WILD-TYPE RAS AS A CANCER THERAPEUTIC AGENT

摘要

Methods for inhibiting proliferation of a cell, particularly a cancer cell a re provided. The method comprises increasing intracellular levels of one or mor e wild-type ras proteins in the cell. In one aspect, the method comprises introducing and expressing a nucleic molecule that encodes a wild-type ras protein in the cell. In another aspect, intracellular levels of one more ras proteins are increased by introducing one or more wild-type ras proteins int o the cell. The present invention also relates to the therapeutic use of wild- type ras proteins or nucleic acids that encode one or more wild-type ras proteins in the treatment of tumors or cancer, or prophylactically to preven t formation of tumors or cancer. Methods of characterizing or evaluating cance r in a humans or other mammals are provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises assaying for a loss of function mutation in one or more endogenous ras alleles in the genome of tumor cells obtained from the subject. In anoth er embodiment, the method comprises assaying for a loss of function mutation in one or more endogenous ras alleles and an activating mutation in one or more ras alleles in tumor cells obtained from the subject.