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Compositions and methods are provided for modulating the expression of bcl-x. Antisense compounds, particularly antisense oligonucleotides, targeted to nucleic acids encoding bcl-x are preferred. Methods of using these compounds for modulation of bcl-x expression and for treatment of diseases associated with expression of bcl-x are also provided. Methods of sensitizing cells to apoptotic stimuli are also provided.

Compositions and methods are provided for modulating the expression of bcl-x. Antisense compounds, particularly antisense oligonucleotides, targeted to nucleic acids encoding bcl-x are preferred. Methods of using these compounds for modulation of bcl-x expression and for treatment of diseases associated with expression of bcl-x are also provided.

Methods of treating Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) by inhibiting the effect of scatter factor (SF), also known as hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), are provided. The methods of the present invention include antibody therapy wherein an antibody to SF is introduced into a patient to decrease active SF levels thereby decreasing the incidence of new tumors as well as leading to regression of established tumors by blocking SF-mediated tumor cell proliferation and neovascularization. The present invention further provides methods of inhibiting the effects of SF by introducing into a patient means for inhibiting binding of SF to the SF receptor, the c-met proto-oncogen. Means for inhibiting SF binding to the receptor include introducing into a patient an antibody to the c-met receptor or introducing a non-stimulatory ligand that will bind and thereby inhibit the receptor.

This invention pertains to a method of site-specific mutagenesis of DNA. The method can be used to mutagenize DNA, especially circular DNA (for example, virtually any plasmid), requiring only that the DNA carry a nonessential, unique recognition site for a restriction enzyme (restriction site). According to the method, a parental DNA to be mutated, containing a nonessential, unique restriction site, is used to generate progeny DNA containing the desired mutation but lacking the restriction site. The non-mutant parental-type DNA and the mutant progeny DNA are treated with any enzyme that cleaves at the restriction site to cleave the parental-type DNA, leaving the mutant DNA uncleaved. Mutant progeny DNA is selected by transforming cells with the enzyme-treated DNA under conditions such that the cells are transformed with uncleaved DNA at a higher efficiency than cleaved DNA with the result that the majority of transformants carry the mutant DNA. In preferred embodiments, the DNA is circular. The restriction enzyme treatment linearizes parental DNA which retains the nonessential, unique restriction site, leaving mutant DNA which lacks the site circular. Circular DNA transforms host cells more efficiently than linear DNA.

This present invention demonstrates the presence of a replication-competent herpesvirus associated with AIDS-associated Kaposi's sarcoma cells, vaccines derived therefrom, methods for diagnosing for Kaposi sarcoma, and methods for screening for antiviral drugs effective against human herpesvirus.