Genetically Engineered Cells Fight Tumors

Neuroblastoma tumors have been effectively treated in the laboratory with genetically modified cells that sought out and activated a chemotherapy drug placed directly at the cancer cells, according to investigators.

Neuroblastoma is a solid tumor that arises in a part of the nervous system outside the brain. Researchers from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (Memphis, TN, USA) and colleagues at City of Hope U.S. National Medical Center (Duarte, CA, USA), and the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, Canada), demonstrated that the cells migrated to tumors in spite of how small the tumors were or where they were located in the body. The cells produced an enzyme that activated the chemotherapy drug CPT-11 (irinotecan) at the site of the tumors. A report on this study was published in the December 20, 2006 issue of the journal PLoS ONE.

The study is the first to demonstrate that such cells, called neural stem- progenitor cells (NSPCs), can be utilized to target solid tumors that have metastasis. The fact that the drug is already used to treat tumors should make it easier to convert these laboratory findings to the clinic, the researchers noted.



Related Links:
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
City of Hope U.S. National Medical Center
University of British Columbia