Patent ID: 7371515
Filing Date: 2008-05-13
Classification: A01K,C12N,C12Q

Abstract:
1. A method of identifying a gene whose activation or inactivation bypasses a cell's dependency on an exogenous oncogene for tumorigenicity, said method comprising: (a) providing tumor cells ex vivo, said tumor cells being mouse tumor cells, said cells comprising said exogenous oncogene operatively linked to a promoter regulated by a reverse tetracycline transactivator, said oncogene conferring tumorigenicity when expression is switched on; (b) causing said oncogene to be switched off thereby causing said cells to be one mutation away from tumorigenicity; (c) introducing a retroviral vector into said cells; (d) introducing said cells into an injection site on an immunocompromised mouse, and monitoring the mouse for formation of a tumor at the injection site; and (e) identifying, as said gene whose activation or inactivation bypasses a cell's dependency on said exogenous oncogene for tumorigenicity, a gene displaying increased or decreased expression in said tumor as a result of introduction of the retroviral vector.