NIH R01 · 2024
Targeting lung tumors expressing mutant p53 with oncolytic viruses and suicide genes
Mutations of the p53 gene are found in the majority of lung cancers and most of these mutations are single amino acid changes instilling gain-of-function (GOF) oncogenic phenotypes, making the GOF p53 oncoprotein an excellent cancer therapeutic target. We propose a radically different approach to current GOF p53 targeting therapeutic concepts in which instead of inhibiting the protein, we weaponize GOF p53 in promoting lung cancer cell death, either by suicide, viral lysis, or both, while leaving normal cells unscathed. This innovative strategy is possible based on our discovery of a unique transactivation mechanism for GOF p53, and from that, our creation of a GOF p53 inducible promoter.…
From the public funding record at NIH RePORTER. Describes the funded project, not the reviews below.