. No inflammatory response from the host to capsid components

3. Effective penetration of DNA into the target cell

4. Extended DNA retention in the target cell

1. Necessitates conversion into double-stranded DNA, potentially causing a postponement in expression

2. Reduced integration frequency when Rep proteins are absent

3. Limited packaging capacity (up to a 4.7 kb insert)

4. Complicated production process and high cost