Leukemia
DNAzymes
A new form of "molecular scissors" is being developed in the
laboratory of David Snyder, MD, associate director of
Hematology/Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT). These DNA enzymes, or
DNAzymes, are designed to make autologous BMT more effective
in treating leukemia. During an autologous BMT, stem cells are
removed from a patient’s blood, purged of cancerous cells, and then
returned to the patient. Unfortunately, some cancerous cells may
survive this process, leading to relapse. DNAzymes sever the genetic
materials necessary for these cancer cells to grow. In laboratory
studies, DNAzymes have been shown to eliminate as many as 90 percent
or more of cancerous cells, while normal cells are virtually
unaffected.
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