October 24, 2000

For Immediate Release

  ANTICANCER DEVELOPS REAL-TIME IN VIVO IMAGING OF GENE EXPRESSION

Gene expression in intact animals can now be visualized in real time by completely noninvasive techniques in developments by AntiCancer, Inc., of San Diego.  By utilizing a jellyfish green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene as a model, AntiCancer has been able to visualize its expression completely noninvasively in mice in the brain, liver, pancreas, prostate, and bone by its fluorescence using whole-body optical imaging.  The system’s rapidity of image acquisition makes it capable of real-time recording of even small increases or decreases in gene expression.  The imaging technology does not require exogenous contrast agents, radioactive or other substrates, or long processing times as do current technologies.  The method requires only that the expressed gene or promoter be fused or operatively linked to a fluorescent protein.  These new results appear in the latest issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA.

  Dr. Shigeo Yagi, General Manager of AntiCancer, stated that the technology can visualize expression of potentially any gene in vivo.  The imaging technology can be used to determine gene function in vivo and screen effectors of gene expression, he said.  This technology can now enable in vivo functional genomics.  The system can be used also to develop gene therapy and delivery and new diagnostics based on gene expression for diseases such as cancer, said Yagi.  This technology enables such rapid image acquisition that unrestrained animals can be imaged with very high resolution enabling high-throughput in vivo screening of gene drugs, Dr. Yagi said.  AntiCancer is now developing a new fluorescent protein, which is much brighter than any currently used, for this new gene-expression imaging technology.

  AntiCancer in addition is developing state-of-the-art animal models of cancer utilizing optical imaging to follow tumor growth and metastasis, genetically-engineered cancer drugs, gene therapy for cancer and hair growth, as well as genetically-engineered diagnostics of cancer and cardiovascular disease through its A/C Diagnostics subsidiary.

Yang, M., Baranov, E., Moossa, A.R., Penman, S., Hoffman, R.M.  Visualizing gene expression by whole-body fluorescence imaging.  Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 97, 12278-12282, 2000.