To evaluate the potential of the expression of the sodium / iodide symporter ( NIS ) as a means of targeting radioiodine to tumor cells, we have employed plasmid -mediated transfection of the NIS gene into a range of mammalian cell hosts. We observed perchlorate -inhibitable iodide uptake up to 41 -fold over control in all NIS -transfected cells. We assessed the effect of NIS expression followed by exposure to 131 I À on the clonogenic survival of UVW glioma cells. After exposure of two -dimensional monolayer cultures of UVW ± NIS cells to 131 I À at a radioactive concentration of 4 MBq / mL, clonogenic survival was reduced to 21%. Similar treatment of UVW ± NIS cells in three -dimensional spheroid cultures resulted in a reduction of clonogenic survival to 2.5%. This increase in sensitivity to 131 I À exposure is likely to be due to a radiological bystander effect. These results are very encouraging for the development of a novel cytotoxic gene -therapy strategy in which a radiological bystander effect plays a significant role in tumor cell sterilization. Cancer Gene Therapy ( 2000 ) 7, 1529 ± 1536