Viral and non-viral vectors for cancer gene therapy.

BACKGROUND

Our research has focused on developing improved delivery vectors for treating cancer by gene therapy using the tumor suppressor p53 gene.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Recombinant viral and non-viral vectors were used to deliver the p53 gene into non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells either in culture or as a subcutaneous tumor. Transduction of tumor cells was measured by beta-gal expression while tumor cell proliferation was used to measure the effect of p53.

RESULTS

High level transduction was obtained in vitro and in vivo with a recombinant adenoviral vector, resulting in tumor cell growth inhibition in both models. A targeted, non-viral gene delivery vector based on the use of an EGF/DNA polyplex also resulted in efficient (as high as 66% transduction) and specific gene delivery in vitro when replication defective adenovirus was used as an endosome release agent.

CONCLUSION

These vectors now provide improved methods to deliver therapeutic genes for cancer treatment by gene therapy.