Intracellular Synthesis of Telomeric Repeat Appears Lethal To Malignant Cells.HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 19, 1999--Cryogenic Solutions Inc. (OTC OTC See: Over-the-counter. OTC See over-the-counter market (OTC). BB:CYGS) announced the positive results of its experimental expression of the (TTAGGG)n oligonucleotide sequence in HeLa cells HeLa cells cells of the first continuously cultured carcinoma strain, descended from a human cervical carcinoma; used in the study of life processes, including viruses, at the cell level. . As expected, intracellular expression of the (TTAGGG)n oligo appeared to select against malignant cells which expressed the telomeric repeat whereas HeLa cultures transfected to express a control sequence of the same length continue to thrive. The company's ssDNA expression vector expression vector n. A vector, such as a plasmid, yeast, or animal virus genome, used to introduce foreign genetic material into a host cell in order to replicate and amplify the foreign DNA sequences as a recombinant molecule. uses viral encoded genes to produce intracellular oligonucleotide sequences of any desired composition, which effectively avoids some of the major hurdles associated with antisense antisense, DNA or RNA manipulated in a laboratory so that its components (nucleotides) form a complementary copy of normal, or "sense," messenger RNA (mRNA; see nucleic acid). delivery. The vector can be described as a custom designed biological factory that synthesizes single-stranded DNA DNA: see nucleic acid. DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid One of two types of nucleic acid (the other is RNA); a complex organic compound found in all living cells and many viruses. It is the chemical substance of genes. inside living cells. The researchers are able to program the sequences of ssDNA to be manufactured once the vector has entered a cell. It is anticipated that the ssDNA expression vector will soon allow biomedical research to graduate from cell cultures to live animal studies, especially those involving antisense technologies and therapies. The (TTAGGG)n sequence is one of many that have been shown in vitro to kill cancer cells. A series of subsequent in vivo studies are planned to demonstrate that the patented product performs as expected with a variety of catalogued sequences. |
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