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Abstract
Gene therapy is a promising new treatment modality based on molecular genetic modification to achieve a therapeutic benefit. We believe that gene therapy in the peritoneal cavity holds considerable promise, and we describe strategies by which genetic modification can be used to treat a variety of disease states or conditions. First, we can envision a strategy, based on genetic modification of the peritoneal membrane, to improve the practice of peritoneal dialysis through the production of proteins that would be of therapeutic value in preventing membrane damage and in preserving or enhancing its function as a dialyzing membrane. Second, the membrane could be genetically modified for either local or systemic delivery of therapeutic proteins. This approach could be applied to a variety of pathologies or conditions that require either sustained or transient delivery of therapeutic proteins, such as enzymes or growth factors. Third, gene transfer has already been incorporated into several strategies for the treatment of intra-abdominal carcinomas, and it has been effective in animal models of ovarian and bladder cancer and of peritoneal mesothelioma. Finally, gene transfer can be a valuable tool in increasing our understanding of the biology of the peritoneal membrane. By being able to manipulate the expression of specific genes through gene transfer, their role in various (patho)physiological processes can be identified. In summary, gene therapy in the peritoneal cavity has significant potential to address a variety of diseases or pathophysiological conditions, and to further our knowledge of peritoneal cavity biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine M. Hoff
- Baxter Healthcare Corporation, Renal Division, Scientific Affairs, McGaw Park, Illinois, U.S.A
| | - Ty R. Shockley
- Baxter Healthcare Corporation, Renal Division, Scientific Affairs, McGaw Park, Illinois, U.S.A
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Park JH, Kim KI, Lee KC, Lee YJ, Lee TS, Chung WS, Lim SM, Kang JH. Assessment of α-fetoprotein targeted HSV1-tk expression in hepatocellular carcinoma with in vivo imaging. Cancer Biother Radiopharm 2014; 30:8-15. [PMID: 25545853 DOI: 10.1089/cbr.2014.1716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumor-specific enhancer/promoter is applicable for targeting gene expression in tumors and helpful for tumor-targeting imaging and therapy. We aimed to acquire α-fetoprotein (AFP)-producing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) specific images using adenovirus containing HSV1-tk gene controlled by AFP enhancer/promoter and evaluate in vivo ganciclovir (GCV)-medicated therapeutic effects on AFP-targeted HSV1-tk expression with (18)F-FDG positron emission tomography (PET). Recombinant adenovirus expressing HSV1-tk under AFP enhancer/promoter was produced (AdAFP-TK) and the expression levels were evaluated by RT-PCR and (125)I-IVDU uptake. GCV-mediated HSV1-tk cytotoxicity was determined by MTT assay. After the mixture of AdAFP-fLuc and AdAFP-TK was administrated, bioluminescent images (BLIs) and (18)F-FHBG PET images were obtained in tumor-bearing mice. In vivo therapeutic effects of AdAFP-TK and GCV in the HuH-7 xenograft model were monitored by (18)F-FDG PET. When infected with AdAFP-TK, cell viability in HuH-7 was reduced, but those in HT-29 and SK-Hep-1 were not significantly decreased at any GCV concentration less than 100 μM. AFP-targeted fLuc and HSV1-tk expression were clearly visualized by BLI and (18)F-FHBG PET images in AFP-producing HCC, respectively. In vivo GCV-mediated tumor growth inhibition by AFP-targeted HSV1-tk expression was monitored by (18)F-FDG PET. Recombinant AdAFP-TK could be applied for AFP-targeted HCC gene therapy and imaging in AFP-producing HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju Hui Park
- 1 Molecular Imaging Research Center, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences , Seoul, Republic of Korea
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3
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Stryjewska A, Kiepura K, Librowski T, Lochyński S. Biotechnology and genetic engineering in the new drug development. Part II. Monoclonal antibodies, modern vaccines and gene therapy. Pharmacol Rep 2014; 65:1086-101. [PMID: 24399705 DOI: 10.1016/s1734-1140(13)71467-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2012] [Revised: 05/13/2013] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies, modern vaccines and gene therapy have become a major field in modern biotechnology, especially in the area of human health and fascinating developments achieved in the past decades are impressive examples of an interdisciplinary interplay between medicine, biology and engineering. Among the classical products from cells one can find viral vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, and interferons, as well as recombinant therapeutic proteins. Gene therapy opens up challenging new areas. In this review, a definitions of these processes are given and fields of application and products, as well as the future prospects, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Stryjewska
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Technology, Wyb. Wyspiańskiego 27, PL 50-370 Wrocław, Poland. ;
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Wu Y, Wang Y, Qin F, Wang Z, Wang Y, Yang Y, Zheng H, Wang Y. CD55 limits sensitivity to complement-dependent cytolysis triggered by heterologous expression of α-gal xenoantigen in colon tumor cells. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 2014; 306:G1056-64. [PMID: 24763553 DOI: 10.1152/ajpgi.00464.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Engineering cancer cells to express heterologous antigen α-gal and induce the destruction of tumor cells depending on the complement cascade may be a promising strategy of tumor therapy. However, the feasibility and effect of using α-gal to induce colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line cytolysis is not yet known. In this study, we evaluated α-gal expression's ability to sensitize human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell lines to complement attack in cell lines LoVo, SW620, and Ls-174T. Nearly all α-gal-expressing LoVo and SW620 cells were killed by normal human serum (NHS), but α-gal-expressing Ls-174T cells showed no significant lysis. We analyzed the expression levels of membrane-bound complement regulatory proteins (mCRPs) on the three cell lines, and their protective role in α-gal-mediated activation of the complement. LoVo showed no expression of any of the three proteins. CD59 was strongly expressed by SW620 and Ls-174T. CD46 and CD55 varied between the two cell lines. CD46 on SW620 was only half the intensity of CD46 on Ls-174T. Ls-174T showed a notable expression of CD55, while expression of CD55 on SW620 was not detected. The sensitivity of Ls-174T expressing α-gal to NHS greatly increased following the downregulation of CD46 and CD55 with short hairpin RNA (shRNA). However, there is no increase in cell killing when CD59 expression was diminished. Our findings suggest that the use of α-gal as antigen to induce tumor cell killing may be a potential therapeutic strategy in colon cancer and that CD55 plays a primary role in conferring resistance to lysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanxia Wu
- Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis of Cancer, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yaogeng Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis of Cancer, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Feng Qin
- Basic Medical Faculty, Dali Medical College, Dali, China; and
| | - Zhu Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis of Cancer, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis of Cancer, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | | | - Hong Zheng
- Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis of Cancer, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yanping Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis of Cancer, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China; State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China;
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White R, Chenciner N, Bonello G, Salas M, Blancou P, Gauduin MC. Epithelial stem cells as mucosal antigen-delivering cells: A novel AIDS vaccine approach. Vaccine 2013; 33:6914-21. [PMID: 24286835 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2013.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2013] [Revised: 07/12/2013] [Accepted: 09/06/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
A key obstacle limiting development of an effective AIDS vaccine is the inability to deliver antigen for a sufficient period of time resulting in weak and transient protection. HIV transmission occurs predominantly across mucosal surfaces; therefore, an ideal vaccine strategy would be to target HIV at mucosal entry sites to prevent infection. Such a novel strategy relies on the activation of mucosal immune response via presentation of viral antigens by the mucosal epithelial cells. The use of a terminally differentiated epithelial cell promoter to drive expression of antigens leading to viral protein production in the upper layers of the epithelium is central to the success of this approach. Our results show that when administered intradermally to mice, a GFP-reporter gene under the transcriptional control of the involucrin promoter is expressed in the upper layers of the epidermis and, although transduced cells were very low in number, high and sustained anti-GFP antibody production is observed in vivo. A subsequent experiment investigates the effectiveness of GFP-tagged replication-competent SIVdeltaNef and GFP-tagged replication-deficient SIVdeltaVifdeltaNef constructs under the transcriptional control of the involucrin promoter. Optimal conditions for production of pseudotyped VSV-G viral particles destined to transduce basal epithelial stem cells at the mucosal sites of entry of SIV in our animal model were determined. Altogether, the data demonstrate the feasibility of an epithelium-based vaccine containing involucrin-driven viral antigen encoding sequences that integrate into epithelial stem cells and show long-term expression in the upper layer of the epithelium even after multiple cycle of epithelia renewal. Such epithelium-based vaccine should elicit a long-term immunity against HIV/SIV infection at the site of entry of the virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert White
- Texas Biomedical Research Institute, Department of Virology and Immunology, San Antonio, TX 78227, USA
| | - Nicole Chenciner
- Institut Pasteur, Unité de Rétrovirologie Moléculaire, CNRS URA 3015, 75724 Paris Cedex 15, France
| | - Gregory Bonello
- Texas Biomedical Research Institute, Department of Virology and Immunology, San Antonio, TX 78227, USA
| | - Mary Salas
- Texas Biomedical Research Institute, Department of Virology and Immunology, San Antonio, TX 78227, USA
| | - Philippe Blancou
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis, Valbonne, France
| | - Marie-Claire Gauduin
- Texas Biomedical Research Institute, Department of Virology and Immunology, San Antonio, TX 78227, USA; Southwest National Primate Research Center, San Antonio, TX 78227, USA.
