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Zhu X, Chen J, Li W, Xu Y, Shan J, Hong J, Zhao Y, Xu H, Ma J, Shen J, Qian C. Hypoxia-Responsive CAR-T Cells Exhibit Reduced Exhaustion and Enhanced Efficacy in Solid Tumors. Cancer Res 2024; 84:84-100. [PMID: 37874330 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-23-1038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Expanding the utility of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cells in solid tumors requires improving their efficacy and safety. Hypoxia is a feature of most solid tumors that could be used to help CAR-T cells discriminate tumors from normal tissues. In this study, we developed hypoxia-responsive CAR-T cells by engineering the CAR to be under regulation of hypoxia-responsive elements and selected the optimal structure (5H1P-CEA CAR), which can be activated in the tumor hypoxic microenvironment to induce CAR-T cells with high polyfunctionality. Hypoxia-responsive CAR T cells were in a "resting" state with low CAR expression under normoxic conditions. Compared with conventional CAR-T cells, hypoxia-responsive CAR-T cells maintained lower differentiation and displayed enhanced oxidative metabolism and proliferation during cultivation, and they sowed a capacity to alleviate the negative effects of hypoxia on T-cell proliferation and metabolism. Furthermore, 5H1P-CEA CAR-T cells exhibited decreased T-cell exhaustion and improved T-cell phenotype in vivo. In patient-derived xenograft models, hypoxia-responsive CAR-T cells induced more durable antitumor activity than their conventional counterparts. Overall, this study provides an approach to limit CAR expression to the hypoxic tumor microenvironment that could help to enhance CAR T-cell efficacy and safety in solid tumors. SIGNIFICANCE Engineering CAR-T cells to upregulate CAR expression under hypoxic conditions induces metabolic reprogramming, reduces differentiation, and increases proliferation to enhance their antitumor activity, providing a strategy to improve efficacy and safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuxiu Zhu
- College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
- Center for Precision Medicine of Cancer, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Cancer Metastasis and Individualized Treatment, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Gene and Cell Therapy, Chongqing Precision Biotech Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
- Chongqing New High-End Research and Development Institution, Chongqing Institute of Precision Medicine and Biotechnology Co, Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Wuling Li
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Gene and Cell Therapy, Chongqing Precision Biotech Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
- Chongqing New High-End Research and Development Institution, Chongqing Institute of Precision Medicine and Biotechnology Co, Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Yanmin Xu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Gene and Cell Therapy, Chongqing Precision Biotech Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
- Chongqing New High-End Research and Development Institution, Chongqing Institute of Precision Medicine and Biotechnology Co, Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Juanjuan Shan
- Center for Precision Medicine of Cancer, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Cancer Metastasis and Individualized Treatment, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Juan Hong
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Gene and Cell Therapy, Chongqing Precision Biotech Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
- Chongqing New High-End Research and Development Institution, Chongqing Institute of Precision Medicine and Biotechnology Co, Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Yongchun Zhao
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Gene and Cell Therapy, Chongqing Precision Biotech Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
- Chongqing New High-End Research and Development Institution, Chongqing Institute of Precision Medicine and Biotechnology Co, Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Huailong Xu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Gene and Cell Therapy, Chongqing Precision Biotech Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Jiabin Ma
- Chongqing New High-End Research and Development Institution, Chongqing Institute of Precision Medicine and Biotechnology Co, Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Junjie Shen
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Gene and Cell Therapy, Chongqing Precision Biotech Co., Ltd., Chongqing, China
- Chongqing New High-End Research and Development Institution, Chongqing Institute of Precision Medicine and Biotechnology Co, Ltd., Chongqing, China
| | - Cheng Qian
- College of Bioengineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
- Center for Precision Medicine of Cancer, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Translational Research for Cancer Metastasis and Individualized Treatment, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, China
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Javan B, Shahbazi M. Hypoxia-inducible tumour-specific promoters as a dual-targeting transcriptional regulation system for cancer gene therapy. Ecancermedicalscience 2017; 11:751. [PMID: 28798809 PMCID: PMC5533602 DOI: 10.3332/ecancer.2017.751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcriptional targeting is the best approach for specific gene therapy. Hypoxia is a common feature of the tumour microenvironment. Therefore, targeting gene expression in hypoxic cells by placing transgene under the control of a hypoxia-responsive promoter can be a good strategy for cancer-specific gene therapy. The hypoxia-inducible gene expression system has been investigated more in suicide gene therapy and it can also be of great help in knocking down cancer gene therapy with siRNAs. However, this system needs to be optimised to have maximum efficacy with minimum side effects in normal tissues. The combination of tissue-/tumour-specific promoters with HRE core sequences has been found to enhance the specificity and efficacy of this system. In this review, hypoxia-inducible gene expression system as well as gene therapy strategies targeting tumour hypoxia will be discussed. This review will also focus on hypoxia-inducible tumour-specific promoters as a dual-targeting transcriptional regulation systems developed for cancer-specific gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bita Javan
- Medical Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan 4934174515, Iran
| | - Majid Shahbazi
- Medical Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan 4934174515, Iran
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3
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Hypoxia-Sensitive Materials for Biomedical Applications. Ann Biomed Eng 2016; 44:1931-45. [DOI: 10.1007/s10439-016-1578-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2015] [Accepted: 02/23/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Won YW, Bull DA, Kim SW. Functional polymers of gene delivery for treatment of myocardial infarct. J Control Release 2014; 195:110-9. [PMID: 25076177 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2014.07.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2014] [Revised: 07/18/2014] [Accepted: 07/20/2014] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Ischemic heart disease is rapidly growing as the common cause of death in the world. It is a disease that occurs as a result of coronary artery stenosis and is caused by the lack of oxygen within cardiac muscles due to an imbalance between oxygen supply and demand. The conventional medical therapy is focused on the use of drug eluting stents, coronary-artery bypass graft surgery and anti-thrombosis. Gene therapy provides great opportunities for treatment of cardiovascular disease. In order for gene therapy to be successful, the development of proper gene delivery systems and hypoxia-regulated gene expression vectors is the most important factors. Several non-viral gene transfer methods have been developed to overcome the safety problems of viral transduction. Some of which include plasmids that regulate gene expression that is controlled by environment specific promoters in the transcriptional or the translational level. This review explores polymeric gene carriers that target the myocardium and hypoxia-inducible vectors, which regulate gene expression in response to hypoxia, and their application in animal myocardial infarction models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young-Wook Won
- Center for Controlled Chemical Delivery (CCCD), Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - David A Bull
- Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Sung Wan Kim
- Center for Controlled Chemical Delivery (CCCD), Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
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5
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Hypoxia as a target for tissue specific gene therapy. J Control Release 2013; 172:484-94. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2013.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2013] [Revised: 05/13/2013] [Accepted: 05/24/2013] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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Cho SH, Oh B, Kim HA, Park JH, Lee M. Post-translational regulation of gene expression using the ATF4 oxygen-dependent degradation domain for hypoxia-specific gene therapy. J Drug Target 2013; 21:830-6. [PMID: 23952904 DOI: 10.3109/1061186x.2013.829073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Solid tumors have hypoxic regions in their cores, due to low blood supply levels. Therefore, hypoxia-specific gene regulation systems have been developed for tumor-specific gene therapy. In this study, the oxygen-dependent degradation (ODD) domain on activating transcription factor-4 (ATF4) was evaluated for post-translational regulation