Vævsinhibitor af metalloproteinaser (TIMP) bundet til glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-ankre til behandling af cancer

摘要

The present invention relates to the use of fusion constructs of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) for the treatment of cancer. In one embodiment, the TIMP is linked to mucin followed by GPI for surface membrane presentation. The invention further relates to the use of TIMP-GPI or TIMP-mucin-GPI for inhibiting cancer cell proliferation both in vitro and in vivo. The GPI-anchored TIMP proteins are incorporated in the surface membrane of tumour cells and render tumour cells sensitive to FAS-induced apoptosis. This approach makes the GPI-anchored TIMPs useful as anti-cancer agents for the treatment of cancer, and, in particular, residual cancer after incomplete surgical resection of primary tumours in an individual.