Abstract
The enzyme nitroreductase, isolated from Escherichia coli B, converts CB1954 ((5-aziridin-1-yl)-2,4-dinitro-benz- amide) into a cytotoxic DNA interstrand cross-linking agent. The E. coli B gene (nfnB, NTR) encoding nitroreductase (NTR) was cloned into eukaryotic expression vectors. When driven by a CMV promoter, 5–10% of the stably transfected mouse fibroblasts expressed the NTR enzyme. These cells were killed at a concentration of 20 μM CB1954 in comparison to nonexpressing cells which were killed at a much higher concentration (500 μM). We subsequently generated transgenic mice to test the prodrug system in vivo. Nitroreductase was expressed specifically in T cells driven by the control elements of the human CD2 locus. Upon CB1954 treatment, transgenic mice show extensive cell depletion in thymus and spleen (14–16% of normal cell numbers), whereas all other tissues are unaffected by prodrug administration. These results raise the possibility of using the NTR gene in anticancer therapy.
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Drabek, D., Guy, J., Craig, R. et al. The expression of bacterial nitroreductase in transgenic mice results in specific cell killing by the prodrug CB1954. Gene Ther 4, 93–100 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.gt.3300366
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.gt.3300366
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