MATERIALS AND METHODS FOR PREVENTING CELLULAR INJURY IN HUMANS AND ANIMALS

摘要

The subject invention concerns a novel process for treating a human or animal to prevent cellular or tissue injury when said human or animal is at risk for heme protein-related damage or injury, such as acute renal failure that is associated with cisplatin treatment of cancer patients. The process employs a novel vector which, via in vivo gene transfer, results in the overexpression of the HO-1 gene in the kidney. The subject invention also concerns polynucleotide vectors and plasmids comprising the polynucleotide sequences that encode an HO-1 enzyme. These vectors can be used for transforming kidney cells to express the HO-1 gene.