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mda-7 (IL-24): signaling and functional roles

Devanand Sarkar1, Zao-zhong Su, Irina V Lebedeva

  • 1Department of Pathology, Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY 10032, USA.

Biotechniques
|October 25, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Melanoma differentiation-associated gene-7 (mda-7), now IL-24, selectively induces cancer cell death. Adenoviral delivery of mda-7 offers a promising new avenue for cancer gene therapy, sparing normal cells.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Genetics

Background:

  • Neoplasia is characterized by abnormal cellular differentiation.
  • Differentiation therapy, inducing terminal differentiation, is a potential cancer treatment.
  • Melanoma differentiation-associated gene-7 (mda-7) was identified in differentiating melanoma cells.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the biological properties of mda-7 (IL-24).
  • To examine the signaling pathways mediating mda-7's cancer-specific apoptosis.
  • To highlight mda-7's potential in cancer gene therapy.

Main Methods:

  • Subtraction hybridization to identify mda-7.
  • Analysis of mda-7's biological properties as a secreted cytokine.
  • Investigating adenoviral vector-mediated delivery of mda-7 for cancer treatment.

Main Results:

  • mda-7, a secreted protein in the IL-10 family, was renamed IL-24.
  • Adenoviral delivery of mda-7 induces selective apoptosis in various cancer cells.
  • Normal cells are spared from mda-7-induced apoptosis.

Conclusions:

  • mda-7 (IL-24) exhibits unique cancer-specific apoptosis-inducing properties.
  • mda-7 represents a novel tool for cancer gene therapy.
  • mda-7 is currently in phase II clinical trials for patient efficacy.

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