title: Retrovirus-mediated gene transfer in cancer therapy.
abstract: Retroviral vectors are one of the most promising systems for the transfer and the expression of therapeutic genes in human gene therapy protocols. This review will focus both on the advantages and intricacies of retroviral vectors themselves as well as on the application of these vector systems in experimental and clinical cancer therapy protocols. Therefore, the retrovirus life cycle and the general features of retroviral vectors, including possible targeting strategies with retroviral vectors, are overviewed. These topics are followed by the presentation of genes with emphasis on their potential as tools in somatic cell cancer therapy (cytokines, lymphokines, colony-stimulating growth factors, suppressor genes, antisense oncogenes, suicide genes). Finally, a prospect on the application of retroviral vectors will be described.
authors.affiliation: Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Uckert
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Walther
mesh_terms: D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor