SUICIDE GENE THERAPY

By:By:

Antonio AlatorreAntonio Alatorre

Raquel AbellaRaquel Abella

Chrissy KachinoskiChrissy Kachinoski

Nicole FowlerNicole Fowler

Tracy MesinaTracy Mesina

Technique first used in 1992

Ashanti Disilva was afflicted with ADAAshanti Disilva was afflicted with ADA Doctors inserted ADA gene into her bone Doctors inserted ADA gene into her bone

marrow cells marrow cells Doctors used suicide genes to kill those Doctors used suicide genes to kill those

cells containing ADA if they negatively cells containing ADA if they negatively affected her bodyaffected her body

The cells could be killed with ganciclovirThe cells could be killed with ganciclovir

Development

The herpes simplex thymidine kinase gene The herpes simplex thymidine kinase gene is susceptible to treatment with gancicloviris susceptible to treatment with ganciclovir

Human thymidine kinase gene is not Human thymidine kinase gene is not susceptible to the drugsusceptible to the drug

The adenovirus was the chosen vector The adenovirus was the chosen vector because it only infects rapid growing cells because it only infects rapid growing cells

The Process

The herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene is The herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene is injected into tumor cells via an adenovirus vectorinjected into tumor cells via an adenovirus vector

This gene causes the cells to produce thymidine This gene causes the cells to produce thymidine kinasekinase

The drug ganciclovir is then administeredThe drug ganciclovir is then administered This drug is phosphorylated and transformed to This drug is phosphorylated and transformed to

poison by thymidine kinase poison by thymidine kinase The poison produced then cripples the tumor cells’ The poison produced then cripples the tumor cells’

genetic machinery genetic machinery

The Story of Joe HillFirst Cancer Use Joe was afflicted with cancer of the brainJoe was afflicted with cancer of the brain Doctors infected his tumor cells with an Doctors infected his tumor cells with an

adenovirus vector carrying a thymidine adenovirus vector carrying a thymidine kinase gene kinase gene

The virus was injected into five sites of The virus was injected into five sites of Joe’s tumorJoe’s tumor

One week later, Joe was administered One week later, Joe was administered ganciclovirganciclovir

The Story of Joe Hill

After a week, the tumor was removedAfter a week, the tumor was removed Doctors found that only approximately 1 in Doctors found that only approximately 1 in

10 of the tumor cells were infected with the 10 of the tumor cells were infected with the adenovirusadenovirus

However, ten times that many tumor cells However, ten times that many tumor cells actually diedactually died

This was a result of the bystander effectThis was a result of the bystander effect

Key Points:

Bystander Effect: The effects of the Bystander Effect: The effects of the adenovirus affects neighboring cellsadenovirus affects neighboring cells

This therapy is being used for many kinds This therapy is being used for many kinds of cancer at present, not just brain cancerof cancer at present, not just brain cancer