Abstract: Provided is antitumor therapy using oncolytic viruses which exhibits an excellent antitumor effect and has reduced adverse effects. An antitumor agent, comprising a combination of an oncolytic virus and an anticancer agent selected from the group consisting of oxaliplatin, an anticancer plant alkaloid, and an antimetabolite.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to develop a virus vector, the activity of which is rendered controllable. A virus protein gene derived from an RNA virus is provided in which a gene encoding an optical switch protein is inserted into a foreign gene introducible region of the virus protein so as to enable expression of the gene. By means of this virus vector, it is possible to control, with irradiation of light, enzyme activity of the virus protein and virus vector activity based thereon.

Abstract: An agent for ameliorating and/or preventing sickle cell disease, includes 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) or a derivative thereof or a salt thereof. The agent is useful for amelioration and/or prevention of sickle cell disease. The agent may include one or more kinds of metal-including compounds. The metal in the metal-including compound can be any of several different metals, including iron, magnesium, zinc, nickel, vanadium, copper, chromium, molybdenum, or cobalt.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to develop a virus vector, the activity of which is rendered controllable. A virus protein gene derived from an RNA virus is provided in which a gene encoding an optical switch protein is inserted into a foreign gene introducible region of the virus protein so as to enable expression of the gene. By means of this virus vector, it is possible to control, with irradiation of light, enzyme activity of the virus protein and virus vector activity based thereon.

Abstract: A gene-modified coxsackievirus that is to be used in oncolytic virotherapy and is improved in safety and/or aggressiveness is provided. A gene-modified coxsackievirus that contains a mutated genome with a coxsackievirus B3 wild-type (CVB3-WT) genome inserted with at least one polynucleotide constituted of a target sequence for at least one of either of miR-34a and miR-34c and is suppressed in proliferation in normal cells is provided.

Abstract: Provided is antitumor therapy using oncolytic viruses which exhibits an excellent antitumor effect and has reduced adverse effects. An antitumor agent, comprising a combination of an oncolytic virus and an anticancer agent selected from the group consisting of oxaliplatin, an anticancer plant alkaloid, and an antimetabolite.

Abstract: A modified coxsackievirus showing improved safety and/or aggressiveness to be used for oncolytic virotherapy is provided. A modified coxsackievirus showing tissue-specific suppression of proliferation and comprising a mutated genome consisting of the genome of coxsackievirus B3 wild-type (CVB3-WT) inserted with at least one polynucleotide consisting of a target sequence of tissue-specific microRNA (miRNA) is provided. The mutated genome is preferably further inserted with the region encoding GM-CSF in an expressible form.

Abstract: A virus vector contains a genome that is derived from a virus belonging to the family Paramyxoviridae, and has a gene encoding a modified H protein, a gene encoding a modified F protein, and foreign genes. The genome may be segmented into multiple segments, and each genome segment may have a leader sequence and a trailer sequence.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical composition contains a coxsackievirus A11 type that infects cancer cells or an echovirus 4 type that infects cancer cells. The coxsackievirus A11 type and the echovirus 4 type may have capsid eliminated. The pharmaceutical composition has an intensive cytotoxicity to a cell of cancer selected from the group consisting of small cell lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, lung squamous cell carcinoma, malignant mesothelioma, colorectal cancer, colon/rectum cancer, esophageal cancer, hypopharynx cancer, human-B-lymphocyte tumor, breast cancer, cervical cancer, and pancreatic cancer, which is the cancer cells of a solid cancer.

Abstract: A modified coxsackievirus showing improved safety and/or aggressiveness to be used for oncolytic virotherapy is provided. A modified coxsackievirus showing tissue-specific suppression of proliferation and comprising a imitated genome consisting of the genome of coxsackievirus B3 wild-type (CVB3-WT) inserted with at least one polynucleotide consisting of a target sequence of tissue-specific microR NA (miRNA) is provided. The mutated genome is preferably further inserted with the region encoding GM-CSF in an expressible form.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical composition contains a coxsackievirus A11 type that infects cancer cells or an echovirus 4 type that infects cancer cells. The coxsackievirus A11 type and the echovirus 4 type may have capsid eliminated. The pharmaceutical composition has an intensive cytotoxicity to a cell of cancer selected from the group consisting of small cell lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, lung squamous cell carcinoma, malignant mesothelioma, colorectal cancer, colon/rectum caner, esophageal cancer, hypopharynx cancer, human-B-lymphocyte tumor, breast cancer, cervical cancer, and pancreatic cancer, which is the cancer cells of a solid cancer.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide safe viral vectors for gene therapy that can be introduced by a simple technique and sufficiently express genes of interest in vivo. The present inventors demonstrated that anti-tumor effect can be produced when a heparin-binding cytokine such as granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and a chemokine such as TARC or RANTES are expressed in vivo using a viral vector based on a negative-strand RNA virus. The present inventors also demonstrated that the protective effect of the vector is superior to that of conventional adenovirus vectors. Thus, the present invention relates to negative-strand RNA viral vectors comprising a cytokine gene and a chemokine gene. The viral vectors are suitable for treatment of cancers, in particular, metastatic cancers. The present invention also provides compositions comprising such viral vectors, and gene therapy methods using them.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for accelerating the differentiation of embryonic stem cells by introducing nucleic acid encoding the Tal1/Scl transcription factor into the cells, and culturing the transduced cells in a differentiation medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) embryonic stem cell cultures and cell lines, and their use. The common marmoset embryonic cells of the present invention (i) are capable of prolonged undifferentiated proliferation in vitro, (ii) maintain, during prolonged culture, a karyotype in which all the chromosomal characteristics of common marmoset are present without noticeable alteration; (iii) are capable of differentiation into all three embryonic germ layers (ectoderm, endoderm and mesoderm) even after prolonged culture; and (iv) are capable of teratoma formation in vivo. The stem cells preferably are totipotent.