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Heat-inducible transgene expression system incorporating a positive feedback loop of transcriptional amplification for hyperthermia-induced gene therapy. J Biosci Bioeng 2012; 114:460-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiosc.2012.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2012] [Revised: 05/02/2012] [Accepted: 05/07/2012] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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7
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Cancer-Targeted BikDD Gene Therapy Elicits Protective Antitumor Immunity against Lung Cancer. Mol Cancer Ther 2011; 10:637-47. [DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-10-0827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Paulmurugan R, Padmanabhan P, Ahn BC, Ray S, Willmann JK, Massoud TF, Biswal S, Gambhir SS. A novel estrogen receptor intramolecular folding-based titratable transgene expression system. Mol Ther 2009; 17:1703-11. [PMID: 19654568 DOI: 10.1038/mt.2009.171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of regulated gene expression systems is important for successful gene therapy applications. In this study, ligand-induced structural change in the estrogen receptor (ER) was used to develop a novel ER intramolecular folding-based transcriptional activation system. The system was studied using ER-variants of different lengths, flanked on either side by the GAL4-DNA-binding domain and the VP16-transactivation domain (GAL4(DBD)-ER-VP16). The ER ligands of different types showed efficient ligand-regulated transactivation. We also characterized a bidirectional transactivation system based on the ER and demonstrated its utility in titrating both reporter and therapeutic gene expression. The ligand-regulated transactivation system developed by using a mutant form of the ER (G521T, lacking affinity for the endogenous ligand 17beta-estradiol, whereas maintaining affinity for other ligands) showed efficient activation by the ligand raloxifene in living mice without significant interference from the circulating endogenous ligand. The ligand-regulated transactivation system was used to test the therapeutic efficiency of the tumor suppressor protein p53 in HepG2 (p53(+/+)) and SKBr3 (p53(-/-)/mutant-p53(+/+)) cells in culture and tumor xenografts in living mice. The multifunctional capabilities of this system should be useful for gene therapy applications, to study ER biology, to evaluate gene regulation, ER ligand screening, and ER ligand biocharacterization in cells and living animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramasamy Paulmurugan
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, James H. Clark Center, 318 Campus Drive, 150 East Wing, 1st Floor, Stanford, CA 94305-5427, USA.
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Walther W, Stein U. Heat-responsive gene expression for gene therapy. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2009; 61:641-9. [PMID: 19394378 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2009.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2008] [Accepted: 02/05/2009] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Therapy-inducible vectors are useful for conditional expression of therapeutic genes in gene therapy, which is based on the control of gene expression by conventional treatment modalities. By this approach, combination of chemotherapy, radiation or hyperthermia with gene therapy can result in considerable, additive or synergistic improvement of therapeutic efficacy. This concept has been successfully tested in particular for gene therapy of cancer. The identification of efficient heat-responsive gene promoters provided the rationale for heat-regulated gene therapy. The objective of this review is to provide insights into the cellular mechanisms of heat-shock response, as prerequisite for therapeutic actions of hyperthermia and into the field of heat-responsive gene therapy. Furthermore, the major strategies of heat-responsive gene therapy systems in particular for cancer treatment are summarized. The developments for heat-responsive vector systems for in vitro and in vivo approaches are discussed. This review will provide an overview for this gene therapy strategy and its potential for multimodal therapeutic concepts in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Walther
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Charité, University Medicine Berlin, Robert-Rössle-Str. 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany.
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10
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Boulaire J, Balani P, Wang S. Transcriptional targeting to brain cells: Engineering cell type-specific promoter containing cassettes for enhanced transgene expression. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2009; 61:589-602. [PMID: 19394380 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2009.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2008] [Accepted: 02/05/2009] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Transcriptional targeting using a mammalian cellular promoter to restrict transgene expression to target cells is often desirable for gene therapy. This strategy is, however, hindered by relatively weak activity of some cellular promoters, which may lead to low levels of gene expression, thus declining therapeutic efficacy. Here we outline the advances accomplished in the area of transcriptional targeting to brain cells, with a particular focus on engineering gene cassettes to augment cell type-specific expression. Among the effective approaches that improve gene expression while retaining promoter specificity are promoter engineering to change authentic sequences of a cellular promoter and the combined use of a native cellular promoter and other cis-acting elements. Success in achieving high level and sustained transgene expression only in the cell types of interest would be of importance in allowing gene therapy to have its impact on patient treatment.
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Ogawa R, Lee SI, Izumi H, Kagiya G, Yohsida T, Watanabe A, Morii A, Kakutani S, Kondo T, Feril LB, Ishimoto T. Enhancement of artificial promoter activity by ultrasound-induced oxidative stress. ULTRASONICS SONOCHEMISTRY 2009; 16:379-386. [PMID: 19041272 DOI: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2008.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2008] [Revised: 09/25/2008] [Accepted: 10/01/2008] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
We previously developed artificial promoters that were activated in response to X-ray irradiation. Sonication with 1.0MHz ultrasound that causes intracellular oxidative stress was found to activate some of these promoters though to lesser degrees. The most sensitive one among these promoters showed intensity- and duration-dependent activations by sonication. In addition, its activation by sonication was attenuated when N-acetyl cysteine was present, suggesting the involvement of intracellular oxidative stress in the activation mechanism. Improved promoters for sensitivity to X-ray irradiation were also found more sensitive to sonication. The most improved one showed 6.0 fold enhancement after sonication with 1.0MHz ultrasound at 1.0W/cm2 for 60s. This enhancement was also attenuated with the presence of N-acetyl cysteine. When stably transfected HeLa cells with the most sensitive promoter were transplanted on to mice and sonicated, luciferase activity by the promoter increased to 1.35 fold in average though it was not statistically significant compared to control. Although gene regulation in vivo by sonication was not clear, this is the first report on artificially constructed promoters responsive to ultrasound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryohei Ogawa
- Department of Radiological Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
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Navarro J, Risco R, Toschi M, Schattman G. Gene therapy and intracytoplasmatic sperm injection (ICSI) - a review. Placenta 2008; 29 Suppl B:193-9. [PMID: 18790332 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2008.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2008] [Revised: 08/14/2008] [Accepted: 08/14/2008] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Human gene therapy (HGT), the treatment or prevention of disease by gene transfer is, regarded by many, as a potential revolution in medicine, because gene therapies target the causes of disease, whereas most current drugs treat the symptoms. Micro-assisted fertilization in the form of intracytoplasmatic sperm injection (ICSI) has truly revolutionized the treatment options for couples with impaired semen quality, and those with both obstructive and non-obstructive azoospermia. ICSI involves the injection of a single sperm directly into the cytoplasm of a mature egg (oocyte) using a glass needle (pipette). Fertilization with this technique occurs in 50%-80% of injected oocytes, but may damage a small percentage of them. With gene therapy, there are new and varied strategies for gene transfer and genome sequence manipulation with improved methodologies that use the technique of microinjection such as the intracytoplasmatic sperm injection-mediated transgenesis (ICSI-Tr), active transgenesis or the pronuclear microinjection technique. This review will look at these methods as well as their potential applications and limitations.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Navarro
- Instituto de Biotecnología Aplicada (BIONAC), Seville, Spain.
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Maitani Y, Yano S, Hattori Y, Furuhata M, Hayashi K. Liposome Vector Containing Biosurfactant-Complexed DNA as Herpes Simplex Virus Thymidine Kinase Gene Delivery System. J Liposome Res 2008; 16:359-72. [PMID: 17162578 DOI: 10.1080/08982100600992443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
For injectable-sized liposome complexed with DNA (lipoplexes) with high transfection efficiency of genes, we initially prepared small-sized liposomes by addition of biosurfactant. For selectivity of gene expression, the thymidine kinase (MK-tk) gene controlled by midkine was used for herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) gene therapy. Liposomes composed of 3([N-(N',N'-dimethylaminoethane)-carbamoyl] cholesterol (DC-Chol), L-dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE), and a biosurfactant, such as beta-sitosterol beta-D-glucoside (Sit-G) for Sit-G-liposomes and mannosylerythrytol lipid A (MEL) for MEL-liposomes, produced about 300-nm-sized lipoplexes. Sit-G- and MEL-liposomes showed higher transfection efficiency of the luciferase marker gene and thymidine kinase activity in the presence of serum in the cells. The treatment with transfection of MK-tk gene by Sit-G-liposome and injection of ganciclovir significantly reduced tumor growth in a solid tumor model, compared with that by Sit-G-liposome alone. This finding suggested that Sit-G-liposome is a potential vector for HSV-tk gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshie Maitani
- Institute of Medicinal Chemistry, Hoshi University, Tokyo, Japan.
