OVEREXPRESSING HUMAN METHENYLTETRAHYDROFOLATE SYNTHETASE TO SENSITIZE CANCER CELLS TO 5-FLUOROURACIL CYTOTOXICITY

摘要

The present invention relates to enhancing the antineoplastic effects of the anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in human cancer cells by overproducing the human enzyme methenyltetrahydrofolate synthetase (MTHFS). More particularly, the invention uses MTHFS transgene for sensitizing tumor cells to the cytotoxic effects of 5-FU. The MTHFS transgene is delivered into tumor cells by using replication-defective adenoviruses or other delivery systems. The MTHFS transformed tumor cells highly respond to the anti-cancer drug 5-FU.