Gene therapy for B cell lymphomas

The use of genes or genetically modified cells for therapeutic benefit is likely to have a significant therapeutic role for patients with B cell lymphomas in the future. To date, most gene therapy strategies applicable to the therapy of these diseases have not reached the point of clinical study. Adoptive immunotherapy using donor leucocyte infusions to treat aggressive B cell neoplasms in immunosuppressed patients has, however, shown great promise clinically, and studies of idiotypic vaccination in patients with low grade B cell neoplasms are also under way. Results from in vitro and animal studies continue to suggest that it may become possible to use the immune system for therapeutic benefit, and many current basic research strategies in the gene therapy of B cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma are based on immune modulation of T cells or tumour cells themselves. Other major approaches to gene therapy for B cell malignancies include the introduction of directly toxic or 'suicide genes' into B cells or the chemoprotection of haemopoietic stem cells by the introduction of drug resistance genes. All of these approaches require efficient and accurate gene transfer as well as correct expression of the gene product within the target cell. Although some way from therapeutic use, specific targeting of gene delivery is an area of active investigation and will be of value in many of the gene therapy strategies applicable to B cell lymphomas.