SUSANNA RYBAK :  FRIDAY 31 MARCH 2006, 09:10

RNase-based Therapeutics: Update

Susanna Rybak
Bionanomics, LLC, Florida, USA

Members of the pancreatic ribonuclease (RNase) family express diverse activities that include the inherent anti-tumor activity of some RNase A homologues. Cell-type-specific cytotoxins have been constructed by using chemical or recombinant methods to link various members of the RNase A superfamily to antibodies that recognize tumor-associated antigens. These targeted RNases inhibit tumor growth in both solid (breast) and blood (lymphoma) murine models.   Recently human RNases have been shown to affect activation of immune cells possibly explaining the bystander effect wherein the in vivo potency is greater than predicted by direct in vitro toxicity testing. They also may be less immunogenic with fewer toxic side-effects than targeted therapeutics based on plant or bacterial toxins. All this demonstrates the potential of RNase immunotherapeutics for cancer therapy.

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