LONDON (Agence de Presse Medicale for Reuters Health) - British scientists said on Tuesday that they had showed that gene therapy could be used to double the potency of radiotherapy against tumors.
The Cancer Research UK team at the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland report in the Journal of Gene Medicine that they had used gene therapy to deliver a gene encoding for nitric oxide synthase attached to a WAF1 promoter to tumor cells. Nitric oxide is a known radiotherapy enhancer, they explain.
The gene was then activated using a precisely targeted X-ray beam. Tests on bowel and fibrous tissue tumours showed a two-fold increase in the effectiveness of radiotherapy.
The researchers also measured the amounts of nitric oxide in both cancerous and normal cells to see how well they had been able to target the gene therapy. They found that production of the molecule had only been enhanced in tumour cells and the cells immediately surrounding them.
They said the gene and the WAF1 promoter remained in the cells for approximately one week after delivery.
Journal of Gene Medicine.
MeSH Headings:Biological Therapy: Decision Making, Computer-Assisted: Genetic Engineering: Genetic Techniques: Information Science: Medical Informatics: Medical Informatics Applications: Investigative Techniques: Radiotherapy, Computer-Assisted: Therapeutics: Therapy, Computer-Assisted: Gene Therapy: radiotherapy: therapy: Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment: Information ScienceCopyright © 2002 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
