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Hernandez-Alcoceba R, Berraondo P. Immunochemotherapy against colon cancer by gene transfer of interleukin-12 in combination with oxaliplatin. Oncoimmunology 2021; 1:97-99. [PMID: 22720223 DOI: 10.4161/onci.1.1.17930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Using a murine model of liver metastases, we found that oxaliplatin can enhance the immunostimulatory effect of interleukin-12 delivered by an adenoviral vector. A shift toward a favorable immune microenvironment was observed in tumors, with a relative increase in CD8+ T cells vs. T regulatory and myeloid-derived suppressor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben Hernandez-Alcoceba
- Division of Gene Therapy and Hepatology; CIMA, University of Navarra; Foundation for Applied Medical Research; Pamplona, Spain
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Poutou J, Bunuales M, Gonzalez-Aparicio M, German B, Zugasti I, Hernandez-Alcoceba R. Adaptation of vectors and drug-inducible systems for controlled expression of transgenes in the tumor microenvironment. J Control Release 2017; 268:247-258. [PMID: 29074407 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2017.10.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2017] [Revised: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Biological therapies based on recombinant proteins such as antibodies or cytokines are continuously improving the repertoire of treatments against cancer. However, safety and efficacy of this approach is often limited by inappropriate biodistribution and pharmacokinetics of the proteins when they are administered systemically. Local administration of gene therapy vectors encoding these proteins would be a feasible alternative if they could mediate long-term and controlled expression of the transgene after a single intratumoral administration. We describe a new vector platform specially designed for this purpose. Different combinations of transactivators and promoters were evaluated to obtain a fully humanized inducible system responsive to the well-characterized drug mifepristone. The optimal transactivator conformation was based on DNA binding domains from the chimeric protein ZFHD1 fused to the progesterone receptor ligand binding domain and the NFkb p65 activation domain. The expression of this hybrid transactivator under the control of the elongation factor 1α (EF1α) or the chimeric CAG promoters ensured functionality of the system in a variety of cancer types. Expression cassettes with luciferase as a reporter gene were incorporated into High-Capacity adenoviral vectors (HC-Ad) for in vivo evaluation. Systemic administration of the vectors into C57BL/6 mice revealed that the vector based on the EF1α promoter (HCA-EF-ZP) allows tight control of transgene expression and remains stable for at least two months, whereas the CAG promoter suffers a progressive inactivation. Using an orthotopic pancreatic cancer model in syngeneic C57BL/6 mice we show that the local administration of HCA-EF-ZP achieves better tumor/liver ratio of luciferase production than the intravenous route. However, regional spread of the vector led to substantial transgene expression in peritoneal organs. We reduced this leakage through genetic modification of the vector capsid to display RGD and poly-lysine motifs in the fiber knob. Safety and antitumor effect of this gene therapy platform was demonstrated using interleukin-12 as a therapeutic gene. In conclusion, we have developed a new tool that allows local, sustained and controlled production of therapeutic proteins in tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Poutou
- Gene Therapy Program, Fundacion para la Investigacion Medica Aplicada, CIMA, Universidad de Navarra, Av. Pio XII 55, Pamplona 31008, Spain
| | - Maria Bunuales
- Gene Therapy Program, Fundacion para la Investigacion Medica Aplicada, CIMA, Universidad de Navarra, Av. Pio XII 55, Pamplona 31008, Spain
| | - Manuela Gonzalez-Aparicio
- Gene Therapy Program, Fundacion para la Investigacion Medica Aplicada, CIMA, Universidad de Navarra, Av. Pio XII 55, Pamplona 31008, Spain
| | - Beatriz German
- Gene Therapy Program, Fundacion para la Investigacion Medica Aplicada, CIMA, Universidad de Navarra, Av. Pio XII 55, Pamplona 31008, Spain
| | - Ines Zugasti
- Gene Therapy Program, Fundacion para la Investigacion Medica Aplicada, CIMA, Universidad de Navarra, Av. Pio XII 55, Pamplona 31008, Spain
| | - Ruben Hernandez-Alcoceba
- Gene Therapy Program, Fundacion para la Investigacion Medica Aplicada, CIMA, Universidad de Navarra, Av. Pio XII 55, Pamplona 31008, Spain.
