Disclosed are compositions and methods for achieving successful treatment of disorders of the
human prostate. In preferred embodiments, methods and compositions are provided that improve the specificity and safety of
gene delivery vectors, and improve the
prostate-specificity and activity of genetic constructs targeted for
prostate-specific expression. Also disclosed are methods utilizing a variety of therapeutic genes, including those encoding tumor-specific therapeutics, e.g., TRAIL, tumor suppressors, cytotoxins, and the like, for the treatment of proliferative disorders of the
prostate, and in particular, prostatic
hyperplasia,
prostate cancer and prostatic tumors. In preferred embodiments genetic constructs are disclosed comprising one or more prostate-specific chimeric
enhancer elements in combination with one or more wildtype core
enhancer elements and a prostate-specific proximal
promoter that increase expression of selected
heterologous genes operably positioned under their control.