Gene transfer into brain parenchyma elicits antitumor effects

Gene therapy strategies for cancer currently aim at targeting gene delivery to the malignant cell, In a mouse model of intracerebral Lewis lung carcin oma (3LL), adenoviral vectors transduce not only 3LL cells but also brain p arenchymal cells including endothelial cells, neurons, microglia, and astro cytes similar to in vivo similar to. Furthermore, transgene expression pers ists longer in brain than in tumor. Transfer of IFN-gamma into brain parenc hymal tells rather than tumor is both necessary and sufficient to generate antitumor therapeutic benefits. Therefore, parenchymal cells represent an e ffective and necessary target for delivery of genes that render the brain u ninhabitable by the tumor.