A New Technology for Identification of Hypoxia-Dependent Transcriptional Activation
Background:
The Screening Technologies Branch
of the National Cancer Institute is seeking statements of
capability or interest from parties interested in collaborative
research to obtain pre-clinical data to be used to further develop,
evaluate, or commercialize Cell Lines for Identification of
hypoxia-inducible transcriptional activity. The technology is also
available for non-exclusive licensing.
Technology:
Low concentrations of oxygen
(hypoxia) are a major pathophysiological condition conducive for
angiogenesis, a process necessary for tumor growth and metastasis
of cancer cells. This invention relates to a new technology
comprising of a vector DNA (pGL2-TK-HRE) that expresses the
luciferase gene under the influence of a hypoxia inducible promoter
sequence from the nitric oxide synthase gene. This technology has
been used to transfect various human tumor cell lines so that cells
express little to no luciferase under normal oxygen levels, but
stably express significantly higher levels under low oxygen
levels.
The transfected cell lines can be used for early detection of
HIF-dependent transcription and to screen and develop drugs and
small molecules that inhibit angiogenesis, an attractive target for
cancer therapy. The technology can also be used in gene therapy
where the therapeutic gene is being expressed under a hypoxia
inducible promoter.
R&D Status: Available
for use
Related Literature:
Rapisarda A. et al., Identification of Small Molecule Inhibitors of
Hypoxia-inducible Factor 1 Transcriptional Activation Pathway1,
Cancer Research 62, 4316-4324, August 1, 2002.
IP Status:
Because this technology is a research tool, patent protection is
not being sought pursuant to NIH patent policy.
Value
Proposition--Solution:
- Method to quantitatively and robustly identify transcriptional
activity in hypoxia conditions
- Ability to express luciferase in vivo in a hypoxia-inducible
fashion
- Identification of inhibitors of hypoxia cell signaling
- Potential cancer therapeutics and gene therapy
- Ability to facilitate early detection of angiogenesis
Contact
Information:
John D. Hewes, Ph.D., NCI
Technology Transfer Center
Phone: 301-435-3121
E-mail: Hewesj@mail.nih.gov
Reference: #620 MC
Posted 02/09/2008
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