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Liu B, Wang S, Brenner M, Paton JFR, Kasparov S. Enhancement of cell-specific transgene expression from a Tet-Off regulatory system using a transcriptional amplification strategy in the rat brain. J Gene Med 2008; 10:583-92. [PMID: 18324737 PMCID: PMC2962808 DOI: 10.1002/jgm.1178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The Tet-Off system uses a tetracycline-controlled transactivator protein (tTA) and a tetracycline-responsive promoter element (TRE) to regulate expression of a target gene. This system can be used to achieve regulatable transgene expression in specific cell types by employing a cell-specific promoter to drive tTA expression. Wide applications of this attractive approach are, however, hindered by relatively weak transcriptional activity of most cell-specific promoters. We report here the feasibility of using a transcriptional amplification strategy to overcome the problem. Methods and results In the developed cell-type-specific, Tet-inducible lentiviral system, two distinct cellular promoters were tested, a human synapsin-1 promoter for neurons and a compact glial fibrillary acidic protein promoter for astroglial cells. Lentiviral vectors were constructed that contained two copies of one or the other of these two promoters. One copy was used to drive the expression of a chimeric transactivator consisting of a part of the transcriptional activation domain of the NF-κB p65 protein fused to the DNA-binding domain of the yeast GAL4 protein. The second copy of the cell-specific promoter was modified by introduction of the GAL4 binding sequences at its 5′ end. This copy was used to drive expression of tTA. A gene encoding a red fluorescent protein was cloned into another lentiviral vector under transcriptional control of TRE. Co-transduction with the two types of viral vectors provided doxycycline-regulated transgene expression in a neuron- or astrocyte-specific manner. Compared to control viruses without transcriptional amplification, our enhanced systems were approximately 8-fold more potent in cultured neurons and astroglial cells and at least 8- to 12-fold more potent in the rat brain in vivo. Conclusions Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of the transcriptional amplification strategy in developing viral gene delivery systems that combine the advantages of specific cell type targeting and Tet-inducible expression. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beihui Liu
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Bristol Heart Institute, School of Medical Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
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15
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Current status of experimental therapeutics for prostate cancer. Cancer Lett 2008; 266:116-34. [DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2008.02.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2007] [Revised: 02/22/2008] [Accepted: 02/22/2008] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Khalighinejad N, Hariri H, Behnamfar O, Yousefi A, Momeni A. Adenoviral gene therapy in gastric cancer: A review. World J Gastroenterol 2008; 14:180-4. [PMID: 18186552 PMCID: PMC2675111 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.14.180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. With current therapeutic approaches the prognosis of gastric cancer is very poor, as gastric cancer accounts for the second most common cause of death in cancer related deaths. Gastric cancer like almost all other cancers has a molecular genetic basis which relies on disruption in normal cellular regulatory mechanisms regarding cell growth, apoptosis and cell division. Thus novel therapeutic approaches such as gene therapy promise to become the alternative choice of treatment in gastric cancer. In gene therapy, suicide genes, tumor suppressor genes and anti-angiogenesis genes among many others are introduced to cancer cells via vectors. Some of the vectors widely used in gene therapy are Adenoviral vectors. This review provides an update of the new developments in adenoviral cancer gene therapy including strategies for inducing apoptosis, inhibiting metastasis and targeting the cancer cells.
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Gonzalez-Alegre P, Paulson HL. Technology insight: therapeutic RNA interference--how far from the neurology clinic? ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007; 3:394-404. [PMID: 17611488 DOI: 10.1038/ncpneuro0551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2007] [Accepted: 05/10/2007] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
As an evolutionarily conserved cellular pathway to regulate endogenous gene expression, RNA interference (RNAi) has been implicated in diverse biological processes. Biologists now routinely exploit this cellular pathway to suppress virtually any target gene in a sequence-specific manner, including dominantly acting genes that cause incurable neurodegenerative disorders. The development of RNAi as potential therapy for such diseases has generated considerable interest, partly because of the success of early studies of therapeutic RNAi in rodent models for a range of neurodegenerative diseases. In this article, we review the progress of RNAi therapy to date, and assess the challenges ahead for the application of such therapy to neurodegenerative diseases. We discuss the various strategies that might be used to achieve this goal, outline the preclinical studies that have already been completed, and highlight the experimental questions that need to be answered before human clinical trials can begin.
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Hoff CM, Shockley TR. Genetic Modification of the Peritoneal Membrane: Potential for Improving Peritoneal Dialysis Through Gene Therapy. Semin Dial 2007. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1525-139x.1998.tb00350.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Beard BC, Keyser KA, Trobridge GD, Peterson LJ, Miller DG, Jacobs M, Kaul R, Kiem HP. Unique integration profiles in a canine model of long-term repopulating cells transduced with gammaretrovirus, lentivirus, or foamy virus. Hum Gene Ther 2007; 18:423-34. [PMID: 17518616 DOI: 10.1089/hum.2007.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent advances have allowed for improved retrovirus-mediated gene transfer, and therapeutic benefits have been described in patients. These successes have shown the potential of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) gene therapy, but treatment-related leukemia and benign expansion of gene-modified clones have shifted the attention toward safety. The delayed onset of adverse events in gene therapy clinical trials emphasizes the importance of long-term integration site studies in large animal models. We have addressed safety by characterizing the genomic location of 555 integration sites of the three most commonly used integrating retroviral vectors, that is, gammaretrovirus, lentivirus, and foamy virus, in long-term repopulating cells from dogs. Gammaretroviral integrants showed the most significant frequency of occurrence very close (<2.5 kb) to transcription start sites, but a substantial portion of all three retroviral integrants were within 50 kb. Importantly, gammaretroviral integrants were found more frequently in and near proto-oncogenes, suggesting this retroviral system may be the most prone to adverse gene activation. These data suggest that gammaretroviral vectors may have the highest intrinsic risk, but also emphasize that no vector system can be defined as "safe" based solely on integration profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian C Beard
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109-1024, USA
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Li X, Fan R, Zou X, Gao L, Jin H, Du R, Xia L, Fan D. Inhibitory effect of recombinant adenovirus carrying immunocaspase-3 on hepatocellular carcinoma. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2007; 358:489-94. [PMID: 17502111 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2007.04.134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2007] [Accepted: 04/20/2007] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Previously, Srinivasula devised a contiguous molecule (C-cp-3 or immunocaspase-3) containing the small and large subunits similar to that in the active form of caspas-3 and found C-cp-3 had similar cleavage activity to the active form of caspase-3. To search for a new clinical application of C-cp-3 to treat hepatocellular carcinoma, recombinant adenoviruses carrying the C-cp-3 and a-fetoprotein (AFP) promoter (Ad-rAFP-C-cp-3) were constructed through a bacterial homologous recombinant system. The efficiency of adenovirus-mediated gene transfer and the inhibitory effect of Ad-rAFP-C-cp-3 on the proliferation of hepatocarcinoma cells were determined by X-gal stain and MTT assay, respectively. The tumorigenicity of hepatocarcinoma cells transfected by Ad-rAFP-C-cp-3 and the antitumor effect of Ad-rAFP-C-cp-3 on transplanted tumor in nude mice were detected in vivo. The results suggested that Ad-rAFP-C-cp-3 can inhibit specifically proliferation of AFP-producing human hepatocarcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo and adenovirus-mediated C-cp-3 transfer could be used as a new method to treat human hepatocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohua Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology & Institute of Digestive Diseases, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China
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21
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Yao F, Pomahac B, Visovatti S, Chen M, Johnson S, Augustinova H, Svensjo T, Eriksson E. Systemic and Localized Reversible Regulation of Transgene Expression by Tetracycline with tetR-Mediated Transcription Repression Switch. J Surg Res 2007; 138:267-74. [PMID: 17254606 DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2006.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2006] [Revised: 04/26/2006] [Accepted: 05/01/2006] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We recently developed a new tetracycline-inducible gene switch employing the tetracycline operator-containing hCMV major immediate-early promoter and the tetracycline repressor, tetR, rather than the previously used tetR-mammalian cell transcription factor fusion derivatives. MATERIALS AND METHODS The present study demonstrates that this tetR-mediated transcription repression system can function as a powerful gene switch for On-and-Off regulation of therapeutic gene expression in ex vivo gene transfer protocols. Firstly, for achieving regulated gene expression in a localized tissue environment, R11/OEGF cells, a stable line that expresses hEGF under the control of the tetR-mediated transcription repression switch, were transplanted into porcine full-thickness wounds enclosed by wound chambers. RESULTS By topically applying tetracycline in wound chambers at various concentrations or at different time points post-transplantation, the levels and timing of hEGF expression in transplanted wounds could be reversibly regulated by tetracycline. Over 3000-fold induction in hEGF expression was achieved in the local wound microenvironment. Secondly, R11/OEGF cells were intramuscularly injected into NCr outbread nude mice to test the efficacy of intermittent systemic gene delivery of a soluble peptide(s). CONCLUSIONS Basal circulating hEGF was undetectable and induced up to at least 1,500-fold after administration of tetracycline. Furthermore, the timing and duration of hEGF expression could be finely adjusted by the presence or the absence of tetracycline in the drinking water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Yao
- Laboratory of Tissue Repair and Gene Transfer, Plastic Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, and Department of Surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
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22
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Walther W, Arlt F, Fichtner I, Aumann J, Stein U, Schlag PM. Heat-inducible in vivo gene therapy of colon carcinoma by human mdr1 promoter-regulated tumor necrosis factor-alpha expression. Mol Cancer Ther 2007; 6:236-43. [PMID: 17237282 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-06-0070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The promoter of the human multidrug resistance gene (mdr1) harbors defined heat-responsive elements, which could be exploited for construction of heat-inducible expression vectors. To analyze the hyperthermia inducibility of the mdr1 promoter in vitro and in vivo, we used the pcDNA3-mdrp-hTNF vector construct for heat-induced tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) expression in transfected HCT116 human colon carcinoma cells at mRNA level by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-PCR and at protein level by TNF-alpha ELISA. For the in vitro studies, the pcDNA3-mdrp-hTNF-transfected tumor cells were treated with hyperthermia at 43 degrees C for 2 h. In the animal studies, stably transfected or in vivo jet-injected tumor-bearing Ncr:nu/nu mice were treated for 60 min at 42 degrees C to induce TNF-alpha expression. Both the in vitro and in vivo experiments show that hyperthermia activates the mdr1 promoter in a temperature- and time-dependent manner, leading to an up to 4-fold increase in mdr1 promoter-driven TNF-alpha expression at mRNA and an up to 3-fold increase at protein level. The in vivo heat-induced TNF-alpha expression combined with Adriamycin (8 mg/kg) treatment leads to the inhibition of tumor growth in the animals. These experiments support the idea that heat-induced mdr1 promoter-driven expression of therapeutic genes is efficient and feasible for combined cancer gene therapy approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Walther
- Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Rössle-Strasse 10, 13092 Berlin, Germany.
