YCD-YUPRT

YCD-YUPRT is a transcriptionally targeted suicide gene therapy system designed for the treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC). It consists of a fusion gene combining yeast cytosine deaminase (YCD) and yeast uracil phosphoribosyl transferase (YUPRT). When delivered to tumor cells—often using a nonviral nanoparticle vector and driven by a cell-specific promoter such as insulinoma-associated 1 (INSM1)—the system expresses a fusion protein that converts the non-toxic prodrug 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) into the potent cytotoxin 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), which is then further metabolized into 5-fluorouridine monophosphate (5-FUMP). This dual-enzyme approach significantly enhances local cytotoxicity and induces a robust bystander effect, effectively targeting both chemosensitive and chemoresistant SCLC cells while minimizing systemic toxicity.

Other names

yeast cytosine deaminase-uracil phosphoribosyl transferaseYCD-YUPRT fusion gene