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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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Page Last Updated: 12-17-2008