E. coli nitroreductase/CB1954: in vitro studies into a potential system for feline cancer gene therapy

L Blackwood, P J O'Shaughnessy, S W Reid, D J Argyle

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract / Description of output

Investigations were carried out to identify a suitable prodrug activating system for feline gene therapy with the eventual aim of treating feline thyroid disease and feline neoplasia. The E. coli nitroreductase (NTR)/CB1954 prodrug activating system was evaluated in vitro in feline cells by transient transfection with a nitroreductase expressing construct and subsequent treatment with the prodrug CB1954. The feline cells successfully expressed E. coli nitroreductase, which was able to activate the prodrug CB1954 resulting in cytotoxicity to both transformed and adjacent cells (a bystander effect) in vitro. In the absence of nitroreductase, CB1954 was non-toxic to feline cells. In addition, the nitroreductase gene was expressed in rat thyroid cells under the control of the cell type specific feline thyroglobulin promoter. This paper demonstrates that the E. coli nitroreductase/CB1954 system may be suitable for in vivo feline gene therapy, and further investigations are warranted.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)269-79
Number of pages11
JournalVeterinary Journal
Volume161
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2001

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Aziridines
  • Base Sequence
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cat Diseases
  • Cats
  • Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic
  • DNA Primers
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Escherichia coli
  • Genetic Therapy
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Neoplasms
  • Nitroreductases
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Prodrugs
  • Rats
  • Transfection
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

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