HER-2/neu-targeting gene therapy--a review.
The HER-2/neu (also named c-erbB-2) oncogene is known to be overexpressed in many human cancers, including breast, ovarian, lung, gastric and oral cancers. In animal models, HER-2/neu overexpression was shown to enhance malignancy and metastasis phenotypes. Repression of HER-2/neu overexpression suppresses the malignant phenotypes of HER-2/neu-overexpressing cancer cells, suggesting that HER-2/neu may serve as an excellent target for developing anti-cancer agents. We have previously shown that the adenovirus-5 (Ad5) E1a gene products and the SV40 large T antigen (large T) inhibit transcription of the HER-2/neu promoter and accordingly suppresses transformation induced by HER-2/neu. In this review, we summarize our recent findings on using cationic liposomes or an Ad vector to deliver E1a or large T into tumor-bearing mice. Our results indicate that both cationic liposomes or an Ad vector can efficiently deliver E1a or large T into tumor cells in mice, and this results in suppression of tumor growth and longer survival of the mice.
Hung
M C
MC
Department of Tumor Biology, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030, USA.
Matin
A
A
Zhang
Y
Y
Xing
X
X
Sorgi
F
F
Huang
L
L
Yu
D
D
D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D018390:Gene Targeting / Q000379:methods*; D018734:Genes, erbB-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D008081:Liposomes; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy*
D008081:Liposomes