Publications by authors named "Guewha Lee"

Endostatin (ES), a 20 kDa protein derived from the carboxy-terminus of collagen XVIII is a potent angiogenesis inhibitor, but clinical development has been hindered by poor clinical efficacy and insufficient functional information from which to design agents with improved activity. The present study investigated protein uptake by cells as a determinant of ES activity. We developed a cell-permeable ES protein (HM73ES) with enhanced capacity to enter cells by adding a macromolecule transduction domain (MTD).

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Practical methods to deliver proteins systemically in animals have been hampered by poor tissue penetration and inefficient cytoplasmic localization of internalized proteins. We therefore pursued the development of improved macromolecule transduction domains (MTDs) and tested their ability to deliver therapeutically active p18(INK4c). MTD103 was identified from a screen of 1,500 signal peptides; tested for the ability to promote protein uptake by cells and tissues; and analyzed with regard to the mechanism of protein uptake and the delivery of biologically active p18(INK4c) into cancer cells.

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Occult metastases are a major cause of cancer mortality, even among patients undergoing curative resection. Therefore, practical strategies to target the growth and persistence of already established metastases would provide an important advance in cancer treatment. Here, we assessed the potential of protein therapy using a cell permeable NM23-H1 metastasis suppressor protein.

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