NUCLEIC ACID CONSTRUCT FOR EXPRESSION OF ACTIVE SUBSTANCE CAPABLE OF BEING ACTIVATED BY PROTEASE AND ITS PRODUCTION AND USE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain the subject nucleic acid construct useful for therapies specific to target cells in tumor and inflammation, capable of expressing an inert precusor of an active compound against tumor and inflammation in tumor(- related) or inflammation cells. SOLUTION: This nucleic acid construct contains (A) at least one promoter element, (B) at least one DNA sequence encoding an active compound (protein B), (C) at least one DNA sequence encoding an amino acid sequence (partial structure C) capable of being specifically cleaved with an enzyme released from mammalian cells and (D) at least one DNA sequence encoding a peptide or protein (partial structure D) bound to the active compound through a cleavable amino acid sequence (partial structure C) and capable of inhibiting the activity of the active compound, and is intended to express the active compound capable of being activated by the enzyme released from the mammalian cells. Expression of the proteins BCD is induced by activation of the promotor sequence.