of proteins. The ATF4 ODD cDNA was amplified by RT-PCR, and a luciferase plasmid containing the ATF4 ODD domain, pSV-Luc-ATF4-ODD, was constructed. Luciferase expression was induced under hypoxia by the ATF4 ODD domain in transfection assays into N2A neuroblastoma cells, C6 glioblastoma cells, and U87 glioblastoma cells. In the transfection assay with pSV-Luc-ATF4-ODD, RT-PCR results showed that the mRNA level did not change under hypoxia. This suggests that the induction of luciferase under hypoxia was mediated by post-translational regulation. A plasmid expressing thymidine kinase from herpes simplex virus (HSV-tk), pSV-HSVtk-ATF4-ODD, was constructed with the ATF4 ODD cDNA. The transfection assay with pSV-TK-ATF4-ODD showed that the ATF4 ODD domain induced HSV-tk expression under hypoxia and facilitated the death of C6 cells in the presence of ganciclovir (GCV). Furthermore, pSV-HSVtk-ATF4-ODD induced caspase-3 activity in the hypoxic cells. In conclusion, the ATF4 ODD may be useful for hypoxia-specific gene therapy by post-translational regulation of gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su Hee Cho
- Department of Bioengineering, College of Engineering, Hanyang University , Seoul , Korea and
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Hadjipanayi E, Schilling AF. Hypoxia-based strategies for angiogenic induction: the dawn of a new era for ischemia therapy and tissue regeneration. Organogenesis 2013; 9:261-72. [PMID: 23974216 PMCID: PMC3903695 DOI: 10.4161/org.25970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Therapeutic angiogenesis promises to aid the healing and regeneration of tissues suffering from a compromised vascular supply. Ischaemia therapy has so far primarily focused on delivering isolated angiogenic growth factors. The limited success of these strategies in clinical trials, however, is increasingly forcing researchers to recognize the difficulties associated with trying to mimic the angiogenic process, due to its natural complexity. Instead, a new school of thought is gradually emerging, focusing on how to induce angiogenesis at its onset, by utilizing hypoxia, the primary angiogenic stimulus in physiological, as well pathological states. This shift in therapeutic approach is underlined by the realization of the importance of depressed HIF-1 α-mediated gene programming in non-healing ischemic tissues, which could explain their apparent habituation to chronic hypoxic stress and the limited capacity to generate adaptive angiogenesis. Hypoxia-based strategies, then effectively aim to override the habituated angiogenic cellular response, re-start the regenerative process and drive it to completion. Here we make a distinction between those strategies that utilize hypoxia in vitro as a preconditioning tool to optimize the angiogenic potential of tissue/cells before transplantation, vs. strategies that aim to induce hypoxia-induced signaling in vivo, directly, through pharmacological means or gene transfer. We then discuss possible future directions for the field, as it moves into the phase of clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ektoras Hadjipanayi
- Experimental Plastic Surgery; Clinic for Plastic and Hand Surgery; Klinikum Rechts der Isar; Technische Universität München; Munich, Germany; Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, Hand and Burn Surgery; Bogenhausen Hospital; Munich, Germany
| | - Arndt F Schilling
- Experimental Plastic Surgery; Clinic for Plastic and Hand Surgery; Klinikum Rechts der Isar; Technische Universität München; Munich, Germany; Center for Applied New Technologies in Engineering for Regenerative Medicine (Canter); Munich, Germany
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Won YW, McGinn AN, Lee M, Nam K, Bull DA, Kim SW. Post-translational regulation of a hypoxia-responsive VEGF plasmid for the treatment of myocardial ischemia. Biomaterials 2013; 34:6229-38. [PMID: 23714244 DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2013.04.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2013] [Accepted: 04/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene therapy to promote therapeutic angiogenesis has been advanced as an alternative treatment for myocardial ischemia. The unregulated expression of VEGF and the use of viral vectors, however, have slowed the clinical development of angiogenic gene therapy. The development of clinically beneficial angiogenic gene therapy requires a disease-specific gene expression system and an efficient non-viral gene carrier. To address these requirements, we developed a new post-translationally regulated hypoxia-responsible VEGF plasmid, pβ-SP-ODD-VEGF, and a dendrimer-type bio-reducible polymer, PAM-ABP. The efficacy of VEGF gene therapy with the PAM-ABP/pβ-SP-ODD-VEGF was evaluated and compared to the RTP-VEGF plasmid, a previously constructed hypoxia-inducible plasmid, in an ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) rat model. Cine magnetic resonance imaging was used to analyze the ischemia/reperfusion rats treated with either the PAM-ABP/pβ-SP-ODD-VEGF or the PAM-ABP/RTP-VEGF. The PAM-ABP/pβ-SP-ODD-VEGF treatment more effectively protected cardiomyocytes against apoptosis, preserved left ventricular (LV) function, and prevented LV remodeling compared to the PAM-ABP/RTP-VEGF-treated rats. These results suggest that the pβ-SP-ODD-VEGF with PAM-ABP may be efficacious in the treatment of acute ischemic heart disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young-Wook Won
