Method for selectively transducing pathologic mammalian cells using a tumor suppressor gene

Abstract

A method for transducing a pathologic hyperproliferative mammalian cell is provided by this invention. This method requires contacting the cell with a suitable retroviral vector containing a nucleic acid encoding a gene product having a tumor suppressive function. Also provided by this invention is a method for treating a pathology in a subject caused by the absence of, or the presence of a pathologically mutated tumor suppressor gene.

1 - 31 . (canceled)  
   
   
       32 . A method for treating cancer in a human patient comprising directly introducing into a p53-deficient tumor cell of the patient a retroviral composition comprising a retroviral vector construct in a pharmaceutically acceptable buffer, wherein said retroviral vector construct comprises a wild-type p53 gene coding region, the coding region being operatively linked to a promoter to effect expression of the coding region, wherein said expression is effective to inhibit the growth of said tumor cell.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the human patient has an epithelial cancer.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the human patient has lung cancer.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the vector comprises a marker gene.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the lung cancer is small cell lung cancer.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the promoter is selected from the group consisting of β-actin, CMV, RSV, N2A, LN, LNSX, LNSN, LNCX and SV40.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said retroviral vector is derived from MMTV or MMLV.  
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising removing tumor cells from said patient, introducing said retroviral composition ex vivo and returning retrovirally-treated cells to said patient.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein said tumor cells are bone marrow-derived.