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Rodriguez-Madoz JR, Zabala M, Alfaro M, Prieto J, Kramer MG, Smerdou C. Short-term intratumoral interleukin-12 expressed from an alphaviral vector is sufficient to induce an efficient antitumoral response against spontaneous hepatocellular carcinomas. Hum Gene Ther 2014; 25:132-43. [PMID: 24219025 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2013.080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is an immunostimulatory cytokine that has shown strong antitumor effects in animal models of liver cancer. In order to overcome the severe toxicity associated with its systemic administration, we had previously tested different strategies based on IL-12 gene transfer to tumor cells or to the surrounding liver tissue. We obtained promising results both with a recombinant Semliki Forest virus (SFV) vector expressing high levels of IL-12 (SFV-IL-12) after intratumoral injection and with a plasmid vector [pTonL2(T)-mIL12] that allows liver-specific and inducible IL-12 expression. The aim of the present study was to compare the antitumor responses induced by both systems in a clinically relevant animal model of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) developed in L-PK/c-myc transgenic mice. These animals overexpress the c-myc oncogene in their livers, giving rise to spontaneous hepatic tumors with latency, histopathology, and genetic characteristics similar to human HCCs. We observed that intratumoral inoculation of SFV-IL-12 induced growth arrest in most tumors, providing 100% survival rate, in contrast to no survival in control animals. Similar results were obtained with hydrodynamic injection of pTonL2(T)-mIL12 after long-term induction of IL-12 expression in the liver. However, tumor arrest was less evident in plasmid-treated mice and the survival rate was slightly lower, despite higher and more sustained levels of IL-12 and IFN-γ in serum. The fact that SFV-IL-12 was able to induce both apoptosis and a type-I IFN response specifically in the tumor could explain why short-term IL-12 expression from this vector was sufficient to mediate an antitumoral response comparable with long-term IL-12 expression driven by pTonL2(T)-mIL12. Since SFV-IL-12 could reduce the possible toxicity associated with long-term IL-12 expression, we believe that this vector could have a potential application for HCC gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan R Rodriguez-Madoz
- 1 Division of Gene Therapy, School of Medicine, Center for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra , Pamplona 31008, Spain
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Gil-Fariña I, Di Scala M, Vanrell L, Olagüe C, Vales A, High KA, Prieto J, Mingozzi F, Gonzalez-Aseguinolaza G. IL12-mediated liver inflammation reduces the formation of AAV transcriptionally active forms but has no effect over preexisting AAV transgene expression. PLoS One 2013; 8:e67748. [PMID: 23844082 PMCID: PMC3699534 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0067748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2013] [Accepted: 05/21/2013] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Recombinant adenoassociated viral vectors (rAAV) have proven to be excellent candidates for gene therapy clinical applications. Recent results showed that cellular immunity to AAV represents a major challenge facing the clinical use of systemic administration of these vectors. Interestingly, no preclinical animal model has previously fully reproduced the clinical findings. The aim of the present work was to enhance the T cell immune response against AAV capsid in mice by the administration of a rAAV expressing the immunostimulatory cytokine IL-12. Our results indicate that although IL-12 expression enhanced the AAV capsid-specific immune response it failed to eliminate transduced hepatocytes and long-term expression was achieved. We found that AAV-mediated transgene expression is altered by IL-12-induced liver inflammation. However, IL-12 expression has no effect over preexisting AAV-mediated transgene expression. IL-12 down-regulates AAV mediated transgene expression via induction of IFN-γ production by NK and T cells, but without altering the transduction efficiency measured by viral genomes. Our results indicate that liver inflammation affects the formation of transcriptionally active AAV vector genomes through an unknown mechanism that can be avoided by the use of DNA-demethylating or anti-inflammatory agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Gil-Fariña
- Division of Hepatology and Gene Therapy, Center for Applied Medical Research, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Marianna Di Scala
- Division of Hepatology and Gene Therapy, Center for Applied Medical Research, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Lucia Vanrell
- Division of Hepatology and Gene Therapy, Center for Applied Medical Research, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Cristina Olagüe
- Division of Hepatology and Gene Therapy, Center for Applied Medical Research, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Africa Vales
- Division of Hepatology and Gene Therapy, Center for Applied Medical Research, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Katherine A. High
- Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Jesus Prieto
- Division of Hepatology and Gene Therapy, Center for Applied Medical Research, Pamplona, Spain
- Liver Unit and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en el Área temática de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas, University Clinic of Navarra, La Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Federico Mingozzi
- Center for Cellular and Molecular Therapeutics at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