- Center for Controlled Chemical Delivery (CCCD), Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-5820, USA
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Orlowski K, Rohrer Bley C, Zimmermann M, Vuong V, Hug D, Soltermann A, Broggini-Tenzer A, Pruschy M. Dynamics of tumor hypoxia in response to patupilone and ionizing radiation. PLoS One 2012; 7:e51476. [PMID: 23251549 PMCID: PMC3519688 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0051476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2012] [Accepted: 11/07/2012] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor hypoxia is one of the most important parameters that determines treatment sensitivity and is mainly due to insufficient tumor angiogenesis. However, the local oxygen concentration in a tumor can also be shifted in response to different treatment modalities such as cytotoxic agents or ionizing radiation. Thus, combined treatment modalities including microtubule stabilizing agents could create an additional challenge for an effective treatment response due to treatment-induced shifts in tumor oxygenation. Tumor hypoxia was probed over a prolonged observation period in response to treatment with different cytotoxic agents, using a non-invasive bioluminescent ODD-Luc reporter system, in which part of the oxygen-dependent degradation (ODD) domain of HIF-1α is fused to luciferase. As demonstrated in vitro, this system not only detects hypoxia at an ambient oxygen concentration of 1% O2, but also discriminates low oxygen concentrations in the range from 0.2 to 1% O2. Treatment of A549 lung adenocarcinoma-derived tumor xenografts with the microtubule stabilizing agent patupilone resulted in a prolonged increase in tumor hypoxia, which could be used as marker for its antitumoral treatment response, while irradiation did not induce detectable changes in tumor hypoxia. Furthermore, despite patupilone-induced hypoxia, the potency of ionizing radiation (IR) was not reduced as part of a concomitant or adjuvant combined treatment modality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Orlowski
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- KFSP Tumor Oxygenation, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Carla Rohrer Bley
- Division of Radiation Oncology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Martina Zimmermann
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Van Vuong
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Hug
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alex Soltermann
- Department of Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | | | - Martin Pruschy
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- KFSP Tumor Oxygenation, University of Zurich, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
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10
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Kim HA, Rhim T, Lee M. Regulatory systems for hypoxia-inducible gene expression in ischemic heart disease gene therapy. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2011; 63:678-87. [PMID: 21241757 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2011.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2010] [Revised: 12/29/2010] [Accepted: 01/05/2011] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Ischemic heart diseases are caused by narrowed coronary arteries that decrease the blood supply to the myocardium. In the ischemic myocardium, hypoxia-responsive genes are up-regulated by hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1). Gene therapy for ischemic heart diseases uses genes encoding angiogenic growth factors and anti-apoptotic proteins as therapeutic genes. These genes increase blood supply into the myocardium by angiogenesis and protect cardiomyocytes from cell death. However, non-specific expression of these genes in normal tissues may be harmful, since growth factors and anti-apoptotic proteins may induce tumor growth. Therefore, tight gene regulation is required to limit gene expression to ischemic tissues, to avoid unwanted side effects. For this purpose, various gene expression strategies have been developed for ischemic-specific gene expression. Transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and post-translational regulatory strategies have been developed and evaluated in ischemic heart disease animal models. The regulatory systems can limit therapeutic gene expression to ischemic tissues and increase the efficiency of gene therapy. In this review, recent progresses in ischemic-specific gene expression systems are presented, and their applications to ischemic heart diseases are discussed.
