Adenovirus-mediated therapy for uterine fibroids
AssigneesBoard of Regents, The University of Texas System, Northwestern University
InventorsAyman Al-Hendy, Eun Jig Lee, J. Larry Jameson
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Abstract
The present invention provides methods of treating and preventing uterine fibroids that is non-surgical, using a modified estrogen receptor gene delivered via an adenoviral vector. The modified estrogen receptor induced apoptosis in vitro and decreased tumor growth in vivo. The invention provides a major improvement above that of current available procedures for women having uterine fibroids, or in preventing fibroids in women at risk of having fibroids. The present invention further provides a safe means of treating fibroids and preserving fertility in young women, or maintaining pregnancy in pregnant women having fibroids.
Claims59
A method for treating an estrogen-dependent genitourinary condition in a patient comprising administering to the patient an effective amount of an expression construct comprising a nucleic acid comprising a sequence encoding a modified estrogen receptor, wherein the sequence is under the control of a promoter.
A method for inhibiting a leiomyoma cell comprising providing to the cell an effective amount of a dominant negative estrogen receptor, wherein the leiomyoma cell is inhibited.
The method of claim 61, wherein the modified estrogen receptor is a truncated receptor.
A method of treating a uterine fibroid in a patient comprising administering to the patient an effective amount of an adenovirus construct comprising a nucleic acid sequence, under the control of a promoter, encoding an estrogen receptor that is capable of binding to a ligand and has a reduced ability to activate transcription of an estrogen-dependent gene, wherein the fibroid is reduced.
A method of preventing pregnancy in a female subject comprising administering an effective amount of an expression construct comprising a nucleic acid, under the control of a promoter, encoding a modified estrogen receptor, wherein pregnancy is prevented.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.