Abstract: The present invention relates to promoters, enhancers and other regulatory elements that direct expression within tumor cells, comprising nucleotide sequences from the 5′ regulatory region, and transcriptionally active fragments thereof, that control expression of a renal cell carcinoma related protein, MN-CA9. Specifically provided are expression vectors, host cells and transgenic animals wherein an MN-CA9 regulatory region is capable of controlling expression of a heterologous gene, over-expressing an endogenous gene or an inhibitor of a pathological process or knocking out expression of a specific gene believed to be important in cancer development and/or progression. The invention also relates to methods for using said vectors, cells and animals for screening candidate molecules for agonists and antagonists of cancer development and/or progression.

Abstract: A therapeutic agent based on a recombinant adenovirus which employs an osteocalcin promoter for the expression of thymidine kinase can be administered intravascularly to treat metastatic cancer, including osteosarcoma, breast cancer, prostate cancer, ocular melanoma or brain cancer. Systemic administration of this agent provides a preferred route over previous disclosure of local direct administration. The same therapeutic agent can be effectively employed in the treatment of benign conditions, including benign prostatic hypertrophy and arteriosclerosis.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for the production of high titers of serum-free lytic viruses in a hollow fiber cartridge capillary system. The invention further relates to methods of infecting target cells at high multiplicity and for producing high concentrations of transduced target cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for the production of high titers of serum-free lytic viruses in a hollow fiber cartridge capillary system. The invention further relates to methods of infecting target cells at high multiplicity and for producing high concentrations of transduced target cells.

Abstract: A therapeutic agent based on a recombinant adenovirus which employs an osteocalcin promoter for the expression of thymidine kinase can be administered intravascularly to treat metastatic cancer, including osteosarcoma, breast cancer, prostate cancer, ocular melanoma or brain cancer. Systemic administration of this agent provides a preferred route over previous disclosure of local direct administration. The same therapeutic agent can be effectively employed in the treatment of benign conditions, including benign prostatic hypertrophy and arteriosclerosis.

Abstract: A recombinant adenovirus Ad-OC-TK was constructed, with cell specific gene expression, which contains osteocalcin (OC) promoter that drives the expression of herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (TK); the addition of acyclovir (ACV), a pro-drug for the inhibition of cell proliferation, to Ad-OC-TK resulted in the induction of osteoblast-specific cell death in vitro. The Ad-OC-TK virus plus ACV treatment is highly selective in blocking the growth of both murine and human osteosarcoma cell lines in vitro and murine osteosarcoma in vivo.