title: The suicide gene therapy challenge: how to improve a successful gene therapy approach.
abstract: The transfer of a suicide gene into donor lymphocytes to control alloreactivity in the context of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) represents the widest clinical application of T-cell based gene transfer, as shown by more than 100 patients treated worldwide to date, several phase I-II studies completed, and a registrative phase III study, sponsored by a biotech firm, about to begin. In this mini-review, we will summarize the clinical results obtained to date, and attempt to identify the steps envisaged to optimize the suicide gene therapy approach.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Immunotherapy and Gene Therapy Program, Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, Istituto Scientifico San Raffaele, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bonini
authors.forename: Attilio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bondanza
authors.forename: Serena Kimi
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Perna
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaneko
authors.forename: Catia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Traversari
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ciceri
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bordignon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D041722:Genes, Transgenic, Suicide / Q000235:genetics*; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D011355:Prodrugs / Q000494:pharmacology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D011355:Prodrugs