Technologies

Technology

Researchers at the University of Louisville have developed a novel adenovirus vector. The novel adenovirus vector has an entire serial deletion of E1B gene, and the E1A gene is under the regulation of the cyclin E promoter, which generally elevates in cancer cells. The researchers found that the adenovirus infection further increases the cyclin E promoter (shown below). A key strategy to increase tumor-specific replication of Ads depends on the transcriptionally regulating one or more key viral regulatory genes with tumor-specific promoters. The cyclin E promoter is highly active in cancer cells and its activity is further augmented in cancer cells by Ads. Thus, the cyclin E promoter has unique properties for controlling Ad oncolytic replication. Researchers at U of L have constructed E1b-deleted Ad-cycE, in which the cyclin E promoter is used to control the essential Ad E1a gene. Ad-cycE has selectively replicated in and efficiently destroyed A549 human and Ed-1 mouse lung cancer cells but spared normal cells.

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Oncolytic virotherapy has potential for treating cancer by targeting tumors and causing cancer cell lysis. This technology may have immediate application in animal studies. The field of research may be at the point in which pre-clinical studies can be started as a prelude to improvement in virotherapy clinical trials.