title: Targeting human breast cancer cells that overexpress HER-2/neu mRNA by an antisense iron responsive element.
abstract: The overexpression of HER-2/neu proto-oncogene has been found in a variety of human cancers. In particular, the amplification and overexpression of HER-2/neu gene were found in 20-30% of breast and ovarian cancer patients with a decreased survival and an increased relapse rates. To target the breast cancer cells overexpressing HER-2/neu mRNA, a novel approach is described that combines the antisense principle and the biochemical property of a translation regulator, an iron responsive element (IRE). This report shows that a HER-2/neu antisense IRE-reporter gene can be preferentially expressed in the breast cancer cells that overexpress HER-2/neu mRNA. This antisense IRE-mediated gene expression system may be applied broadly to target other cell type that uniquely expresses or overexpresses a known gene.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030, USA.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Yan
mesh_terms: D016375:Antisense Elements (Genetics); D001483:Base Sequence; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016384:Consensus Sequence; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D018390:Gene Targeting; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D016375:Antisense Elements (Genetics); D007501:Iron; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; C000715470:MAS1 protein, human