title: Tissue-specific, cell cycle-regulated chimeric transcription factors for the targeting of gene expression to tumor cells.
abstract: A major challenge in the gene therapy of proliferative diseases is the specific targeting of gene expression. Here we describe a new approach based on the development of dual-specificity promoters that are both cell type specific and cell cycle regulated. The gene of interest is driven by an artificial heterodimeric transcription factor, whose DNA-binding subunit is expressed from a tissue-specific promoter, whereas the trans-activating subunit is transcribed from a cell cycle-regulated promoter. As a result gene expression occurs preferentially in the proliferating cells of a specific type of tissue. The selectivity of this strategy is demonstrated for the expression of a transgene in proliferating melanoma cells, using a combination of cyclin A and tyrosinase promoter elements. We also show that the level of expression that can be achieved by this system is sufficient to induce a clear biological effect in a TNF-alpha cytotoxicity assay.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Molekularbiologie und Tumorforschung, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Germany.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jérôme
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019925:Cyclin A / Q000378:metabolism; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008156:Luciferases / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection; D019076:Transgenes; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D019925:Cyclin A; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D008156:Luciferases; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase