A nitrobenzylmercaptopurineriboside (nbmpr)-insensitive, equilibrative, nucleoside transport protein, nucleic acids encoding the same and methods of use

摘要

An isolated NBMPR-insensitive equilibrative nucleoside transport protein (iENTP) and the nucleic acid encoding it is disclosed. The iENTP can be used in screening assays to identify both natural nucloside permeants and/or inhibitors and analogs thereof. In addition, transfected or transduced cell lines are disclosed which use the iENTP as the sole nucleoside transport protein. Methods of employing such cell lines for drug screening are also included. Furthermore methods of using hematopoietic stem cells transduced with an iENTP in a chemotherapy protocol is also described. In addition, methods of using these cells to selectively express a heterologous gene for gene therapy is disclosed.