Suicide genes therapy in breast cancer:A Review study

Breast cancer is the major cancer in females industrialized countries .currently breast cancer therapy consists of surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone therapy.All have side effects and limitations. A major limitation of conventional chemotherapies used in cancer treatments today are low therapeutic indices and side effects that result from drug effects on normal tissues (off target). One of the most innovative approaches to developing antineoplastic agents with increased tumore selectivity is the use of suicide gene therapy. Suicide gene therapy involves delivering a gene product in proximity to the targeted cancer tissue through various targeted delivery methods followed by tissue /tumor-specific expression of the gene product which then converts a systemically available pro-drug into an active drug within the tumor local.The major suicide gene therapeutic strategies currently pursued are:Herpes Simplex Viruse Thymidine Kinase/ Gancyclovir , Cytosine Deaminase/5-FU,Carboxyl Esterase/Irinotecan,Varicella Zoster Viruse Thymidine Kinase/6-Methoxypurine Arabinonucleoside, NitroreductaseNfsb/5-(Aziridin-1-Y1)-2 4-Dinitro-benzamide, Carboxypeptidase G2/4- [)2-Chloroethyl)(2-mesyloxy-ethyl) amino] benzoyl-L-glutamic acid. Here we summarize the concept of suicide gene therapy for cancer and introduce the most frequently used suicide gene therapy systems and also targets ,vectors and mechanisms ,particularly ,in breast cancer. Conclusion: Suicide gene therapy is a promising approach to achieving highly specific cancer therapies while minimizing toxic effects of chemotherapy drugs on non-targeted/non-cancerous tissues.

Keywords:

Suicide gene therapy , Targeted therapy , Breast Cancer