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23
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Gaedtke L, Pelisek J, Lipinski KS, Wrighton CJ, Wagner E. Transcriptionally Targeted Nonviral Gene Transfer Using a β-Catenin/TCF-Dependent Promoter in a Series of Different Human Low Passage Colon Cancer Cells. Mol Pharm 2006; 4:129-39. [PMID: 17274670 DOI: 10.1021/mp0600586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Nonviral transfections of six low passage human colon cancer cell lines using the artificial beta-catenin/TCF-dependent promoter CTP4 demonstrated a high promoter activity which was 1000- to 70000-fold higher than in HeLa control cells. Luciferase gene expression levels obtained with CTP4 in epithelial-like tumor cell cultures were only slightly lower than with the strong viral CMV promoter/enhancer, whereas in less differentiated tumor cultures CTP4 expression levels exceeded the CMV expression levels up to 28-fold. Three cell lines representing different morphology typical of the original tumors, more differentiated epithelial-like (COGA-5), piled-up (COGA-12), and poorly differentiated rounded-up (COGA-3), were selected for further investigation. Gene transfer was optimized using lipopolyplex formulation of cationic lipid DOSPER and polycation PEI25br. Lipopolyplexes enabled up to 1300-fold or 400-fold higher luciferase expression compared to the corresponding lipoplexes or polyplexes, respectively. Lipopolyfection of an interleukin-2 (IL-2) gene expression construct driven by the CTP4 promoter resulted in very high levels of up to 95 ng of secreted IL-2 per 105 cells and 24 h. The lipopolyplexes were also able to transfect multicellular spheroids that mimic the three-dimensional structure of real tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Gaedtke
- Department of Pharmacy, Center of Drug Research, Pharmaceutical Biology-Biotechnology, Ludwig Maximilian University, Munich, Germany
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24
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Liu BH, Yang Y, Paton JFR, Li F, Boulaire J, Kasparov S, Wang S. GAL4-NF-kappaB fusion protein augments transgene expression from neuronal promoters in the rat brain. Mol Ther 2006; 14:872-82. [PMID: 16904943 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2006.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2005] [Revised: 04/10/2006] [Accepted: 05/21/2006] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeted gene expression mediated by a mammalian cellular promoter is desirable for gene therapy in the brain, where there are a variety of different neuronal phenotypes, several types of supportive cells, and blood vessels. However, this approach can be hampered by weak activity of some cellular promoters. In view of the potency of the transcription factor NF-kappaB in regulating neuronal gene expression, we have assessed whether it can be used to enhance the strength of neuron-specific promoters. Our approach was to use a neuronal promoter to drive expression of a chimeric transactivator, which consisted of a part of the transcriptional activation domain of the NF-kappaB p65 protein fused to the DNA-binding domain of GAL4 protein from yeast. The second copy of the neuronal promoter was modified by introducing the unique GAL4 binding sequences at its 5' end and used to drive the expression of a transgene. Binding of the chimeric transcriptional activator upstream of the second promoter was expected to potentiate its transcriptional activity. In this study, the approach was applied to the platelet-derived growth factor beta chain and synapsin-1 neuron-specific promoters and tested in vitro and in vivo using plasmid, lentiviral, and baculoviral vectors. We observed up to a 100-fold improvement in reporter gene expression in cultured neurons and 20-fold improvement in the rat brain in vivo. Moreover, the cell-type specificity of the two tested promoters was well preserved and restricted to neurons. Finally, the expression driven by the new lentiviral vectors with the p65-potentiated synapsin-1 promoter showed no signs of decline or cell damage 4 weeks after injection. This approach should be suitable for constructing powerful and stable gene expression systems based on weak cell-specific promoters in neuronal phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- B H Liu
- Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, 31 Biopolis Way, 138669, Singapore
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25
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Wang CY, Wang S. Astrocytic expression of transgene in the rat brain mediated by baculovirus vectors containing an astrocyte-specific promoter. Gene Ther 2006; 13:1447-56. [PMID: 16724097 DOI: 10.1038/sj.gt.3302771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Therapeutic gene expression in glial cells has been tested for the treatment of neurological diseases in animal models. Many of such studies used the promoter of the glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) to restrict gene expression to astrocytes. We have investigated in the current study whether it is possible to improve the transcriptional activity of the cellular promoter, while maintaining its cell-type specificity. We constructed an expression cassette containing a hybrid cytomegalovirus (CMV) enhancer/GFAP promoter and placed it into baculovirus vectors, a type of viral vectors capable of transducing astrocytes. In another vector design, we used inverted terminal repeats (ITRs) from adeno-associated virus (AAV) to flank the expression cassette. The recombinant baculoviruses with the hybrid promoter improved gene expression levels over two orders of magnitude in glial cell lines and by 10-fold in the rat brain when compared to the baculoviruses with the GFAP promoter alone. The expression was further improved by ITR flanking, reaching levels higher than that mediated by the baculovirus vectors with the CMV immediate-early enhancer/promoter (CMV promoter). Using these recombinant baculoviruses, we observed extended in vivo transgene expression in the rat brain at 90 days postinjection, by which time the gene expression from baculovirus vectors with the GFAP or CMV promoter had already become undetectable. The astrocyte specificity of the GFAP promoter was preserved in the engineered expression cassette with the CMV enhancer and the AAV ITRs, as demonstrated by immunohistological analysis of brain samples and an axonal retrograde transport assay. Taken together, our findings suggest that these baculovirus vectors may serve as useful tools for astrocyte-specific gene expression in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Y Wang
- Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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Abstract
For the minority of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), surgical or locally ablative therapies may offer the prospect of cure. However, the majority of patients present with advanced disease, such that treatment with curative intent is no longer possible. For some of these patients, with good hepatic reserve and a patent portal venous system, chemoembolisation may afford a modest survival benefit. The remainder of patients are frequently treated with systemic therapies with palliative intent. However, no drug treatment has yet clearly demonstrated a significant beneficial effect on survival or quality of life. Thus, there is an urgent need for novel approaches. Gene- and immunotherapy approaches using a variety of strategies are in development at present. HCC possesses several characteristics that make it an attractive target for these therapies. This review aims to summarise the approaches to gene- and immunotherapy for HCC, with particular reference to strategies that are entering clinical trials. It will then describe some of the obstacles to the success of these new approaches and provide opinion regarding ongoing and future developments. The challenge remains to design clinical trials to optimally evaluate these agents and allow feedback to the laboratory for their ongoing development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel H Palmer
- CR UK Institute for Cancer Studies, Clinical Research Block, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
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27
