Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 9, 2026

In vivo Application of the REMOTE-control System for the Manipulation of Endogenous Gene Expression
08:54

In vivo Application of the REMOTE-control System for the Manipulation of Endogenous Gene Expression

Published on: March 29, 2019

CanScript, an 18-Base pair DNA sequence, boosts tumor cell-specific promoter activity: implications for targeted gene

Yu-Hung Huang1, Joseph A Cozzitorto, Nathan G Richards

  • 1Lankenau Institute for Medical Research, Wynnewood, PA, USA.

Cancer Biology & Therapy
|August 28, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Researchers identified a novel DNA enhancer, CanScript, that boosts gene expression in cancer cells. This finding could improve the effectiveness of gene therapy for cancer treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Oncology
  • Gene Therapy

Background:

  • Gene therapy for cancer utilizes specific promoters overexpressed in tumor cells.
  • Current tumor-specific promoters often exhibit low activity, limiting therapeutic gene expression.
  • Enhancing promoter activity while maintaining tumor specificity is crucial for effective cancer gene therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the enhancer potential of the MSLN gene-derived CanScript sequence.
  • To determine if CanScript can increase the activity of tumor-specific promoters.
  • To assess the application of CanScript in cancer-targeting gene therapy.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a luciferase reporter DNA construct for gene expression analysis.
  • Performed in vitro cell transfection assays.
  • Employed in vivo mouse tumor models to assess promoter activity.

Main Results:

  • CanScript demonstrated approximately 25% of CAG promoter activity in MSLN-expressing tumor cells.
  • Tandem repeat copies of CanScript enhanced transcription in a dose-dependent manner.
  • Coupling CanScript with tumor-active promoters increased overall promoter activity.

Conclusions:

  • CanScript functions as a potent enhancer sequence for MSLN-expressing tumor cells.
  • Incorporating CanScript into gene constructs can significantly boost promoter activity.
  • CanScript holds promise for enhancing the efficacy of cancer gene therapy strategies.

More Related Videos

Investigation of the Transcriptional Role of a RUNX1 Intronic Silencer by CRISPR/Cas9 Ribonucleoprotein in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells09:16

Investigation of the Transcriptional Role of a RUNX1 Intronic Silencer by CRISPR/Cas9 Ribonucleoprotein in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells

Published on: September 1, 2019

Testing Targeted Therapies in Cancer using Structural DNA Alteration Analysis and Patient-Derived Xenografts10:27

Testing Targeted Therapies in Cancer using Structural DNA Alteration Analysis and Patient-Derived Xenografts

Published on: July 25, 2020

Related Concept Videos

Conservative Site-specific Recombination and Phase Variation02:53

Conservative Site-specific Recombination and Phase Variation

Because the DNA segments are cut and reorganized in a direction-specific manner, site-specific recombination has emerged as an efficient genetic engineering technique. Flippase and Cyclization recombinases or Flp and Cre, respectively, are two members of the tyrosine recombinase family derived from bacteriophages, that are used to mediate site-specific DNA insertions, deletions, and targeted expression of proteins in mammalian cell lines.
The recognition sites for Cre recombinase called LoxP...
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Gene Therapy00:59

Gene Therapy

Gene therapy is a technique where a gene is inserted into a person’s cells to prevent or treat a serious disease. The added gene may be a healthy version of the gene that is mutated in the patient, or it could be a different gene that inactivates or compensates for the patient’s disease-causing gene. For example, in patients with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) due to a mutation in the gene for the enzyme adenosine deaminase, a functioning version of the gene can be inserted. The...
Epigenetic Regulation01:37

Epigenetic Regulation

Epigenetic changes alter the physical structure of the DNA without changing the genetic sequence and often regulate whether genes are turned on or off. This regulation ensures that each cell produces only proteins necessary for its function. For example, proteins that promote bone growth are not produced in muscle cells. Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
X-chromosome...
The Eukaryotic Promoter Region02:40

The Eukaryotic Promoter Region

The eukaryotic promoter region is a segment of DNA located upstream of a gene. It contains an RNA polymerase binding site, a transcription start site, and several cis-regulatory sequences.  The proximal promoter region is located in the vicinity of the gene and has cis-regulatory sequences and the core promoter. The core promoter is the binding site for RNA polymerase and is usually located between -35 and +35 nucleotides from the transcription start site. The distal promoter regions are...