Reagents and Methods for Cancer Treatment and Prevention

Abstract

The invention generally relates to the prevention and/or treatment of cancer, and, more specifically, to the treatment of tumors, including solid tumors and their metastases, without radiation or standard chemotherapeutic agents. In one embodiment, the invention involves a method comprising: a) providing a subject with tumor cells, b) removing at least a portion of said tumor cells from said subject to create removed cells, c) treating at least a portion of said removed cells ex vivo, using stimulating agents, including thapsigargin and/or thapsigargin-related compounds, so as to create treated tumor cells; and d) introducing said treated tumor cells (or fragments thereof) in vivo into the same subject to generate anticancer therapeutic effects.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A recombinant pre-monocytic cell that is transfected with a DNA construct comprising a gene encoding a marker protein and an NF-κB promoter that drives expression of the marker protein. 
     
     
         2 . The recombinant pre-monocytic cell of  claim 1 , wherein the pre-monocytic cell is from a cell line selected from the group consisting of ML1, HL60, and U-937 cell lines. 
     
     
         3 . The recombinant pre-monocytic cell of  claim 1 , wherein the pre-monocytic cell is from a cell line selected from the group consisting of a human pre-monocytic THP-1 and a human pre-monocytic MonoMac-6 cell lines. 
     
     
         4 . The recombinant pre-monocytic cell of  claim 1 , wherein the pre-monocytic cell is replaced by a monocyte-like cell. 
     
     
         5 . A test solution comprising:
 (a) a plurality of pre-monocytic cells that are transfected with a DNA construct comprising a gene encoding a marker protein and an NF-κB promoter that drives expression of the marker protein;   (b) fragments from treated cancer cells or an extract from treated cancer cells, wherein the treated cancer cells were previously treated with an immunostimulant; and   wherein the fragments or the extract of (b) is present in the solution in an amount effective to cause expression of the marker protein via the NF-κB promoter.   
     
     
         6 . The test solution of  claim 5 , wherein the pre-monocytic cells are from a cell line selected from the group consisting of ML1 cells, HL60 cells, U-937 cells, THP-1 cells, and MonoMac-6 cells. 
     
     
         7 . The test solution of  claim 5 , wherein the cancer cells are skin cancer cells, prostate cancer cells, breast cancer cells, cervical cancer cells, uterine cancer cells, pancreatic cancer cells, colon cancer cells, lung cancer cells, bone cancer cells, or lymphoma cells. 
     
     
         8 . The test solution of  claim 5 , wherein the immunostimulant is selected from the group consisting of thapsigargin, thapsigargicin, thapsitranstagin, a thapsivillosin, trilobolide, and nortrilobolide.