Snorri Thorgeisson of the National Cancer Institute led a team of researchers in the development of BOG (B5t Over-Expressed Gene) with the gene product pRb of the well-known tumor suppressor gene RB, retinoblastoma susceptibility gene.
The complex formed between Rb and BOG typically does not contain E2F-1 in vivo. This binding property suggests that cells that are transformed/transfected with cDNA or other functional nucleotide sequences that encode the BOG gene product will be useful as tools for studying cell cycle control and oncogenesis. Studies using rat liver epithelial (RLE) cell lines that are resistant to the growth inhibitory effects of TGF-beta1 and primary liver tumors have been shown to over-express BOG. Moreover, when normal RLE continuously over-express BOG, the cells become transformed and the transformed cells are able to form hepatoblastoma-like tumors when transplanted into nude mice. Therefore, biologics derived from BOG may be useful as diagnostics or therapeutics.
Applications include a method to diagnose and treat liver cancer; a method to study cell cycle control and oncogenesis; and liver cancer therapeutics. Liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide and the fifth most common cancer in the world. Postoperative five-year survival rate of HCC patients is 30-40%. The technology is currently in the preclinical stage of development.
More info: Dr. John Hewes, 301-496-0477, hewesj@mail.nih.gov