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Parra-Guillen ZP, Janda A, Alzuguren P, Berraondo P, Hernandez-Alcoceba R, Troconiz IF. Target-mediated disposition model describing the dynamics of IL12 and IFNγ after administration of a mifepristone-inducible adenoviral vector for IL-12 expression in mice. AAPS J 2013; 15:183-94. [PMID: 23135926 PMCID: PMC3535095 DOI: 10.1208/s12248-012-9423-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2012] [Accepted: 10/18/2012] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Interleukin-12 (IL12) is a cytokine with potential applications in the treatment of cancer given the potent immune response that it triggers, in part due to its ability to stimulate expression of interferon-γ (IFNγ). To avoid the toxicity associated with systemic exposure to IL12, a high-capacity adenoviral vector carrying a liver-specific, mifepristone-inducible IL12 expression system (HC-Ad/RUmIL12) has been developed. However, the maintenance of IL12 expression at therapeutic levels is compromised by the inhibitory effect of IFNγ on inducible systems. The aim of this work is to develop a semi-mechanistic model to characterize the relationship between IL12 and IFNγ in wild-type and knock-out mice for the IFNγ receptor treated with HC-Ad/RUmIL12 under different dosing regimens in order to better understand the key mechanisms controlling the system. Rapid binding was considered to account for target-mediated disposition exhibited by both cytokines (equilibrium dissociation constant were 18 and 2.28 pM for IL12 and IFNγ, respectively). The final model included: (1) IFNγ receptor turnover, (2) irreversible free cytokine elimination from the serum compartment, (3) internalization of the IL12 receptor complex, (4) IL12 expression upregulated by the co-administration of the adenoviral vector and mifepristone and downregulated by the IFNγ receptor, and (5) synthesis of IFNγ controlled by the relative increments in the bound IL12. In conclusion, a model simultaneously describing the kinetics of IL12 and IFNγ in the context of gene therapy was developed and validated with additional data. The model was applied to design an experimental dosing protocol intended to maintain sustained therapeutic IL12 levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zinnia Patricia Parra-Guillen
- />Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy, University of Navarra, C/ Irunlarrea 1, 31008 Pamplona, Navarra Spain
| | - Alvaro Janda
- />Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy, University of Navarra, C/ Irunlarrea 1, 31008 Pamplona, Navarra Spain
| | - Pilar Alzuguren
- />Division of Hepatology and Gene Therapy, Centre for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), Pamplona, Navarra Spain
| | - Pedro Berraondo
- />Division of Hepatology and Gene Therapy, Centre for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), Pamplona, Navarra Spain
| | - Ruben Hernandez-Alcoceba
- />Division of Hepatology and Gene Therapy, Centre for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), Pamplona, Navarra Spain
| | - Iñaki F. Troconiz
- />Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, School of Pharmacy, University of Navarra, C/ Irunlarrea 1, 31008 Pamplona, Navarra Spain
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Mazzolini G, Ochoa MC, Morales-Kastresana A, Sanmamed MF, Melero I. The liver, liver metastasis and liver cancer: a special case for immunotherapy with cytokines and immunostimulatory monoclonal antibodies. Immunotherapy 2012. [DOI: 10.2217/imt.12.99] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo Mazzolini
- Gene Therapy Laboratory, Universidad Austral, Avda. Presidente Perón, 1500, B1629ODT Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María C Ochoa
- Center for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, Avda. Pio XII, 55, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Aizea Morales-Kastresana
- Center for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, Avda. Pio XII, 55, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Miguel F Sanmamed
- Department of Oncology, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
| | - Ignacio Melero
- Center for Applied Medical Research, University of Navarra, Avda. Pio XII, 55, 31008 Pamplona, Spain and Department of Oncology, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, 31008 Pamplona, Spain
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Inhibition of nuclear delivery of plasmid DNA and transcription by interferon γ: hurdles to be overcome for sustained gene therapy. Gene Ther 2011; 18:891-7. [PMID: 21451577 DOI: 10.1038/gt.2011.35] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Sustained expression of murine interferon (IFN)-γ (Muγ) was found to be effective in preventing tumor metastasis and atopic dermatitis in mouse models. However, our preliminary experiments suggested that the time-dependent decrease in the Muγ expression was not compensated for by repeated injections of Muγ-expressing plasmid. To identify the mechanism underlying this observation, a reporter plasmid was hydrodynamically injected into mice and the levels of the plasmid, mRNA and reporter protein were measured in mice receiving a pre- or co-administration of Muγ-expressing plasmid. Co-injection of Muγ-expressing plasmid had no significant effects on transgene expression from the reporter plasmid. In contrast, pre-injection of Muγ-expressing plasmid greatly inhibited the expression of the reporter protein. Moreover, pre-injection of Muγ-expressing plasmid also reduced the amount of the reporter plasmid in the nuclear fraction of mouse liver to < 10%, and that of reporter mRNA to < 1%. The degree of reduction in the expression of reporter protein was comparable with the reduction in mRNA. These results indicate that the difficulty in regaining the expression level of IFN-γ is due to the impaired delivery of plasmid to the nucleus and to the suppression of transcription from the plasmid.
