Restoration of the TGF-beta1 autocrine growth suppresive circuit in ovarian cancer cells by rAAV based transduction of a cDNA coding for an active TGF-beta1 peptide.

This project will investigate whether the autocrine growth suppresive TGF-beta1 circuit in ovarian cancer can be used for the development of a molecular treatment strategy. For this bio active TGF-beta1 mutant will be transduced in ovarian cancer cells with an efficient and safe gene transfer vehicle (recombinant adeno associated virus or rAAV). The effect on growth and apoptosis will be examined. In addition, we will look for a potential bystander effect from transduced cells on non-transduced cells. The system will subsequently be applied in vivo on a syngenic rat ovarian cancer model.