US Patent 7910723 IG20 splice variants therapeutics for cancer

Methods and compositions inhibit the growth of cancer cells by selectively down-regulating the expression of an IG20 splice variant including MADD. Specific knock-down of MADD splice variant resulted in the apoptosis of cancer cells. Interfering RNAs including small hairpin RNAs (shRNA) to down-regulate MADD expression in vivo are disclosed. Inhibition of MADD phosphorylation by Akt results in activation of cancer cell death. Down-regulation of MADD expression results in switching to apoptotic mode due to lack of MAPK activation upon TNF-α-based induction.