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Liu ML, Oh JS, An SS, Pennant WA, Kim HJ, Gwak SJ, Yoon DH, Kim KN, Lee M, Ha Y. Controlled nonviral gene delivery and expression using stable neural stem cell line transfected with a hypoxia-inducible gene expression system. J Gene Med 2010; 12:990-1001. [DOI: 10.1002/jgm.1527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
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12
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Hypoxia-Inducible Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Gene Therapy Using the Oxygen-Dependent Degradation Domain in Myocardial Ischemia. Pharm Res 2010; 27:2075-84. [DOI: 10.1007/s11095-010-0206-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2010] [Accepted: 06/23/2010] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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13
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Zhang P, Ying L, Xu R, Ge S, Mei W, Li F, Dai B, Lu J, Qian G. Tumor-Specific, Hypoxia-Regulated, WW Domain-Containing Oxidoreductase-Expressing Adenovirus Inhibits Human Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Growth In Vivo. Hum Gene Ther 2010; 21:27-39. [DOI: 10.1089/hum.2009.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ping Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institutes of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Lei Ying
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institutes of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Rang Xu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institutes of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Shengfang Ge
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institutes of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Wenhan Mei
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institutes of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Feng Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institutes of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Bingbing Dai
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institutes of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Jian Lu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institutes of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Guanxiang Qian
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institutes of Medical Sciences, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
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Role of the oxygen-dependent degradation domain in a hypoxia-inducible gene expression system in vascular endothelial growth factor gene therapy. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2009; 34:E952-8. [PMID: 20010384 DOI: 10.1097/brs.0b013e3181c4af80] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
STUDY DESIGN.: An in vitro neural hypoxia model and rat spinal cord injury (SCI) model were used to assess the regulation effect of a reporter or therapeutic gene expression by an oxygen-dependent degradation (ODD) domain in a hypoxia-inducible gene expression system with or without the erythropoietin (EPO) enhancer. OBJECTIVE.: To increase vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene expression in SCI lesions but avoid unwanted overexpression of VEGF in normal sites, we developed a hypoxia-inducible gene expression system consisting of the EPO enhancer upstream of the SV promoter and an ODD domain C-terminally fused to VEGF. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA.: ODD domain plays a major role in the degradation of hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha and has been used in a hypoxia-specific gene expression system as a post-translational regulatory factor. METHODS.: The hypoxia-inducible luciferase or VEGF plasmid was constructed using the EPO enhancer combined with or without the ODD domain. The constructed plasmid was transfected into mouse Neuro 2a (N2a) neuroblastoma cells by Lipofectamine 2000, followed by a 24-hour incubation in hypoxia or normoxia. For in vivo analysis, the naked plasmid DNA was directly injected into the injured rat spinal cord. The gene expression was evaluated by luciferase activity assay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, and immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS.: The EPO enhancer/ODD domain-combined hypoxia-inducible gene expression system clearly increased the expression of the reporter luciferase gene and therapeutic VEGF gene specifically under hypoxic conditions and SCI, and quickly downregulated protein expression to a very low level after reoxygenation. CONCLUSION.: These results strongly suggest the potential applicability of this EPO enhancer/ODD domain-based hypoxia-inducible gene expression system in the development of a safer and more effective VEGF gene therapy for SCI.
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15
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Lee M. Hypoxia targeting gene expression for breast cancer gene therapy. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2009; 61:842-9. [PMID: 19426773 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2009.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2008] [Accepted: 04/28/2009] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Gene therapy is a promising strategy to treat various inherited and acquired diseases. However, targeting gene expression to specific tissue is required to minimize side effects of gene therapy. Hypoxia is present in the microenvironment of solid tumors such as breast tumors. A hypoxic tumor targeting gene expression system has been developed for cancer gene therapy. In hypoxic tissues, hypoxia inducible factor (HIF)-1alpha is accumulated and stimulates transcription of the genes that have hypoxia response elements (HREs) in their promoters. Therefore, transcriptional regulation with a hypoxia inducible promoter is the most widely used strategy for hypoxic tumors targeting gene therapy. In breast cancer gene therapy, breast tumor specific promoters in combination with HREs have been used to induce gene expression in hypoxic breast tumors. Post-transcriptional regulation using an untranslated region (UTR) is also a useful strategy to increase gene expression in hypoxic tumor tissue. In addition, post-translational regulation with the oxygen-dependent degradation (ODD) domain is effective to eliminate therapeutic gene products and reduce side effects in normal tissue. In combination with the breast tumor specific promoters, hypoxic tumor targeting strategies will be useful for the development of a safe breast cancer gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minhyung Lee
- Department of Bioengineering, College of Engineering, Hanyang University, 17 Haengdang-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 133-791, Republic of Korea.
