Abstract: Combination of low doses of irradiation and chelerythrine results in increased apoptosis in tumor cells. The doses of either irradiation or chelerythrine alone are such that increased apoptosis or decreased tumor growth or proliferation would not be expected.

Abstract: This invention relates to genetic constructs which comprise an enhancer-promoter region which is responsive to radiation, and at least one structural gene whose expression is controlled by the enhancer-promoter. This invention also relates to methods of destroying, altering, or inactivating cells in target tissue by delivering the genetic constructs to the cells of the tissues and inducing expression of the structural gene or genes in the construct by exposing the tissues to ionizing radiation. This invention is useful for treating patients with cancer, clotting disorders, myocardial infarction, and other diseases for which target tissues can be identified and for which gene expression of the construct within the target tissues can alleviate the disease or disorder.

Abstract: The present invention provides a DNA molecule comprising a radiation responsive enhancer-promoter operatively linked to an encoding region that encodes at least one polypeptide. An encoding region can comprise a single encoding sequence for a polypeptide or two or more encoding sequences encoding DNA binding, activation or repression domains of a transcription factor. Processes for regulating polypeptide expression and inhibiting tumor growth using such DNA molecules are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides for the use of creatine compounds and hyperplastic inhibitory agents for prophylactic and/or therapeutic treatments of undesirable cell growth, e.g. tumors. The present invention provides methods of using creatine compounds, in combination with a hyperplastic inhibitory agent, to inhibit the growth of undesirable cells in a subject. The present invention is based, at least in part, on the discovery that creatine compounds and hyperplastic inhibitory agents, such as inhibitory agents, additively and synergistically combine to inhibit cell growth. The present invention further pertains to compositions for inhibiting undesirable cell growth in a subject. The compositions of the present invention include an effective amount of the creatine compound and a hyperplastic inhibitory agent in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Other aspects of the invention include packaged creatine compounds and inhibitory agents.

Abstract: Treatment of cells with ionizing radiation is associated with the production of arachidonic acid. Inhibition of phospholipase A2 abolishes radiation-mediated arachidonate production, protein kinase C induction and tumor necrosis factor gene expression. The addition of inhibitors of lipoxygenase, such as ketoconazole, prior to irradiation reduces the expression of of tumor necrosis factor while maintaining the expression of other radiation inducible genes, such as Egr-1 and c-jun. In contrast, indomethacin, an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase, enhanced the expression of tumor necrosis factor as well as other radiation inducible genes. The results show that lipoxygenase inhibitors are useful in the treatment of radiation-induced mucositis, dermatitis, pneumonitis, proctitis, and esophagitis. which may be due to the production of cytokines such as TNF.

Abstract: This invention relates to genetic constructs which comprise an enhancer-promoter region which is responsive to radiation, and at least one structural gene whose expression is controlled by the enhancer-promoter. This invention also relates to methods of destroying, altering, or inactivating cells in target tissue by delivering the genetic constructs to the cells of the tissues and inducing expression of the structural gene or genes in the construct by exposing the tissues to ionizing radiation. This invention is useful for treating patients with cancer, clotting disorders, myocardial infarction, and other diseases for which target tissues can be identified and for which gene expression of the construct within the target tissues can alleviate the disease or disorder.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for delivering ionizing radiation to specific tissues, resulting in the activation of a DNA molecule comprising a radiation responsive enhancer-promoter operatively linked to an encoding region that encodes at least one polypeptide. The radiation source may be will generally be in the form of a radionuclide, capable of gamma or beta emissions. Processes for regulating polypeptide expression and inhibiting tumor growth using such DNA molecules are also provided.

Abstract: A carbohydrate-free polypeptide coded for by a human DNA sequence of 309 nucleotides is immunologically reactive with monoclonal antibody against the human DF3 breast carcinoma-associated antigen. The nucleotide sequence is also useful as a probe to reveal restriction fragment length polymorphisms in human DNA.

Abstract: A carbohydrate-free polypeptide coded for by a human DNA sequence of 309 nucleotides is immunologically reactive with monoclonal antibody against the human DF3 breast carcinoma-associated antigen. The nucleotide sequence is also useful as a probe to reveal restriction fragment length polymorphisms in human DNA.