Patent ID: 8445455

Claim:
A method for inhibiting cell proliferation associated with glucose starvation comprising: a) transducing a target cell capable of cell proliferation with a recombinant retroviral vector comprising a nucleic acid construct, the nucleic acid construct comprising (i) at least one glucose responsive protein 78 (grp78) non-coding regulatory sequence that comprises a sequence from about 520 base pairs 5′ of the site of initiation of transcription of the rat grp78coding sequence to about 175 base pairs 3′ of the site of initiation of transcription of the rat grp78 coding sequence; and (ii) a heterologous nucleic acid sequence operatively linked to the regulatory sequence, wherein the heterologous sequence comprises a structural gene that encodes a biologically active enzyme that converts a non-therapeutically effective compound to a therapeutically-effective compound in vivo; b) activating the glucose responsive protein 78 (grp78) non-coding regulatory sequence such that the heterologous nucleic acid sequence comprising a structural gene that encodes a biologically active protein is expressed; and c) contacting the cell with a non-therapeutically effective compound that is subsequently converted to a therapeutically-effective compound by the biologically active protein, wherein the therapeutically effective compound inhibits cell proliferation associated with glucose starvation.