Abstract: According to certain embodiments of the present invention, methods for modulating the production of sialic acid in a system are provided, which comprise providing the system with a wild-type GNE-encoding nucleic acid sequence. According to such embodiments, the system may comprise a cell, muscular tissue, or other desirable targets. Similarly, the present invention encompasses methods for producing wild-type GNE in a system that comprises a mutated endogenous GNE-encoding sequence. In other words, the present invention includes providing, for example, a cell or muscular tissue that harbors a mutated (defective) GNE-encoding sequence with a functional wild-type GNE encoding sequence.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, the invention provides methods for treating cancer, comprising: (a) obtaining a specimen of cancer tissue and normal tissue from a patient; (b) extracting total protein and RNA from the cancer tissue and normal tissue; (c) obtaining a protein expression profile of the cancer tissue and normal tissue; (d) identifying over-expressed proteins in the cancer tissue; (e) comparing the protein expression profile to a gene expression profile; (f) identifying at least one prioritized protein target by assessing connectivity of each said over-expressed protein to other cancer-related or stimulatory proteins; (g) designing a first RNA interference expression cassette to modulate the expression of at least one gene encoding the prioritized target protein; (h): designing a first RNA interference expression cassette to modulate the expression of at least one gene encoding a protein of higher priority in the signaling pathway in which the first protein is a component; (i) incorporating the first cass

Abstract: Methods for treating cancer that include (a) obtaining a specimen of cancer issue from a patient; (b) obtaining a specimen of normal tissue in the proximity of the cancer tissue; (c) extracting total protein from the cancer tissue and normal tissue; (d) obtaining a protein expression profile of the cancer tissue and normal tissue; (e) identifying a group of proteins that are expressed in the cancer tissue at significantly different levels than in the normal tissue; (f) identifying one or more prioritized proteins from the group of proteins, which will serve as the target for an RNA interference molecule (RNAi), which, when provided to a patient, will reduce the expression level of the one or more prioritized proteins using both cleavage-dependent and cleavage-independent pathways of the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC).

Abstract: According to certain embodiments of the present invention, methods for modulating the production of sialic acid in a system are provided, which comprise providing the system with a wild-type GNE-encoding nucleic acid sequence. According to such embodiments, the system may comprise a cell, muscular tissue, or other desirable targets. Similarly, the present invention encompasses methods for producing wild-type GNE in a system that comprises a mutated endogenous GNE-encoding sequence. In other words, the present invention includes providing, for example, a cell or muscular tissue that harbors a mutated (defective) GNE-encoding sequence with a functional wild-type GNE encoding sequence.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, the invention provides methods for treating cancer, comprising: (a) obtaining a specimen of cancer tissue and normal tissue from a patient; (b) extracting total protein and RNA from the cancer tissue and normal tissue; (c) obtaining a protein expression profile of the cancer tissue and normal tissue; (d) identifying over-expressed proteins in the cancer tissue; (e) comparing the protein expression profile to a gene expression profile; (f) identifying at least one prioritized protein target by assessing connectivity of each said over-expressed protein to other cancer-related or stimulatory proteins; (g) designing a first RNA interference expression cassette to modulate the expression of at least one gene encoding the prioritized target protein; (h): designing a first RNA interference expression cassette to modulate the expression of at least one gene encoding a protein of higher priority in the signaling pathway in which the first protein is a component; (i) incorporating the first cass

Abstract: In certain preferred embodiments, the invention provides methods for treating cancer, which comprise (a) obtaining a specimen of cancer tissue from a patient; (b) obtaining a specimen of normal tissue in the proximity of the cancer tissue from such patient; (c) extracting total protein and RNA from the cancer tissue and normal tissue; (d) obtaining a protein expression profile of the cancer tissue and normal tissue using 2D DIGE and mass spectrometry; (e) identifying proteins that are expressed in such cancer tissue at significantly different levels than in the normal tissue; (f) obtaining a gene expression profile of the cancer tissue and normal tissue using microarray technology and comparing the results thereof to the protein expression profile; (g) prioritizing over-expressed proteins by assessing the connectivity thereof to other cancer-related or stimulatory proteins; (h) designing an appropriate RNA interference expression cassette to, directly or indirectly, modulate the expression of genes encoding s