title: Stem cell based gene therapy in prostate cancer.
abstract: Current prostate cancer treatment, especially hormone refractory cancer, may create profound iatrogenic outcomes because of the adverse effects of cytotoxic agents. Suicide gene therapy has been investigated for the substitute modality for current chemotherapy because it enables the treatment targeting the cancer cells. However the classic suicide gene therapy has several profound side effects, including immune-compromised due to viral vector. Recently, stem cells have been regarded as a new upgraded cellular vehicle or vector because of its homing effects. Suicide gene therapy using genetically engineered mesenchymal stem cells or neural stem cells has the advantage of being safe, because prodrug administration not only eliminates tumor cells but consequently kills the more resistant therapeutic stem cells as well. The attractiveness of prodrug cancer gene therapy by stem cells targeted to tumors lies in activating the prodrug directly within the tumor mass, thus avoiding systemic toxicity. Therapeutic achievements using stem cells in prostate cancer include the cytosine deaminase/5-fluorocytosine prodrug system, herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase/ganciclovir, carboxyl esterase/CPT11, and interferon-beta. The aim of this study is to review the stem cell therapy in prostate cancer including its proven mechanisms and also limitations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Soonchunhyang University, College of Medicine, Soonchunyang University Hospital, Seoul 140-743, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Heon
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-4490-3610
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Institute, Chung-Ang School of Medicine, Seoul 156-756, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hong Jun
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Soonchunhyang University, College of Medicine, Soonchunyang University Hospital, Seoul 140-743, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yun Seob
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D058948:Cell Tracking; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011355:Prodrugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy*; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation
chemical_list: D011355:Prodrugs