Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
9
pubmed:dateCreated
2002-6-17
pubmed:abstractText
Telomerase is a distinctive candidate for targeted gene therapy of malignant gliomas, because the vast majority of malignant gliomas express telomerase activity while normal brain tissues do not. Recently, we developed a telomerase-specific expression system of caspase-8 gene using the promoter of the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene. However, the transcriptional activity of hTERT-181 promoter (a 181-base pair [bp] region upstream of the transcription start site) was relatively lower in malignant glioma cells than in other tumors such as prostate cancer cells. To establish the hTERT/caspase-8 construct as a novel therapy for malignant gliomas, we need to increase the transcriptional activity of the hTERT promoter in malignant glioma cells. In the present study, we demonstrate that the transcriptional activity of hTERT-378 promoter (a 378-bp region) was 2- to 40-fold higher in hTERT-positive malignant glioma cells (A172, GB-1, T98G, U87-MG, U251-MG, and U373-MG) than that of hTERT-181. We further demonstrate that by using the hTERT-378/caspase-8 construct, apoptosis was restricted to malignant glioma cells, and was not seen in astrocytes or fibroblasts lacking hTERT. Moreover, the growth of subcutaneously established U373-MG tumors in mice was significantly inhibited by seven daily intratumoral injections of hTERT-378/caspase-8 construct and its inhibitory effect persisted during 3 additional weeks without additional treatment. These results suggest that the telomerase-specific expression of caspase-8 under hTERT-378 promoter is a novel targeting approach for the treatment of telomerase-positive malignant gliomas.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jun
pubmed:issn
1043-0342
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:day
10
pubmed:volume
13
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
1015-25
pubmed:dateRevised
2008-11-21
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed-meshheading:12067435-Animals, pubmed-meshheading:12067435-Apoptosis, pubmed-meshheading:12067435-Caspase 8, pubmed-meshheading:12067435-Caspase 9, pubmed-meshheading:12067435-Caspases, pubmed-meshheading:12067435-Cells, Cultured, pubmed-meshheading:12067435-DNA-Binding Proteins, pubmed-meshheading:12067435-Female, pubmed-meshheading:12067435-Gene Therapy, pubmed-meshheading:12067435-Gene Transfer Techniques, pubmed-meshheading:12067435-Glioma, pubmed-meshheading:12067435-Humans, pubmed-meshheading:12067435-Male, pubmed-meshheading:12067435-Mice, pubmed-meshheading:12067435-Mice, Nude, pubmed-meshheading:12067435-Promoter Regions, Genetic, pubmed-meshheading:12067435-RNA, Messenger, pubmed-meshheading:12067435-Telomerase, pubmed-meshheading:12067435-Transcription, Genetic, pubmed-meshheading:12067435-Tumor Cells, Cultured
pubmed:year
2002
pubmed:articleTitle
Caspase-8 gene therapy using the human telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter for malignant glioma cells.
pubmed:affiliation
The Center for Surgery Research and Department of Neurosurgery, The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S., Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't