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Burger C. Recombinant Adeno-Associated Viral Vectors for CNS Gene Therapy. Gene Ther 2006. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-044452806-3/50004-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Palmer DH, Young LS, Mautner V. Cancer gene-therapy: clinical trials. Trends Biotechnol 2005; 24:76-82. [PMID: 16380178 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2005.12.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2005] [Revised: 10/11/2005] [Accepted: 12/06/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The objective of gene therapy for the treatment of cancer is to kill tumour cells but preserve normal tissue; therefore, the ideal gene therapy agent would be targeted for specific transduction of tumour cells and have specificity in its cytotoxic action. A variety of strategies to achieve these aims have demonstrated promising results in the laboratory, including enzyme-pro-drug activating systems, correction of genetic mutations contributing to the malignant phenotype and stimulation of a T-cell-mediated anti-tumour immune response. The key to the success of all these strategies is an effective vector that can direct appropriate expression of the therapeutic gene. Viruses have many properties that can be adapted to achieve this therapeutic endpoint; furthermore, they can be engineered to replicate selectively in cancer cells and lyse them. The challenge now is to translate these features into effective therapies that can supplement or supplant existing treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel H Palmer
- CR UK Institute for Cancer Studies, University of Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
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29
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Le LP, Li J, Ternovoi VV, Siegal GP, Curiel DT. Fluorescently tagged canine adenovirus via modification with protein IX-enhanced green fluorescent protein. J Gen Virol 2005; 86:3201-3208. [PMID: 16298964 DOI: 10.1099/vir.0.80968-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Canine adenovirus type 2 (CAV2) has become an attractive vector for gene therapy because of its non-pathogenicity and the lack of pre-existing neutralizing antibodies against this virus in the human population. Additionally, this vector has been proposed as a conditionally replicative adenovirus agent under the control of an osteocalcin promoter for evaluation in a syngeneic, immunocompetent canine model with spontaneous osteosarcoma. In this study, a CAV2 vector labelled with the fluorescent capsid fusion protein IX-enhanced green fluorescent protein (pIX-EGFP) was developed. Expression of the fluorescent fusion-protein label in infected cells with proper nuclear localization, and incorporation into virions, could be detected. The labelled virions could be visualized by fluorescence microscopy; this was applicable to the tracking of CAV2 infection, as well as localizing the distribution of the vector in tissues. Expression of pIX-EGFP could be exploited to detect the replication and spread of CAV2. These results indicate that pIX can serve as a platform for incorporation of heterologous proteins in the context of a canine adenovirus xenotype. It is believed that capsid-labelled CAV2 has utility for vector-development studies and for monitoring CAV2-based oncolytic adenovirus replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long P Le
- Division of Human Gene Therapy, Departments of Medicine, Pathology and Surgery, and the Gene Therapy Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 901 19th Street South, BMR2-502, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Jing Li
- Division of Human Gene Therapy, Departments of Medicine, Pathology and Surgery, and the Gene Therapy Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 901 19th Street South, BMR2-502, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Vladimir V Ternovoi
- Division of Human Gene Therapy, Departments of Medicine, Pathology and Surgery, and the Gene Therapy Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 901 19th Street South, BMR2-502, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - Gene P Siegal
- Departments of Pathology, Cell Biology and Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294-2172, USA
- Division of Human Gene Therapy, Departments of Medicine, Pathology and Surgery, and the Gene Therapy Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 901 19th Street South, BMR2-502, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - David T Curiel
- Division of Human Gene Therapy, Departments of Medicine, Pathology and Surgery, and the Gene Therapy Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 901 19th Street South, BMR2-502, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
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30
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Wang CY, Guo HY, Lim TM, Ng YK, Neo HP, Hwang PYK, Yee WC, Wang S. Improved neuronal transgene expression from an AAV-2 vector with a hybrid CMV enhancer/PDGF-beta promoter. J Gene Med 2005; 7:945-55. [PMID: 15756650 DOI: 10.1002/jgm.742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV-2) vectors are highly promising tools for gene therapy of neurological disorders. After accommodating a cellular promoter, AAV-2 vectors are able to drive sustained expression of transgene in the brain. This study aimed to develop AAV-2 vectors that also facilitate a high level of neuronal expression by enhancing the strength of a neuron-specific promoter, the human platelet-derived growth factor beta-chain (PDGF) promoter. METHODS AND RESULTS A hybrid promoter approach was adopted to fuse the enhancer of human cytomegalovirus immediately early (CMV) promoter to the PDGF promoter. In cultured cortex neurons, AAV-2 vectors containing the hybrid promoter augmented transgene expression up to 20-fold over that mediated by titer-matched AAV-2 vectors with the PDGF promoter alone and 4-fold over the CMV enhancer/promoter. Injection of AAV-2 vectors with the hybrid promoter into the rat striatum resulted in neuron-specific transgene expression, the level of which was about 10-fold higher than those provided by the two control AAV-2 expression cassettes at 4 weeks post-injection and maintained for at least 12 weeks. Gene expression in the substantia nigra through possible retrograde transport of the AAV-2 vectors injected into the striatum was not obvious. After direct injection of AAV-2 vectors into the substantia nigra, transgene expression driven by the hybrid promoter was observed specifically in dopaminergic neurons and its level was about 3 and 17 times higher than that provided by the PDGF promoter alone and the CMV enhancer/promoter, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Enhanced transgene capacity plus neuron-specificity of the AAV-2 vectors developed in this study might prove valuable for gene therapy of Parkinson's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Y Wang
- Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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Rubinchik S, Woraratanadharm J, Yu H, Dong JY. New complex Ad vectors incorporating both rtTA and tTS deliver tightly regulated transgene expression both in vitro and in vivo. Gene Ther 2005; 12:504-11. [PMID: 15660114 DOI: 10.1038/sj.gt.3302437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Regulation of transgene expression is a major goal of gene therapy research. Previously, we have developed a complex adenovirus (Ad) vector with tetracycline-regulated expression of a Fas ligand (FasL)-green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion protein. This vector delivered high levels of activity that was regulated by doxycycline. However, this regulation was limited by the low but significant background activity of the TRE promoter. Recently, the Tet-regulated transcriptional silencer, tTS, was reported to suppress efficiently basal TRE activity without affecting induced expression levels. Here, we report development of Ad vectors that incorporate tTS in combination with that of reverse transactivator (rtTA) coupled with TRE promoter driving transgene expression. Incorporation of tTS improved control of transgene expression in vitro, so that an induction range of over three orders of magnitude was achieved in some cell lines. Effective regulation of transgene expression was also seen in a mouse model in vivo, following systemic vector delivery. In the case of FasL-GFP expression, significant improvement in the control of apoptotic activity both in vitro and in a mouse hepatotoxicity model was demonstrated when using rtTA-tTS vectors. In conclusion, a highly effective transgene regulation system, deliverable by a single adenoviral vector, is now available.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Rubinchik
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29403, USA
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32
