GENE THERAPY FOR PROSTATE CANCER: SENSIBILIZATION OF CELLS TO DN A DAMAGING DRUGS AND RADIATION

摘要

The present invention is directed to a novel therapeutic method for treating prostate cancer. The method employs the tissue-specific PSA promoter/enhancer as well as the unique properties of the DNA binding domain (dbd) of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) as a potent inhibitor of DNA damage repair and as a molecular sensitizer to genotoxic stresses. The sustained presence of the PARP-DBD in prostate tumor tissue induces enhanced tumor cell killing in response to DNA damaging treatments. The invention may be used as a biotherapeutic approach in the treatment of prostate cancers, which fail local-regional therapy, without significant risk of normal tissue damage.