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Kim HA, Mahato RI, Lee M. Hypoxia-specific gene expression for ischemic disease gene therapy. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2009; 61:614-22. [PMID: 19394379 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2009.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2008] [Accepted: 04/04/2009] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Gene therapy for ischemic diseases has been developed with various growth factors and anti-apoptotic genes. However, non-specific expression of therapeutic genes may induce deleterious side effects such as tumor formation. Hypoxia-specific regulatory systems can be used to regulate transgene expression in hypoxic tissues, in which gene expression is induced in ischemic tissues, but reduced in normal tissues by transcriptional, translational or post-translational regulation. Since hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) activates transcription of genes in hypoxic tissues, it can play an important role in the prevention of myocardial and cerebral ischemia. Hypoxia-specific promoters including HIF-1 binding sites have been used for transcriptional regulation of therapeutic genes. Also, hypoxia-specific untranslated regions (UTRs) and oxygen dependent degradation (ODD) domains have been investigated for translational and post-translational regulations, respectively. Hypoxia-specific gene expression systems have been applied to various ischemic disease models, including ischemic myocardium, stroke, and injured spinal cord. This review examines the current status and future challenges of hypoxia-specific systems for safe and effective gene therapy of ischemic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun Ah Kim
- Department of Bioengineering, College of Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 133-791, Republic of Korea
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Hong SW, Yoo JW, Kang HS, Kim S, Lee DK. HIF-1alpha-dependent gene expression program during the nucleic acid-triggered antiviral innate immune responses. Mol Cells 2009; 27:243-50. [PMID: 19277508 DOI: 10.1007/s10059-009-0030-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2008] [Revised: 12/04/2008] [Accepted: 12/06/2008] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent studies suggest a novel role of HIF-1alpha under non-hypoxic conditions, including antibacterial and antiviral innate immune responses. However, the identity of the pathogen-associated molecular pattern which triggers HIF-1alpha activation during the antiviral response remains to be identified. Here, we demonstrate that cellular administration of double-stranded nucleic acids, the molecular mimics of viral genomes, results in the induction of HIF-1alpha protein level as well as the increase in HIF-1alpha target gene expression. Whole-genome DNA microarray analysis revealed that double-stranded nucleic acid treatment triggers induction of a number of hypoxia-inducible genes, and induction of these genes are compromised upon siRNA-mediated HIF-1alpha knock-down. Interestingly, HIF-1alpha knock-down also resulted in down-regulation of a number of genes involved in antiviral innate immune responses. Our study demonstrates that HIF-1alpha activation upon nucleic acid-triggered antiviral innate immune responses plays an important role in regulation of genes involved in not only hypoxic response, but also immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun Woo Hong
- Department of Chemistry and Brain Korea 21 School of Chemical Materials Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 440-746, Korea
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Kim HA, Lee BW, Kang D, Kim JH, Ihm SH, Lee M. Delivery of hypoxia-inducible VEGF gene to rat islets using polyethylenimine. J Drug Target 2009; 17:1-9. [DOI: 10.1080/10611860802392982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Lee S, Kim K, Kim HA, Kim SW, Lee M. Augmentation of erythropoietin enhancer-mediated hypoxia-inducible gene expression by co-transfection of a plasmid encoding hypoxia-inducible factor 1α for ischemic tissue targeting gene therapy. J Drug Target 2008; 16:43-50. [DOI: 10.1080/10611860701699693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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