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Hanakawa Y, Shirakata Y, Nagai H, Yahata Y, Tokumaru S, Yamasaki K, Tohyama M, Sayama K, Hashimoto K. Cre-loxP adenovirus-mediated foreign gene expression in skin-equivalent keratinocytes. Br J Dermatol 2005; 152:1391-2. [PMID: 15949030 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2133.2005.06637.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Ling CQ, Li B, Zhang C, Zhu DZ, Huang XQ, Gu W, Li SX. Inhibitory effect of recombinant adenovirus carrying melittin gene on hepatocellular carcinoma. Ann Oncol 2005; 16:109-15. [PMID: 15598947 DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdi019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To search for a new clinical application of melittin (Mel): treating hepatocellular carcinoma with Mel gene. METHODS Recombinant adenoviruses carrying the Mel gene and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) promoter (Ad-rAFP-Mel) were constructed through a bacterial homologous recombinant system. The efficiency of adenovirus-mediated gene transfer and the inhibitory effect of Ad-rAFP-Mel on the proliferation of hepatocarcinoma cells were determined by X-gal stain and MTT assay, respectively. The tumorigenicity of hepatocarcinoma cells transfected by Ad-rAFP-Mel and the antitumor effect of Ad-rAFP-Mel on transplanted tumor in nude mice were detected in vivo. RESULTS The Mel mRNA was transcribed in BEL-7402 hepatocellular carcinoma cells transducted by Ad-rAFP-Mel. The efficiency of adenovirus-mediated gene transferred to BEL-7402 cells was 100% when the multiplicity of infection of Ad-rAFP-Mel was 10 in vitro, and was also high in vivo. The inhibitive rates of Ad-rAFP-Mel and Ad-rAFP for BEL7402 cells were 66.2 +/- 2.7% and 2.9 +/- 2.3% (t=30.83, P=6.6 x 10(-6)) by MTT assay. The inhibitive rates of Ad-CMV-Mel for BEL7402, SMMC7721 and L02 cells were 58.9 +/- 9.6%, 65.9 +/- 3.8% and 31.7 +/- 1.2%, respectively, and of Ad-rAFP-Mel were 66.2 +/- 2.7%, 16.1 +/- 6.6% and 7.5 +/- 3.3%, respectively (t=1.27, P=0.27; t=11.31, P=3.5 x 10(-4); and t=12.12, P=2.7 x 10(-4) versus the Ad-CMV-Mel group in the same cells). The tumorigenicity rates of hepatocarcinoma cells transfected by Ad-rAFP-Mel were decreased. A significant antineoplastic effect was detected on transplanted tumor in nude mice by intratumoral injection of Ad-rAFP-Mel. CONCLUSIONS Ad-rAFP-Mel can inhibit specifically proliferation of AFP-producing human hepatocarcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo. This suggests that animal toxin gene can be used as an antitumor gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- C-Q Ling
- Department of Chinese Traditional Medicine, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
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Chung I, Deisseroth AB. Recombinant adenoviral vector containing tumor-specific L-plastin promoter fused to cytosine deaminase gene as a transcription unit: generation and functional test. Arch Pharm Res 2005; 27:633-9. [PMID: 15283466 DOI: 10.1007/bf02980163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The expression of therapeutic transgenes in recombinant adenoviral vectors is a major cause of toxicity in dividing cancer cells as well as non dividing normal cells. To solve the problem of toxicity to normal cells, we have reported on a recombinant adenoviral vector system (AdLP-) in which the expression of the transgene is directed by the tumor-specific L-plastin promoter (LP) (Chung et al., 1999). The object of this study was to generate a recombinant adenoviral vector system which would generate tumor cell specific expression of cytosine deaminase (CD) gene. We report the construction of a replication-incompetent adenoviral vector in which CD is driven by the L-plastin promoter (AdLPCD). Infection of 293 cells by AdLPCD generated the functional CD protein as measured by HPLC analysis for the conversion of 5-Fluorocytosine (5-FC) to 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU). HPLC analysis in conjunction with counting radioactivity for [6-3H]-5FC and [6-3H]-5FU demonstrated vector dose-dependent conversion of 5-FC to 5-FU in AdLPCD infected ovarian cancer cells. The results from present and previous studies (Peng et al., 2001; Akbulut et al., 2003) suggest that the use of the AdLPCD/5-FC system may be of value in the treatment of cancer including microscopic ovarian cancer in the peritoneal cavity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Injae Chung
- College of Pharmacy, Duksung Women's University, Seoul, Korea
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35
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36
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Martinelli R, De Simone V. Short and highly efficient synthetic promoters for melanoma-specific gene expression. FEBS Lett 2005; 579:153-6. [PMID: 15620705 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2004.11.068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2004] [Revised: 11/07/2004] [Accepted: 11/17/2004] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Here, we report the construction and functional analysis of synthetic promoters designed for gene therapy applications requiring strong and specific gene expression in melanoma cell lines. We have analysed the transcriptional activity of different combinations of two transcriptional regulatory modules, a melanocyte-specific element from the human tyrosinase promoter and a cell-cycle-specific element from the human alpha-fetoprotein promoter. Transient expression assays in different cell lines show that several of these composite synthetic promoters can drive a strong and selective expression of a reporter gene in melanoma cell, providing us with a new powerful tool for gene therapy of melanomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosanna Martinelli
- CEINGE and Department of Biochemistry and Medical Biotechnology, University of Napoli Federico II, Via Pansini 5, 80131, Napoli, Italy
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37
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Werner M, Kraunus J, Baum C, Brocker T. B-cell-specific transgene expression using a self-inactivating retroviral vector with human CD19 promoter and viral post-transcriptional regulatory element. Gene Ther 2004; 11:992-1000. [PMID: 15029232 DOI: 10.1038/sj.gt.3302255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Retroviral gene transfer resulting in transgene expression selectively restricted to specific cell lineages would be desirable for many gene therapeutic applications. Such transcriptional targeting of retroviruses can be accomplished by employing eukaryotic control elements in self-inactivating (SIN) retroviral vectors, but use of these vectors is complicated by an accompanying reduction in viral titers. To overcome this restriction and address the influence of the post-transcriptional regulatory element of the Woodchuck hepatitis virus (WPRE) on viral titers and transgene expression, we developed SIN-vectors with and without WPRE. Using the enhancer-promoter of the Spleen Focus Forming virus (SFFV) to direct eGFP expression to multiple hematopoietic lineages, we show that WPRE significantly (>10 x) increased viral titers (>10(6) per ml of unconcentrated supernatant) and transgene expression in NIH3T3 cells in vitro. Gene expression in vivo was significantly lowered in lymphoid cells, but not in myeloid cells when WPRE was present. Furthermore, the use of WPRE in combination with the B-cell lineage-specific CD19 promoter significantly increased viral titers and allowed targeting of transgene expression by SIN-vectors specifically to B cells throughout their development in primary and secondary lymphoid organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Werner
- Institute for Immunology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
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Lipinski KS, Djeha HA, Gawn J, Cliffe S, Maitland NJ, Palmer DH, Mountain A, Irvine AS, Wrighton CJ. Optimization of a synthetic β-catenin-dependent promoter for tumor-specific cancer gene therapy. Mol Ther 2004; 10:150-61. [PMID: 15233950 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2004.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2004] [Accepted: 03/27/2004] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
We recently published the construction and evaluation of a beta-catenin-dependent, highly active promoter, CTP1, and its possible application for the treatment of colorectal cancer using gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy with adenoviral (Ad) vectors. Alternative Ad-based approaches such as tumor-specific, replication-competent vectors and/or exploiting therapeutic gene products with intrinsic toxic activity, such as gibbon ape leukemia virus fusogenic membrane glycoprotein, diphtheria toxin A (DTA), and ricin, would demand a very tightly regulated promoter to avoid breakthrough replication and toxicity in nontumor tissue and Ad producer cell lines. In this study we optimized the activity/specificity profile of the synthetic beta-catenin-dependent promoter by varying its basal promoter, the number of Tcf binding sites, and the distance between these and the basal promoter. The optimal promoter, CTP4, showed virtually undetectable expression in cells with normal beta-catenin regulation but high level expression in cells deregulated for beta-catenin. Using CTP4 we were able to generate, for the first time to our knowledge, an Ad vector expressing fully active wild-type DTA without the need for time-consuming and cumbersome production systems. CTP4 should be the promoter of choice for Ad-based gene therapies of tumors deregulated for beta-catenin. We provide preliminary evidence that these may include prostate and ovarian as well as colorectal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai S Lipinski
- ML Research, Keele University Science Park, Keele, Staffordshire ST5 5SP, UK.
