%0 Journal Article %T TRAIL-based gene delivery and therapeutic strategies %A Zhong Hui-hai %A Wang Hui-yuan %A Li Jian %A Huang Yong-zhuo %J Acta Pharmacologica Sinica %D 2019 %B 2019 %9 %! TRAIL-based gene delivery and therapeutic strategies %K %X TRAIL (tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand), also known as APO2L, belongs to the tumor necrosis factor family. By binding to the death receptor 4 (DR4) or DR5, TRAIL induces apoptosis of tumor cells without causing side toxicity in normal tissues. In recent years TRAIL-based therapy has attracted great attention for its promise of serving as a cancer drug candidate. However, the treatment efficacy of TRAIL protein was under expectation in the clinical trials because of the short half-life and the resistance of cancer cells. TRAIL gene transfection can produce a “bystander effect” of tumor cell killing and provide a potential solution to TRAIL-based cancer therapy. In this review we focus on TRAIL gene therapy and various design strategies of TRAIL DNA delivery including non-viral vectors and cell-based TRAIL therapy. In order to sensitize the tumor cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis, combination therapy of TRAIL DNA with other drugs by the codelivery methods for yielding a synergistic antitumor efficacy is summarized. The opportunities and challenges of TRAIL-based gene delivery and therapy are discussed. %U http://www.chinaphar.com/article/view/10042 %V 40 %N 11 %P 1373-1385 %@ 1745-7254