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US 5,632,982 AGranted
Cytotoxic enhancement of TNF with copper
AssigneeThe Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
InventorsHoward H. Sussman, H. Garrett Wada, Katherine S. Fok
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Abstract
Copper chelates serve as cytotoxic agents in conjunction with a surface membrane protein receptor internalizing agent, particularly TNF, which has independent cytotoxic activity, for use against target cells. By employing concentrations of the two agents, where the agents have substantially reduced adverse side effects, the combination is shown to have effective cytotoxic activity.
Claims12
A method for killing target cells, said method comprising:
- combining said target cells with a source of cuprous ion in a form capable of binding to a surface membrane protein receptor, said source being other than cupric o-phenanthroline in the absence of a reducing agent, and an agent which binds to said surface membrane protein receptor and induces the internalization of said surface membrane protein receptor in an amount to provide a cytotoxic amount of cuprous ion internalized within said cells, wherein each component is administered in an amount below its individual cytotoxic amount;
- whereby said target cells are killed.
A method for killing target neoplastic cells, said method comprising:
- combining said target cells with a mixture of a weak cupric chelate and a cupric reducing agent to provide a source of cuprous ion and an agent which binds to a surface membrane protein receptor of said target cells and induces the internalization of said surface membrane protein receptor, said mixture of weak cupric chelate and cupric reducing agent in an amount to provide a cytotoxic amount of cuprous ion internalized within said cells, wherein each component is administered in an amount below its individual cytotoxic amount;
- whereby said target cells are killed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.