title: Bacterial systems for gene delivery to systemic tumors.
abstract: Certain bacteria have emerged as biological gene vectors with natural tumor specificity, capable of specifically delivering genes or gene products to the tumor environment when intravenously (i.v.) administered to rodent models. Here, we describe procedures for studying this phenomenon in vitro and in vivo for both invasive and noninvasive bacteria suitable for exploitation as tumor-specific therapeutic delivery vehicles, due to their ability to replicate specifically within tumors and/or mediate bacterial-mediated transfer of plasmid DNA to mammalian cells (bactofection).
authors.affiliation: Cork Cancer Research Centre, BioSciences Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cummins
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cronin
authors.forename: Jan Peter
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: van Pijkeren
authors.forename: Cormac G M
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Gahan
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tangney
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000235:genetics*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics*; D015870:Gene Expression; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D015552:Injections, Intralesional; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000235:genetics*; D008156:Luciferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D010957:Plasmids / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008156:Luciferases