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Liu BH, Wang X, Ma YX, Wang S. CMV enhancer/human PDGF-beta promoter for neuron-specific transgene expression. Gene Ther 2004; 11:52-60. [PMID: 14681697 DOI: 10.1038/sj.gt.3302126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Using cell-type-specific promoters to restrict expression of therapeutic genes to particular cells is an attractive approach for gene therapy, but often hindered by inefficient transcriptional activities of the promoters. Knowing the enhancer for the human cytomegalovirus (CMV) immediate-early gene improves activities of several cell-type- or tissue-type-specific promoters, we set out to investigate whether it improves neuronal transgene expression driven by a neuron-specific promoter, the platelet-derived growth factor B-chain (PDGF-beta) promoter. A hybrid promoter was constructed by appending a 380-bp fragment of the CMV enhancer 5' to the PDGF-beta promoter. The plasmid containing the promoter was complexed with polyethylenimine for in vitro and in vivo gene transfer. In cultured cells, the plasmid with the hybrid promoter significantly augmented expression of a luciferase reporter gene, providing expression levels 8- to 90-fold and 7- to 178-fold higher than those from two baseline constructs containing the PDGF-beta promoter alone and the CMV enhancer alone, respectively. In particular, the activities of the hybrid promoter in two neural cell lines were close to or higher than that of the CMV immediate-early gene enhancer/promoter, a transcriptional control element that has been considered to be the most robust one identified thus far. After stereotaxic injection into the hippocampus and striatum in rats, the hybrid promoter displayed a neuronal specificity, driving gene expression almost exclusively in neurons. Transgene expression in the brain driven by the hybrid promoter was detectable 24 h after injection, being 10-fold higher than that driven by the PDGF-beta promoter alone. The expression peaked around 5 days at 1.5 x 10(5) relative light units per brain and lasted for at least 4 weeks. This differed strikingly from the expression driven by the PDGF-beta promoter, which was no longer detectable on day 3. The new gene regulatory construct reported in this study will be useful to improve neuronal transgene expression required for gene therapy of neurological disorders and functional studies of the nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- B H Liu
- Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, Singapore
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40
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Morelli C, Campioni K, Parolin C, Palù G, Tognon M. Activity of the matrix metalloproteinase-9 promoter in human normal and tumor cells. J Cell Physiol 2004; 199:126-33. [PMID: 14978741 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.10450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) belong to a family of proteins essential for those processes involving extracellular matrix degradation, such as embryonic development, morphogenesis, and tissue resorption and remodeling. Some members of this family play a crucial role also in tumor invasion. Most notably, MMP-9 is expressed in invasive tumors, and represents a key protein in brain tumor progression, whereas it is not expressed in adult normal tissues. The expression of the MMP-9, like other members of the family, is transcriptionally regulated. We, therefore, postulated that the MMP-9 promoter could be useful in driving selective expression of exogenous genes in tumor cells. This represents a key feature for gene therapy applications, since currently employed viral promoters induce severe organ toxicity, limiting the clinical benefits. In this study, we investigated the activity of the MMP-9 promoter in driving exogenous gene expression in human cell lines. High levels of reporter gene expression were detected in tumor derived cell lines, whereas the MMP-9 promoter activity in non-tumor cells was negligible. Furthermore, we show that tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) is able to enhance considerably the MMP-9 promoter activity only in tumor cells. Since recent studies have indicated that MMP-9 enzymatic activity is detectable in the blood, it would be possible to screen potential responsive patients for a tumor gene therapy approach based on the MMP-9 promoter. Taken together these data suggest that MMP-9 promoter has the characteristics for transcritpionally targeted and inducible gene therapy applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Morelli
- Department of Morphology and Embryology, and Center of Biotechnology, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
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41
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Le LP, Everts M, Dmitriev IP, Davydova JG, Yamamoto M, Curiel DT. Fluorescently Labeled Adenovirus with pIX-EGFP for Vector Detection. Mol Imaging 2004; 3:105-16. [PMID: 15296675 DOI: 10.1162/15353500200404100] [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] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Adenoviruses are extensively studied in terms of their use as gene therapy vectors and pathogenesis. These vectors have been targeted on both transcriptional and transductional levels to achieve cell-specific gene delivery. Current detection strategies, including reporter gene expression, viral component detection, and vector labeling with fluorophores, have been applied to analyze adenoviral vectors; however, these methods are inadequate for assessing transductional targeting. As an alternative to conventional vector detection techniques, we developed a specific genetic labeling system whereby an adenoviral vector incorporates a fusion between capsid protein IX and EGFP. DNA packaging and thermostability were marginally hampered by the modification while DNA replication, cytopathic effect, and CAR-dependent binding were not affected. The fluorescent label was associated with the virus capsid and conferred a fluorescent property useful in detecting adenoviral particles in flow cytometry, tracking, and tissue sections. We believe our genetic adenovirus labeling system has important implications for vector development, detecting adenovirus vectors in targeting schemes, and studying adenovirus biology. In addition, this technique has potential utility for dynamic monitoring of adenovirus replication and spread.
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Affiliation(s)
- Long P Le
- University of Alabama, Birmingham, USA
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Sakiyama S, Yu L, Tomizawa M, Shimada H, Kadomatsu K, Muramatsu T, Ikematsu S, Nakagawara A, Tagawa M. Utilization of the promoter region of the midkine gene as a tool to drive therapeutic genes in a tumor specific manner. ADVANCES IN ENZYME REGULATION 2004; 43:57-66. [PMID: 12791382 DOI: 10.1016/s0065-2571(02)00039-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shigeru Sakiyama
- Chiba Cancer Center Research Institute, 666-2 Nitona, Chuoh-ku, Chiba 260-8717, Japan
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Abstract
The potential for gene therapy to cure a wide range of diseases has lead to high expectations and a great increase in research efforts in this area. At present, viral vectors are the most efficient means of delivering a corrective gene into human cells. While a number of different viral vectors are under development, retroviral vectors are currently the most common type used in clinical trials today. However, the production of retroviral vectors for gene therapy applications faces a number of challenges. Of primary concern is the low titre of vector stocks produced by packaging cells in culture and the inherent instability of retroviral vector activity. The problems facing large-scale retroviral vector production are outlined in this review and the research efforts by a number of groups who have attempted to optimise production methods are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally McTaggart
- Animal Cell Technology Group, School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
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Hosen N, Yanagihara M, Nakazawa T, Kanato K, Nishida S, Shirakata T, Asada M, Masuda T, Taniguchi Y, Kawakami M, Tsuboi A, Ikegame K, Oka Y, Ogawa H, Kawase I, Oji Y, Sugiyama H. Identification of a gene element essential for leukemia-specific expression of transgenes. Leukemia 2004; 18:415-9. [PMID: 14737070 DOI: 10.1038/sj.leu.2403260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Leukemia-specific promoters and enhancers for gene therapy had never been reported. Since the Wilms' tumor gene WT1 is overexpressed in almost all types of leukemia, WT1 is an ideal target of leukemia-specific therapy. To explore the possibility of gene therapy for leukemia using WT1 promoter and enhancer, their activities in several kinds of cells were analyzed by using the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) gene as a reporter. First, we identified the best combination (654P/EGFP/int3- enh/3'-enh vector) of the 654-bp WT1 promoter and the two WT1 enhancers located in intron 3 and at the 3' end of the WT1 gene for inducing EGFP expression in K562 cells, which endogenously expressed WT1. When this was transfected into WT1-expressing leukemia cells (K562, HEL), WT1-nonexpressing hematopoietic cells (Daudi, U937), and WT1-expressing nonhematopoietic cells (TYK-nu-CPr, SW480, 293 T), 19.8, 22.9, 1.47, 1.43, 4.50, 4.16, and 1.09 times EGFP expression was induced, respectively, compared to that by the promoter-less EGFP vector. These results showed that the 654P/EGFP/int3-enh/3'-enh vector specifically induced high levels of EGFP expression in WT1-expressing leukemia cells. 654P/int3- enh/3'-enh vector containing transgenes such as suicide genes might become useful tools for leukemia-specific gene therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Hosen
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
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Wang L, Hernández-Alcoceba R, Shankar V, Zabala M, Kochanek S, Sangro B, Kramer MG, Prieto J, Qian C. Prolonged and inducible transgene expression in the liver using gutless adenovirus: a potential therapy for liver cancer. Gastroenterology 2004; 126:278-89. [PMID: 14699506 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2003.10.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Gene therapy of liver diseases would benefit from systems allowing prolonged, regulable, and tissue-specific transgene expression. We attempted to produce a vector fulfilling these requirements. METHODS We generated gutless adenoviral vectors containing a mifepristone (RU486)-inducible system for controlled and liver-specific expression of human interleukin-12 (hIL-12) (GL-Ad/RUhIL-12) and mouse IL-12 (mIL-12) (GL-Ad/RUmIL-12). The properties of these vectors were tested both in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS Infection of cells with GL-Ad/RUhIL-12 resulted in high level of hIL-12 expression in the presence of RU486 only in hepatocytic cells. In animals injected with GL-Ad/RUhIL-12, the administration of RU486 induced a transient rise of serum hIL-12 that peaked at 10 hours and completely disappeared by 72 hours. The peak value of hIL-12 was dependent on the doses of the vector and the inducer. High and sustained serum levels of hIL-12 could be attained by continuing administration of RU486 every 12 or 24 hours. Repetitive induction of hIL-12 could be obtained over, at least, a period of 48 weeks after a single injection of GL-Ad/RUhIL-12. Although the vector was detected in many tissues after systemic injection, transcription of the transgene was only found in the liver. Treatment of liver metastases with 5 x 10(8) infectious units of GL-Ad/RUmIL-12 plus RU846 resulted in complete tumor regression in all animals. CONCLUSION Gutless adenoviral vectors allow liver-specific and regulable transgene expression for prolonged periods of time. These vectors are promising tools for gene therapy of liver cancer and could also be useful for other forms of hepatic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Wang
