Abstract
Conventional cancer treatments are often hampered by a lack of tumour selectivity, resulting in toxicity to healthy tissue. Gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT) is a suicide gene therapy approach that aims to improve the selectivity of chemotherapy by enabling cancer cells to convert non-cytotoxic prodrugs to cytotoxic drugs. Many enzyme/ prodrug systems have been described, some of which have already been tested in clinical trials. A key component of GDEPT is a foreign enzyme that is expressed selectively at the tumour site where it converts the prodrug into the cytotoxic agent. The gene encoding the prodrug-activating enzyme needs to be expressed selectively and efficiently in tumour cells in order to spare normal tissue from damage. Substantial efforts have been made to develop gene therapy vectors that are capable of targeting cancer cells. A large number of gene delivery systems have been described for GDEPT: Viral vectors are the most advanced. They include replication-deficient and replication-selective (oncolytic) viruses. Recent advances in engineering viruses for GDEPT are reviewed in this article and data from both preclinical studies and clinical trials are discussed.
Keywords: Cancer, gene therapy, suicide gene therapy, GDEPT, VDEPT, GPAT, prodrug, chemotherapy
Current Gene Therapy
Title: Viral Vectors for Gene-Directed Enzyme Prodrug Therapy
Volume: 6 Issue: 6
Author(s): Silke Schepelmann and Caroline J. Springer
Affiliation:
Keywords: Cancer, gene therapy, suicide gene therapy, GDEPT, VDEPT, GPAT, prodrug, chemotherapy
Abstract: Conventional cancer treatments are often hampered by a lack of tumour selectivity, resulting in toxicity to healthy tissue. Gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT) is a suicide gene therapy approach that aims to improve the selectivity of chemotherapy by enabling cancer cells to convert non-cytotoxic prodrugs to cytotoxic drugs. Many enzyme/ prodrug systems have been described, some of which have already been tested in clinical trials. A key component of GDEPT is a foreign enzyme that is expressed selectively at the tumour site where it converts the prodrug into the cytotoxic agent. The gene encoding the prodrug-activating enzyme needs to be expressed selectively and efficiently in tumour cells in order to spare normal tissue from damage. Substantial efforts have been made to develop gene therapy vectors that are capable of targeting cancer cells. A large number of gene delivery systems have been described for GDEPT: Viral vectors are the most advanced. They include replication-deficient and replication-selective (oncolytic) viruses. Recent advances in engineering viruses for GDEPT are reviewed in this article and data from both preclinical studies and clinical trials are discussed.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Schepelmann Silke and Springer J. Caroline, Viral Vectors for Gene-Directed Enzyme Prodrug Therapy, Current Gene Therapy 2006; 6 (6) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/156652306779010679
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/156652306779010679 |
Print ISSN 1566-5232 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1875-5631 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
Programmed Cell Death Genes in Oncology: Pioneering Therapeutic and Diagnostic Frontiers (BMS-CGT-2024-HT-45)
Programmed Cell Death (PCD) is recognized as a pivotal biological mechanism with far-reaching effects in the realm of cancer therapy. This complex process encompasses a variety of cell death modalities, including apoptosis, autophagic cell death, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis, each of which contributes to the intricate landscape of cancer development and ...read more
Related Journals
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
Aspirin: A Potential Therapeutic Approach in Pancreatic Cancer
Current Medicinal Chemistry Overview of Angiogenesis and the use of Bevacizumab in Patients with Malignant Gliomas
Current Signal Transduction Therapy Expression, Regulation, and Role of an Oligopeptide Transporter: PEPT1 in Tumors
Current Medicinal Chemistry Is the Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition Clinically Relevant for the Cancer Patient?
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology The Use of Nimesulide and Its Analogues in Cancer Chemoprevention
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry In Vivo Inhibition of the Estrogen Sulfatase Enzyme and Growth of DMBA-Induced Mammary Tumors by Melatonin
Current Cancer Drug Targets Revisiting Non-Cancer Drugs for Cancer Therapy
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Electrochemical Immunosensors for Disease Detection and Diagnosis
Current Medicinal Chemistry Stem Cells: In Sickness and in Health
Current Stem Cell Research & Therapy Prognostic and Therapeutic Implications of MicroRNA in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
MicroRNA Emerging Therapies Targeting Tumor Vasculature in Multiple Myeloma and other Hematologic and Solid Malignancies
Current Cancer Drug Targets Properties of the Mesenchymal Endometriotic Stem Cell in the Context of the Immune System and Analysis of its Role in Endometriosis
Recent Patents on Regenerative Medicine Bioactive Cyclohexenones: A Mini Review
Current Bioactive Compounds Drug Analogs of COX-2 Selective Inhibitors Lumiracoxib and Valdecoxib Derived from in silico Search and Optimization
Anti-Inflammatory & Anti-Allergy Agents in Medicinal Chemistry The Vanilloid Agonist Resiniferatoxin for Interventional-Based Pain Control
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Biological Activities of QIAPI 1 as a Melanin Precursor and Its Therapeutic Effects in Wistar Rats Exposed to Arsenic Poisoning
Central Nervous System Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Antagonist as an Angiogenic Inhibitor in Urogenital Cancer
Reviews on Recent Clinical Trials New Platinum and Ruthenium Complexes - the Latest Class of Potential Chemotherapeutic Drugs - a Review of Recent Developments in the Field
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry Mammaglobin-Based Strategies for Treatment of Breast Cancer
Current Cancer Drug Targets The CLCA Gene Family: Putative Therapeutic Target for Respiratory Diseases
Inflammation & Allergy - Drug Targets (Discontinued)