Gene which enables cancer cells to return to normal

摘要

A cancer-inhibiting gene has been identified which encodes a protein capable of transforming malignant cancer cells into normal cells, and which makes it possible to screen for and identify compounds or other substances which are effective for cancer treatment by using nucleotide sequences from this gene as probes to monitor expression levels of the gene which are elevated in response to the contact with such compounds or other substances. Gene therapy of the cancer is possible using an expression plasmid prepared by incorporating the DNA of this invention downstream from an expression promoter that effects expression in a mammalian host cell. The polypepetide encoded by the gene can be used to treat cancer cells to cause them to revert to normal.