Novel pro-drugs and methods for their use to alter the growth and biological characteristics of living cells, tissues, or whole organisms are described. The methods allow for selective activation of the pro-drugs at or near transformant host cells expressing a gene for an enzyme that activates the pro-drugs. Pro-drugs according to a preferred embodiment of the invention are conjugates of a bioactive compound and a chemical group that is capable of being cleaved from the bioactive compound by action of an enzyme. Methods according to this invention include, (a) introducing into targeted cells a gene encoding an enzyme and (b) administering a pro-drug, wherein the enzyme releases the pro-drug from conjugation. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the gene encoding the enzyme is a marker gene.
本发明描述了新型前药及其用于改变活细胞、组织或整个
生物体的生长和
生物学特性的方法。该方法允许在表达激活前药酶
基因的转化宿主细胞附近或附近选择性地激活前药。根据本发明的一个优选实施例,前药是
生物活性化合物与能够通过酶作用从
生物活性化合物中裂解出来的
化学基团的缀合物。根据本发明的方法包括:(a)将编码酶的
基因引入目标细胞;(b)施用前药,其中酶从前药缀合物中释放前药。在本发明的一个优选实施例中,编码酶的
基因是标记
基因。