Gene therapy: Therapeutic gene causing lymphoma
Abstract
The development of T-cell leukaemia following the otherwise successful treatment of three patients with X-linked severe combined immune deficiency (X-SCID) in gene-therapy trials using haematopoietic stem cells has led to a re-evaluation of this approach. Using a mouse model for gene therapy of X-SCID, we find that the corrective therapeutic gene IL2RG itself can act as a contributor to the genesis of T-cell lymphomas, with one-third of animals being affected. Gene-therapy trials for X-SCID, which have been based on the assumption that IL2RG is minimally oncogenic, may therefore pose some risk to patients.
- Publication:
-
Nature
- Pub Date:
- April 2006
- DOI:
- 10.1038/4401123a
- Bibcode:
- 2006Natur.440.1123W