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Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Georg-August-University, Göttingen, Germany

Requests for reprints: Carsten Gründker, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Robert-Koch-Street 40, D-37099 Göttingen, Germany. Phone: 49-0-551-399810; Fax: 49-0-551-399811. E-mail: grundker{at}med.uni-goettingen.de

The majority of ovarian, endometrial, and breast cancers express gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) receptors. Apart from reproductive organs (ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus) that are normally removed during surgical therapy of ovarian or endometrial cancer, pituitary gonadotrophs also express GnRH receptors. The signal transduction pathway in tumor cells is basically different from the classic GnRH receptor signal transduction, which is known to operate in the pituitary gonadotrophs and can therefore be considered tumor specific. Other organs and hematopoetic stem cells do not express GnRH receptors. We have recently shown specific activation of nucleus factor B in ovarian, endometrial, and breast cancers after treatment with GnRH agonists. Based on this tumor-specific signaling pathway and the distribution pattern of GnRH receptors, we have developed and successfully tested a gene therapy concept by using a GnRH analogue as an inducer for the transcription of a therapeutic gene in cell culture and in nude mice.

The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked advertisement in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.

Received 7/20/04; revised 11/23/04; accepted 12/ 1/04.