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
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46
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Zheng JY, Chen D, Chan J, Yu D, Ko E, Pang S. Regression of prostate cancer xenografts by a lentiviral vector specifically expressing diphtheria toxin A. Cancer Gene Ther 2003; 10:764-70. [PMID: 14502229 DOI: 10.1038/sj.cgt.7700629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
We have constructed a prostate-specific lentiviral vector based on the promoter of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA). The PSA promoter-based lentiviral vector has been used to deliver the diphtheria toxin A (DTA) gene into prostate cancer cells, and has shown promising tissue-specific eradication of prostate cancer cells in cell culture. To evaluate the efficacy of eradicating human prostate cancer cells in vivo, we used human LNCaP prostate xenografts in nude mice as an animal model and found that with a single injection of the DTA lentiviral vector into LNCaP prostate tumors, approximately 75% of the tumors (from three experiments; conducted 9/11, 11/15 and 3/4) in the animals were completely eradicated. The DTA vector has also shown the ability to cause tumor regression in recurrent prostate tumors. Intravenous injection of the DTA lentiviral vector into nude mice elicited no pathogenic effects, suggesting that this prostate tissue-specific vector is safe for eradicating prostate cancer cells in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-ying Zheng
- Division of Oral Biology and Medicine and UCLA Dental Institute, UCLA School of Dentistry, 10833 Le Conte Avenue, Los Angeles, California 90095-1668, USA
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Tomizawa M, Yu L, Wada A, Tamaoki T, Kadomatsu K, Muramatsu T, Matsubara S, Watanabe K, Ebara M, Saisho H, Sakiyama S, Tagawa M. A promoter region of the midkine gene that is frequently expressed in human hepatocellular carcinoma can activate a suicide gene as effectively as the alpha-fetoprotein promoter. Br J Cancer 2003; 89:1086-90. [PMID: 12966430 PMCID: PMC2376946 DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6601246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
We examined the expression of the midkine (MK) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) genes in 15 paired human specimens obtained from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the corresponding noncancerous regions of the same patients. A total of 14 HCC but none of the noncancerous specimens were positive for the MK mRNA. In contrast, three HCC specimens and one corresponding noncancerous sample out of the three AFP-positive HCC cases expressed the AFP gene. A 2.3-kb genomic fragment in the regulatory region of the MK gene could activate a fused reporter gene in both AFP-producing and -nonproducing HCC lines, and the MK fragment-mediated transcriptional activity was comparable to the AFP enhancer-linked AFP promoter in AFP-producing cell lines. The AFP-producing but not AFP-nonproducing HCC cell lines that were transfected with the MK promoter-linked herpes simplex virus-thymidine kinase (HSV-TK) gene became susceptible to a prodrug ganciclovir to a similar degree of the HCC transfected with the enhancer-linked AFP promoter-fused HSV-TK gene. These data suggest that the MK promoter can activate a therapeutic gene preferentially in HCC and is as useful as the AFP promoter in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Tomizawa
- Division of Pathology, Chiba Cancer Center, 666-2, Nitona, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8717, Japan
- Department of Medicine and Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan
| | - L Yu
- Division of Pathology, Chiba Cancer Center, 666-2, Nitona, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8717, Japan
| | - A Wada
- Division of Pathology, Chiba Cancer Center, 666-2, Nitona, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8717, Japan
- Department of Respirology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan
| | - T Tamaoki
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N4 N1
| | - K Kadomatsu
- Department of Biochemistry, Nagoya University, School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
| | - T Muramatsu
- Department of Biochemistry, Nagoya University, School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan
| | - S Matsubara
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Kagoshima University, 8-35-1 Sakuragaoka, Kagoshima 890-8520, Japan
| | - K Watanabe
- Division of Gastroenterological Surgery, Chiba Cancer Center, 666-2, Nitona, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8717, Japan
| | - M Ebara
- Department of Medicine and Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan
| | - H Saisho
- Department of Medicine and Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8670, Japan
| | - S Sakiyama
- Division of Pathology, Chiba Cancer Center, 666-2, Nitona, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8717, Japan
| | - M Tagawa
- Division of Pathology, Chiba Cancer Center, 666-2, Nitona, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8717, Japan
- Division of Pathology, Chiba Cancer Center, 666-2, Nitona, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8717, Japan. E-mail:
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE This article reviews the potential utilization of various growth factors to enhance spinal fusion and outlines the principles of gene therapy and its application to spinal fusion surgery. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Gene therapy offers an exciting new way to potentially deliver growth factors locally in a targeted fashion with physiologic doses. In its current definition, gene therapy is defined as the use of nucleic acid transfer, either RNA or DNA, to treat or prevent a disease. The scope of gene therapy has expanded beyond its initial application as a method of replacing genetic defects, and its potential to facilitate spinal fusions is currently being evaluated. CONCLUSIONS Gene therapy strategies for spine fusion are appealing because the setting is uniquely suited for genetic manipulation. The intervention is locally applied. Only a short duration of transgene response by the cells is necessary to establish a spine fusion, and a variety of osteoinductive growth factors have been identified and are available for use. Attempts at spine fusion using gene therapy in the lower animals have been successful using both in vivo and ex vivo approaches. Before human clinical trials can be established, further testing is required in more challenging animal models of bone induction such as nonhuman primates. Should a successful clinical program of gene therapy for spine fusion be established, the use of autograft and its associated morbidities could be eliminated. In fact, gene therapy offers the potential for minimally invasive applications that could bypass the need for an open procedure altogether. It is likely that gene therapy will be a powerful therapeutic tool for the spine surgeon in the new millennium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles W Cha
- Emory Spine Center, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30033, USA
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Yu X, Zhan X, D'Costa J, Tanavde VM, Ye Z, Peng T, Malehorn MT, Yang X, Civin CI, Cheng L. Lentiviral vectors with two independent internal promoters transfer high-level expression of multiple transgenes to human hematopoietic stem-progenitor cells. Mol Ther 2003; 7:827-38. [PMID: 12788657 DOI: 10.1016/s1525-0016(03)00104-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Lentiviral vectors (LVs) offer several advantages over traditional oncoretroviral vectors. LVs efficiently transduce slowly dividing cells, including hematopoietic stem-progenitor cells (HSCs), resulting in stable gene transfer and expression. Additionally, recently developed self-inactivating (SIN) LVs allow promoter-specific transgene expression. For many gene transfer applications, transduction of more than one gene is needed. We obtained inconsistent results in our attempts to coexpress two transgenes linked by an internal ribosomal entry site (IRES) element in a single bicistronic LV transcript. In more than six bicistronic LVs we constructed containing a gene of interest followed by an IRES and the GFP reporter gene, GFP fluorescence was undetectable in transduced cells. We therefore investigated how to achieve consistent and efficient coexpression of two transgenes by LVs. In a SIN LV containing the elongation factor 1alpha promoter, we included a second promoter from cytomegalovirus, the phosphoglycerate kinase gene, or the HLA-DRalpha gene. Using a single LV containing two constitutive promoters, we achieved strong and sustained expression of both transgenes in transduced engrafting CD34(+) HSCs and their progeny, as well as in other human cell types. Thus, such dual-promoter LVs can coexpress multiple transgenes efficiently in a single target cell and will enable many gene transfer applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobing Yu
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Department of Oncology, Baltimore, Maryland 21231, USA
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50
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Barker SD, Coolidge CJ, Kanerva A, Hakkarainen T, Yamamoto M, Liu B, Rivera AA, Bhoola SM, Barnes MN, Alvarez RD, Curiel DT, Hemminki A. The secretory leukoprotease inhibitor (SLPI) promoter for ovarian cancer gene therapy. J Gene Med 2003; 5:300-10. [PMID: 12692864 DOI: 10.1002/jgm.341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adenoviruses allow efficient transduction of dividing and non-dividing cells and their safety for the treatment of cancer has been established in clinical trials. However, one disadvantage is their promiscuous tropism. In this regard, tissue-specific promoters (TSPs) could be useful for directing transgene expression to target tissues and for reducing adverse effects in non-target tissues. We hypothesize that selective adenovirus-mediated transgene expression could be achieved through the use of the secretory leukoprotease inhibitor (SLPI) promoter in the context of ovarian cancer. METHODS Adenoviruses containing the SLPI promoter driving reporter and suicide gene expression were created and tested in ovarian cancer cell lines and primary tumor cells isolated from patients. To evaluate the in vivo activation of the SLPI promoter in comparison to a ubiquitous promoter, intraperitoneal delivery was performed in tumor-bearing mice, followed by analysis of survival or gene expression in normal organs and tumor. RESULTS The SLPI promoter retained its fidelity in an adenoviral context and was activated in both cell lines and primary cancer cells. The SLPI promoter was induced to a high degree in ovarian cancer cells while showing significantly reduced activity in normal tissues. The therapeutic efficacy of SLPI promoter-controlled gene expression was similar to the ubiquitous promoter in vitro and in an orthotopic murine model of peritoneally disseminated ovarian cancer, with higher activity than controls. CONCLUSIONS The SLPI promoter is a potentially useful TSP for ovarian cancer and facilitates further development of targeting strategies for improved gene therapy of ovarian carcinomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon D Barker
- Division of Human Gene Therapy, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35294, USA
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