Use of Sumoylation Inhibitors for Treating Cancer
OwnerRonald J. Weigelinventor
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Abstract
The present invention provides methods and reagents for treating cancer cells for therapeutic purposes, by contacting with a sumoylation inhibitor in a dose effective to block sumoylation of TFAP2A. In breast cancer cells the sumoylation inhibitor induces a basal to luminal shift in phenotype. Sumoylation inhibitors also reduce the number of cancer stem cells in a cancer cell population. Inhibition of sumoylation makes cancer cells more responsive to conventional chemotherapeutic therapy and radiation therapy and decreases recurrence or development of metastases.
Claims16
A method for treatment of cancer, the method comprising:
- contacting a cancer cell population with a sumoylation inhibitor in a dose effective to reduce the number of cancer cells in the population.
A method of screening for a candidate agent that is a sumoylation inhibitor useful in treatment of cancer, the method comprising:
- contacting a cancer cell with the candidate agent;
- and
- determining the concentration of sumo-conjugated TFAP2A, wherein a reduction in sumo-conjugated TFAP2A is indicative that the candidate agent is useful in cancer treatment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.