title: Gene transfer of suicide genes for the treatment of malignant gliomas: efficacy, limitations, and perspectives for a combined immunotherapy.
abstract: The potential of gene therapy strategies for malignant gliomas that are based on retroviral-mediated transfer of a "suicide gene" such as Herpes Simplex Virus-thymidine kinase HSV-tk and subsequent treatment by a prodrug (ganciclovir, for example), has been emphasized by the promising results obtained by several groups. However, further experimental data as well as preliminary clinical results indicate that the low efficiency of retroviral-mediated gene transfer in vivo as well as difficulties for the diffusion of the prodrug inside the tumour mass can limit the efficacy of this form of gene therapy. To achieve a more effective limitation of tumour growth other approaches may be combined with the "suicide gene" strategy and the enhancement of the immunological response to the tumour by cytokine gene transfer is prominent among these approaches. The authors' experiments in nude mice confirm the antineoplastic role of IL-4 and encourage testing the effects of the simultaneous transfer of IL-4 and HSV-tk genes in immunocompetent animals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, Istituto Nazionale Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Benedetti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Meco
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pollo
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bruzzone
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cirenei
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Spreafico
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Solero
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Broggi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Di Donato
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Finocchiaro
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016923:Cell Death / Q000235:genetics*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000235:genetics; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D015774:Ganciclovir / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000502:physiology; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D018139:Simplexvirus / Q000235:genetics; D013937:Thymidine Kinase / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D015847:Interleukin-4; D013937:Thymidine Kinase; D015774:Ganciclovir