Targeting of adenoviral vectors for gene therapy of prostate cancer

Abstract

The transduction of cytotoxic genes by adenoviral vectors into prostatic cells offers a new entity for the treatment of prostate cancer. Current adenoviral vectors cannot infect prostatic cells selectively, and expression of therapeutic genes is often too low to be efficient. Bispecific antibodies may alter the natural tropism of adenoviral vectors towards prostatic cells, and increase the efficacy of infection (transductional targeting). The transcription of transgenes can be placed under the control of prostate-specific promoters (transcriptional targeting), and the combination of this with transductional targeting may be warranted to construct targeted vectors that are adequate for gene therapy of the prostate.