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Vanrell L, Di Scala M, Blanco L, Otano I, Gil-Farina I, Baldim V, Paneda A, Berraondo P, Beattie SG, Chtarto A, Tenenbaum L, Prieto J, Gonzalez-Aseguinolaza G. Development of a liver-specific Tet-on inducible system for AAV vectors and its application in the treatment of liver cancer. Mol Ther 2011; 19:1245-53. [PMID: 21364542 DOI: 10.1038/mt.2011.37] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) are effective gene delivery vehicles that can mediate long-lasting transgene expression. However, tight regulation and tissue-specific transgene expression is required for certain therapeutic applications. For regulatable expression from the liver we designed a hepatospecific bidirectional and autoregulatory tetracycline (Tet)-On system (Tet(bidir)Alb) flanked by AAV inverted terminal repeats (ITRs). We characterized the inducible hepatospecific system in comparison with an inducible ubiquitous expression system (Tet(bidir)CMV) using luciferase (luc). Although the ubiquitous system led to luc expression throughout the mouse, luc expression derived from the hepatospecific system was restricted to the liver. Interestingly, the induction rate of the Tet(bidir)Alb was significantly higher than that of Tet(bidir)CMV, whereas leakage of Tet(bidir)Alb was significantly lower. To evaluate the therapeutic potential of this vector, an AAV-Tet(bidir)-Alb-expressing interleukin-12 (IL-12) was tested in a murine model for hepatic colorectal metastasis. The vector induced dose-dependent levels of IL-12 and interferon-γ (IFN-γ), showing no significant toxicity. AAV-Tet(bidir)-Alb-IL-12 was highly efficient in preventing establishment of metastasis in the liver and induced an efficient T-cell memory response to tumor cells. Thus, we have demonstrated persistent, and inducible in vivo expression of a gene from a liver-specific Tet-On inducible construct delivered via an AAV vector and proved to be an efficient tool for treating liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Vanrell
- Division of Hepatology and Gene Therapy, Center for Applied Medical Research, Pamplona, Spain
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9
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Takahashi Y, Vikman E, Nishikawa M, Ando M, Watanabe Y, Takakura Y. Persistent interferon transgene expression by RNA interference-mediated silencing of interferon receptors. J Gene Med 2010; 12:739-46. [DOI: 10.1002/jgm.1493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
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10
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Intensive pharmacological immunosuppression allows for repetitive liver gene transfer with recombinant adenovirus in nonhuman primates. Mol Ther 2010; 18:754-65. [PMID: 20087317 DOI: 10.1038/mt.2009.312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Repeated administration of gene therapies is hampered by host immunity toward vectors and transgenes. Attempts to circumvent antivector immunity include pharmacological immunosuppression or alternating different vectors and vector serotypes with the same transgene. Our studies show that B-cell depletion with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody and concomitant T-cell inhibition with clinically available drugs permits repeated liver gene transfer to a limited number of nonhuman primates with recombinant adenovirus. Adenoviral vector-mediated transfer of the herpes simplex virus type 1 thymidine kinase (HSV1-tk) reporter gene was visualized in vivo with a semiquantitative transgene-specific positron emission tomography (PET) technique, liver immunohistochemistry, and immunoblot for the reporter transgene in needle biopsies. Neutralizing antibody and T cell-mediated responses toward the viral capsids were sequentially monitored and found to be repressed by the drug combinations tested. Repeated liver transfer of the HSV1-tk reporter gene with the same recombinant adenoviral vector was achieved in macaques undergoing a clinically feasible immunosuppressive treatment that ablated humoral and cellular immune responses. This strategy allows measurable gene retransfer to the liver as late as 15 months following the first adenoviral exposure in a macaque, which has undergone a total of four treatments with the same adenoviral vector.
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Semi-mechanistic pharmacodynamic modelling of gene expression and silencing processes. Eur J Pharm Sci 2009; 37:418-26. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2009.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2008] [Revised: 02/07/2009] [Accepted: 03/25/2009] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Guo ZS, Li Q, Bartlett DL, Yang JY, Fang B. Gene transfer: the challenge of regulated gene expression. Trends Mol Med 2008; 14:410-8. [PMID: 18692441 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2008.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2008] [Revised: 07/04/2008] [Accepted: 07/04/2008] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Gene therapy is expected to have a major impact on human healthcare in the future. However, precise regulation of therapeutic gene expression in vivo is still a challenge. Natural and synthetic enhancer-promoters (EPs) can be utilized to drive gene transcription in a temporal, spatial or environmental signal-inducible manner in response to heat shock, hypoxia, radiation, chemotherapy, epigenetic agents or viral infection. To allow tightly regulated expression, a regulatable gene-expression system can also be implemented. Most of these systems are based on small molecule (drug)-responsive artificial transactivators. In this review, we aim to provide a brief overview of the classes of EPs and regulatable systems, along with lessons learned from these studies. We highlight the potential applications in gene transfer, gene therapy for cancer and genetic disease and the future challenges for clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z Sheng Guo
- Division of Surgical Oncology, University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
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