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From Bench to Bedside: Basic Science Research
 

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  Strategies in Gene Therapy
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From Bench to Bedside:
Strategies in Gene Therapy


Gene therapy is the ability to replace abnormal or mutated genes with the normal copy of the gene to inhibit ongoing tumor cell growth. We are currently studying two tumor suppressor genes which have been successfully incorporated into a stable form for delivery directly into human pancreatic tumors. Most genes are delivered to human tumors in a virus particle which allows their stable incorporation into the DNA of the tumor. Our current studies are underway in mice and will soon be ready for study in human investigational trials.

Selected References:

1.  Bouvet M, Bold RJ, Lee J, Evans DB, Abbruzzese JL, Chiao PJ, McConkey DJ, Chandra J,
Chada S, Fang B, Roth JA.  Adenovirus-mediated wild-type p53 tumor suppresor gene therapy
induces apoptosis and suppresses growth of human pancreatic cancer.  Ann Surg Oncol 1998;
5:681-688.

2.  Grau AM, Zhang L, Wang W, Ruan S, Evans DB, Abbruzzese JL, Zhang W, Chiao PJ.  
Induction of p21-wafl expression and growth inhibition by transforming growth factor-B
involve the tumor suppressor gene DPC4 in human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells.  Cancer 
Res 1997;57:3929-3934.

3.  Pearson AS, Bouvet M, Evans, DB, Roth JA.  Gene therapy and pancreatic cancer.  Frontiers
in Bioscience 1998;3:e230-237.

4.  Wang W, Abbruzzese JL, Evans DB, Larry L, Cleary K, Chiao PJ.  The NF-kB transcription 
factor is constitutively activated in human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells.  In press:  Clin
Cancer Res.