Targeted retroviral infection of tumor cells by receptor co-operation

Abstract

Retroviruses expressing two different receptor-binding domains linked by proline-rich spacers infect only cells expressing both retroviral receptors (Valsesia-Wittman et al., EMBO J. 6:1214-1223, 1997). Here we apply this receptor cooperation strategy to target human tumor cells by linking single-chain antibodies recognizing tumor antigens via proline-rich spacers to the 4070A murine leukemia virus surface protein.