Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 20, 2026
09:37
Defining Gene Functions in Tumorigenesis by Ex vivo Ablation of Floxed Alleles in Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor Cells
Published on: August 25, 2021
Ionizing radiation: a genetic switch for cancer therapy
J J Mezhir1, K D Smith, M C Posner
1Department of Surgery, The University of Chicago Hospitals, IL 60637, USA.
Cancer Gene Therapy
|August 6, 2005
Summary
Radiation-targeted gene therapy uses radiation-inducible promoters to activate cancer-killing transgenes. TNFerade, an adenoviral vector, delivers tumor necrosis factor-alpha to solid tumors, localized by X-rays.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Gene Therapy
- Radiation Oncology
Background:
- Gene therapy for cancer is promising yet challenging.
- Radiation-inducible genes enable targeted gene therapy approaches.
- Promoters of radiation-inducible genes control transgene expression post-irradiation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the development of radiation-targeted gene therapy.
- To discuss TNFerade, an adenoviral vector utilizing radiation-inducible elements.
- To summarize preclinical and clinical data for TNFerade in solid tumors.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing radiation-inducible promoter elements (early growth response-1) to drive transgene expression.
- Delivering transgenes encoding cytotoxic proteins (human tumor necrosis factor-alpha) via adenoviral vectors.
- Localizing tumoricidal effects temporally and spatially using X-rays.
Main Results:
- Conceptual development of TNFerade, an adenoviral vector.
- Preclinical studies demonstrating efficacy and safety.
- Clinical trials investigating TNFerade for various solid tumors.
Conclusions:
- Radiation-targeted gene therapy offers localized cancer treatment.
- TNFerade represents a novel approach combining gene therapy and radiation.
- Further clinical evaluation is ongoing for diverse solid tumors.
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01:39Mutations
Overview
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01:33Cancer-Critical Genes I: Proto-oncogenes
Genes usually encode proteins necessary for the proper functioning of a healthy cell. Mutations can often cause changes to the gene expression pattern, thereby altering the phenotype.
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
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02:57Targeted Cancer Therapies
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01:35Mutations
Mutations are changes in the sequence of DNA. These changes can occur spontaneously or they can be induced by exposure to environmental factors. Mutations can be characterized in a number of different ways: whether and how they alter the amino acid sequence of the protein, whether they occur over a small or large area of DNA, and whether they occur in somatic cells or germline cells.
Chromosomal Alterations Are Large-Scale Mutations
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Genes usually encode proteins necessary for the proper functioning of a healthy cell. Mutations can often cause changes to the gene expression pattern, thereby altering the phenotype.
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
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