PURINE NUCLEOSIDE PHOSPHORYLASE GENE THERAPY FOR HUMAN MALIGNANCY

摘要

Methods and compositions for killing replicating or non-replicating, targete d mammalian cells and bystander cells, comprising: (a) transfecting or transducing mammalian cells with a nucleic acid encoding a purine analog nucleoside cleavage enzyme, or providing the targeted cells directly with the enzyme; and (b) contacting the targeted cel ls with a purine analog nucleoside substrate for the enzyme to produce a toxic purine base analog thereby killing the targeted cells and bystander cells. In the present method of killing cells, the enzyme can be an E. coli purine analog nucleoside phosphorylase.