Methods and materials for treating cancer

Abstract

This document provides methods and materials for treating cancers including renal cancer (e.g., renal cell carcinoma) as well as ovarian, breast, prostate, colon, pancreatic, bladder, liver, lung, and thyroid cancers and melanoma. For example, methods and material for using one or more inhibitors of an SCD1 polypeptide to treat renal cell carcinoma (e.g., clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC)) or to increase the efficacy of a renal cell carcinoma treatment are provided. In addition, this document provides methods and materials for using elevated SCD1 expression levels in diseased tissues as an indication that an SCD1 inhibitor can be used as an appropriate therapeutic to ameliorate the disease.

1 .- 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A method for reducing the number of cancer cells within a mammal, wherein the method comprises administering, to the mammal, an inhibitor of an SCD1 polypeptide under conditions wherein the number of viable cancer cells present within the mammal is reduced, wherein the cancer cells are selected from the group consisting of thyroid cancer cells, breast cancer cells, colon cancer cells, liver cancer cells, lung cancer cells, melanoma cells, ovarian cancer cells, pancreatic cancer cells, prostate cancer cells, and bladder cancer cells. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the cancer cells are selected from the group consisting of: anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cells, triple negative breast cancer cells, colonic adenocarcinoma cells, hepatocellular carcinoma, nonsmall cell lung cancer cells, malignant melanoma cells, epithelial ovarian tumor cells, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells, prostate cancer cells, and human urothelial bladder cancer cells. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the cancer cells are anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cells. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the cancer cells are colonic adenocarcinoma cells. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the cancer cells are hepatocellular carcinoma cells. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the cancer cells are nonsmall cell lung cancer cells. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the cancer cells are malignant melanoma cells. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the cancer cells are epithelial ovarian tumor cells. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the cancer cells are pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the cancer cells are prostate cancer cells. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the cancer cells are human urothelial bladder cancer cells. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the mammal is a human. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the administration is an intratumoral, oral, intraperitoneal, intramuscular, or intravenous administration. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the inhibitor is A939572, MK-8245, CVT-11127, MF-152, MF-438, or HYR-061. 
     
     
         41 . A method for reducing the number of cancer cells within a mammal, wherein the method comprises administering, to the mammal, a composition under conditions wherein the number of cancer cells present within the mammal is reduced, wherein the composition comprises the ability to reduce SCD1 mRNA expression or SCD1 polypeptide expression, and wherein the cancer cells are selected from the group consisting of thyroid cancer cells, breast cancer cells, colon cancer cells, liver cancer cells, lung cancer cells, melanoma cells, ovarian cancer cells, pancreatic cancer cells, prostate cancer cells, and bladder cancer cells. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the cancer cells are selected from the group consisting of: anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cells, triple negative breast cancer cells, colonic adenocarcinoma cells, hepatocellular carcinoma, nonsmall cell lung cancer cells, malignant melanoma cells, epithelial ovarian tumor cells, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells, prostate cancer cells, and human urothelial bladder cancer cells. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the cancer cells are anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cells. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the cancer cells are colonic adenocarcinoma cells. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the cancer cells are hepatocellular carcinoma cells. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the cancer cells are nonsmall cell lung cancer cells. 
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the cancer cells are malignant melanoma cells. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the cancer cells are epithelial ovarian tumor cells. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the cancer cells are pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cells. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the cancer cells are prostate cancer cells. 
     
     
         51 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the cancer cells are human urothelial bladder cancer cells. 
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the mammal is a human. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the administration is an intratumoral, oral, intraperitoneal, intramuscular, or intravenous administration. 
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein the composition comprises a nucleic acid construct having the ability to express a shRNA directed against SCD1 nucleic acid.