Enhanced Radiosensitivity

The Molecular Radiation Therapeutics Branch of DCTD has as one of its goals the development of new molecular therapeutics for radiation oncology. Publications this year by Dr. Phil Tofilon include:

• The first report showing that inhibitors of histone deacetylase, or HDAC, a modulator of chromatin structure and gene expression that affects radiation response, enhance radiosensitivity
• The first study to show that gamma-H2AX, a marker of DNA damage, can serve as an indicator of drug-induced radiosensitization
• The first demonstration that inhibition of DNA methylation results in enhanced tumor cell radiosensitivity
• The identification of ErbB3 (an epidermal growth factor receptor) expression as a predictor of the susceptibility to radiosensitization induced by Hsp90 (a protein that appears in heat-shocked cells) inhibition

Dote H, Cerna D, Burgan WE, Carter DJ, Cerra MA, Hollingshead MG, Camphausen K, Tofilon PJ. Enhancement of in vitro and in vivo tumor cell radiosensitivity by the DNA methylation inhibitor zebularine. Clin Cancer Res 2005:15;4571-9.

This RRP in-house laboratory program serves as a focal point for collaboration with the Developmental Therapeutics Program in DCTD, investigators in the Radiation Biology Branch and Radiation Oncology Branch in the Center for Cancer Research, and university and industry collaborators interested in combined modality therapy using radiation.