USE OF RAD51 INHIBITORS FOR P53 GENE THERAPY

摘要

The present invention is directed to methods and compositions for inhibiting or reducing tumor cell proliferation in an individual in vivo. More specifically, a tumor cell is contacted, in vivo, with a Rad51 inhibitor, and a polynucleotide capable of expressing functional p53 protein. In a further embodiment of the present invention the tumor cell is exposed in vivo to radiation or chemotherapeutic agents (e.g., BCNU CCNU, and DMZ, GB, cisplatin and the like). The Rad51 inhibitor may be selected from the group consisting of peptides, small molecules and Rad51 antisense molecules. The Rad51 antisense molecule and the p53 polynucleotide may be encoded on an expression vector under the control of one or more promoters, and the expression vector may then be incorporated into a viral genome, preferably an andeno or retro virus, which is then used to introduce the expression vector into the tumor cell.