核子醫學分子造影於基因治療之應用

The increasing knowledge of the molecular biology and molecular genetics of human diseases, particularly in human cancer, has led to the application of new biological therapeutic approaches such as gene-based therapy. A limitation of many gene-based therapies has been the inability to achieve controlled and effective delivery of gene to the target cells or tissues. In addition, several issues that are important for clinical optimization of gene therapy remain unresolved: (a) whether gene transduction has been successful; (b) what is the distribution of transduced target cells; (c) whether the level of gene expression is adequate. A noninvasive, clinically applicable method for imaging gene transduction in target tissue or specific organs of the body, thus assessing the kinetic changes of functional expression of the therapeutic gene, would be of considerable value. This paper reviewed and discussed the successful clinical application of this method to monitor gene expression which will require the appropriate combination of marker gene and marker substrate. This will facilitate the monitoring and evaluation of gene therapy in human subjects by defining the location, magnitude, and persistence of gene expression over time.