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Kumar A, Das SK, Emdad L, Fisher PB. Applications of tissue-specific and cancer-selective gene promoters for cancer diagnosis and therapy. Adv Cancer Res 2023; 160:253-315. [PMID: 37704290 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2023.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
Current treatment of solid tumors with standard of care chemotherapies, radiation therapy and/or immunotherapies are often limited by severe adverse toxic effects, resulting in a narrow therapeutic index. Cancer gene therapy represents a targeted approach that in principle could significantly reduce undesirable side effects in normal tissues while significantly inhibiting tumor growth and progression. To be effective, this strategy requires a clear understanding of the molecular biology of cancer development and evolution and developing biological vectors that can serve as vehicles to target cancer cells. The advent and fine tuning of omics technologies that permit the collective and spatial recognition of genes (genomics), mRNAs (transcriptomics), proteins (proteomics), metabolites (metabolomics), epiomics (epigenomics, epitranscriptomics, and epiproteomics), and their interactomics in defined complex biological samples provide a roadmap for identifying crucial targets of relevance to the cancer paradigm. Combining these strategies with identified genetic elements that control target gene expression uncovers significant opportunities for developing guided gene-based therapeutics for cancer. The purpose of this review is to overview the current state and potential limitations in developing gene promoter-directed targeted expression of key genes and highlights their potential applications in cancer gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Kumar
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Swadesh K Das
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Luni Emdad
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Paul B Fisher
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States.
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Abstract
The liver is an essential organ for nutrient and drug metabolism - possessing the remarkable ability to sense environmental and metabolic stimuli and provide an optimally adaptive response. Early growth response 1 (Egr1), an immediate early transcriptional factor which acts as a coordinator of the complex response to stress, is induced during liver injury and controls the expression of a wide range of genes involved in metabolism, cell proliferation, and role of Egr1 in liver injury and repair, deficiency of Egr1 delays liver regeneration process. The known upstream regulators of Egr1 include, but are not limited to, growth factors (e.g. transforming growth factor β1, platelet-derived growth factor, epidermal growth factor, hepatocyte growth factor), nuclear receptors (e.g. hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α, small heterodimer partner, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ), and other transcription factors (e.g. Sp1, E2F transcription factor 1). Research efforts using various animal models such as fatty liver, liver injury, and liver fibrosis contribute greatly to the elucidation of Egr1 function in the liver. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents the second leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide due to the heterogeneity and the late stage at which cancer is generally diagnosed. Recent studies highlight the involvement of Egr1 in HCC development. The purpose of this review is to summarize current studies pertaining to the role of Egr1 in liver metabolism and liver diseases including liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Magee
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology & Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
| | - Yuxia Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology & Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160, USA
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Li L, Zhang CL, Kang L, Wang RF, Yan P, Zhao Q, Yin L, Guo FQ. Enhanced EJ Cell Killing of (125)I Radiation by Combining with Cytosine Deaminase Gene Therapy Regulated by Synthetic Radio-Responsive Promoter. Cancer Biother Radiopharm 2015; 30:342-8. [PMID: 26382009 PMCID: PMC4601673 DOI: 10.1089/cbr.2015.1862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: To investigate the enhancing effect of radionuclide therapy by the therapeutic gene placed under the control of radio-responsive promoter. Methods: The recombinant lentivirus E8-codA-GFP, including a synthetic radiation-sensitive promoter E8, cytosine deaminase (CD) gene, and green fluorescent protein gene, was constructed. The gene expression activated by 125I radiation was assessed by observation of green fluorescence. The ability of converting 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) to 5-fluorourial (5-FU) by CD enzyme was assessed by high-performance liquid chromatography. The viability of the infected cells exposed to 125I in the presence of 5-FC was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, and the infected cells exposed to 125I alone served as negative control and 5-FU as positive control. Results: The recombinant lentiviral vector was constructed successfully. On exposure of infected cells to 125I, green fluorescence can be observed and 5-FU can be detected. MTT assay showed that the survival rate for infected cells treated with 125I was lower compared with the 125I control group, but higher than the positive control group. Conclusion: The synthetic promoter E8 can induce the expression of downstream CD gene under 125I radiation, and the tumor killing effect of 125I can be enhanced by combining CD gene therapy with radiosensitive promoter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Li
- 1 Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University First Hospital , Beijing, China
| | - Chun-li Zhang
- 1 Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University First Hospital , Beijing, China .,2 Key Laboratory of Nuclear Medicine, Ministry of Health, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Molecular Nuclear Medicine, Jiangsu Institute of Nuclear Medicine , Wuxi, China
| | - Lei Kang
- 1 Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University First Hospital , Beijing, China
| | - Rong-Fu Wang
- 1 Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University First Hospital , Beijing, China
| | - Ping Yan
- 1 Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University First Hospital , Beijing, China
| | - Qian Zhao
- 1 Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University First Hospital , Beijing, China
| | - Lei Yin
- 1 Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University First Hospital , Beijing, China
| | - Feng-qin Guo
- 1 Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking University First Hospital , Beijing, China
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Sun MZ, Cui Y, Guo C, Zhao B, Liu S. rAdinbitor, a disintegrin from Agkistrodon halys brevicaudus stejneger, inhibits tumorigenicity of hepatocarcinoma via enhanced anti-angiogenesis and immunocompetence. Biochimie 2015; 116:34-42. [PMID: 26133656 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2015.06.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2015] [Accepted: 06/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Adinbitor is a disintegrin previously obtained from Agkistrodon halys brevicaudus stejneger by our group. Here, we investigated the in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor activities of recombinant Adinbitor (rAdinbitor). rAdinbitor stimulation can inhibit the in vitro proliferation, migration and invasion capacities of murine hepatocarcinoma H22 and Hca-F cells. The administrations of rAdinbitor either by gavage or intraperitoneal injection suppress the tumor malignancy and prolong the survival rate and time of H22-transplanted mice. The number and size of formed blood vessels decreased dramatically in tumorous tissues in that the expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and cluster of differentiation 34 (CD34) were significantly decreased in responding to rAdinbitor treatment. The protein levels of IL-18 and IgG increased significantly in the serum of H22-transplanted tumor mice with rAdinbitor treatment. rAdinbitor shows in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor effects as an angiogenesis inhibitor and immunocompetence enhancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Zhong Sun
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, China
| | - Yanhua Cui
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, China
| | - Chunmei Guo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, China
| | - Baochang Zhao
- Department of Biotechnology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, China
| | - Shuqing Liu
- Department of Biotechnology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, 116044, China; Liaoning Provincial Core Lab of Cell and Molecular Biology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China.
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