Approaches to gene therapy with sodium/iodide symporter

Since cloning and characterization of the sodium iodide symporter (NIS) gen e, several investigators explored the possibility of a novel cytoreductive gene therapy strategy based on NIS gene transfer into non-thyroidal tumor c ells followed by radioiodine therapy. NIS gene transfer has been shown to b e capable of inducing radioiodine accumulation in vitro and in vivo in seve ral non-thyroidal cancer cell lines. Following PSA promoter-mediated NIS ge ne delivery we were able to demonstrate prostate-specific iodide accumulati on in prostate cancer cells that was high enough to elicit a therapeutic re sponse of 131-I in vitro and in vivo. This study clearly demonstrates the p otential of NIS as a novel therapeutic gene for non-thyroidal cancers, in p articular prostate cancer.