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Improving the Transduction Efficiency and Antitumor Effect of Conditionally Replicative Adenovirus by Application of 6-cyclohexyl Methyl-β-D-maltoside. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 28:molecules28020528. [PMID: 36677587 PMCID: PMC9862058 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28020528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
As a tumor-targeting oncolytic adenovirus (Ad), conditionally replicating adenovirus (CRAd) can access the cell interior by binding to coxsackievirus-Ad receptors (CARs) and specifically replicate and destroy cancer cells without lethal effects on normal cells. The transduction efficiency of CRAd is highly dependent on the number of CARs on the cell membrane. However, not all tumor cells highly express CARs; therefore, improving the transduction efficiency of CRAd is beneficial for improving its antitumor effect. In this study, 6-cyclohexyl methyl-β-D-maltoside (6-β-D), as maltoside transfection agent, showed several advantages, including high transfection efficiency, low toxicity, and potential for intensive use and easy operation. With pretreatment of cancer cells with low concentration of 6-β-D (≤5 μg/mL), the transduction efficiency of "model" Ad (eGFP-Ad) was improved 18-fold compared to eGFP-Ad alone. 6-β-D improved the antitumor effect of CRAd while being safe for normal cells, in which treatment with 6-β-D helped the lethal effects of CRAd at a multiplicity-of-infection ratio of 10 (MOI 10) achieve the oncolytic outcomes of MOI 50. This means that if CRAd is combined with 6-β-D, the amount of CRAd used in clinical practice could be greatly reduced without diminishing its curative effect or exposing patients to the potential side effects of high-titer CRAd. Finally, the underlying mechanism of antitumor effect of CRAd + 6-β-D was primarily investigated, and we found that 6-β-D increased the virus's replication in cancer cells at the early stage of infection and activated the apoptosis signaling pathway at the late stage of the cell cycle. This research will provide an effective technical reference for further improving Ad-mediated cancer gene therapy in clinical practice.
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Evaluation of a Novel Oncolytic Adenovirus Silencing SYVN1. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232315430. [PMID: 36499754 PMCID: PMC9737683 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Oncolytic adenoviruses are promising new anticancer agents. To realize their full anticancer potential, they are being engineered to express therapeutic payloads. Tumor suppressor p53 function contributes to oncolytic adenovirus activity. Many cancer cells carry an intact TP53 gene but express p53 inhibitors that compromise p53 function. Therefore, we hypothesized that oncolytic adenoviruses could be made more effective by suppressing p53 inhibitors in selected cancer cells. To investigate this concept, we attenuated the expression of the established p53 inhibitor synoviolin (SYVN1) in A549 lung cancer cells by RNA interference. Silencing SYVN1 inhibited p53 degradation, thereby increasing p53 activity, and promoted adenovirus-induced A549 cell death. Based on these observations, we constructed a new oncolytic adenovirus that expresses a short hairpin RNA against SYVN1. This virus killed A549 cells more effectively in vitro and inhibited A549 xenograft tumor growth in vivo. Surprisingly, increased susceptibility to adenovirus-mediated cell killing by SYVN1 silencing was also observed in A549 TP53 knockout cells. Hence, while the mechanism of SYVN1-mediated inhibition of adenovirus replication is not fully understood, our results clearly show that RNA interference technology can be exploited to design more potent oncolytic adenoviruses.
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Optogenetic technologies in translational cancer research. Biotechnol Adv 2022; 60:108005. [PMID: 35690273 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2022.108005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Gene and cell therapies are widely recognized as future cancer therapeutics but poor controllability limits their clinical applications. Optogenetics, the use of light-controlled proteins to precisely spatiotemporally regulate the activity of genes and cells, opens up new possibilities for cancer treatment. Light of specific wavelength can activate the immune response, oncolytic activity and modulate cell signaling in tumor cells non-invasively, in dosed manner, with tissue confined action and without side effects of conventional therapies. Here, we review optogenetic approaches in cancer research, their clinical potential and challenges of incorporating optogenetics in cancer therapy. We critically discuss beneficial combinations of optogenetic technologies with therapeutic nanobodies, T-cell activation and CAR-T cell approaches, genome editors and oncolytic viruses. We consider viral vectors and nanoparticles for delivering optogenetic payloads and activating light to tumors. Finally, we highlight herein the prospects for integrating optogenetics into immunotherapy as a novel, fast, reversible and safe approach to cancer treatment.
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Raimondi G, Gea-Sorlí S, Otero-Mateo M, Fillat C. Inhibition of miR-222 by Oncolytic Adenovirus-Encoded miRNA Sponges Promotes Viral Oncolysis and Elicits Antitumor Effects in Pancreatic Cancer Models. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:3233. [PMID: 34203557 PMCID: PMC8267801 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13133233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Oncolytic adenoviruses (OA) are envisioned as a therapeutic option for patients with cancer, designed to preferentially replicate in cancer cells. However, the high number of genetic alterations in tumors can generate a context in which adenoviruses have difficulties replicating. Abnormal miRNAs expression is a trademark of pancreatic cancer, with several oncogenic miRNAs playing essential roles in cancer-associated pathways. The perturbed miRNome induces reprogramming of gene expression in host cells that can impact the complex interplay between cellular processes and viral replication. We have studied the effects of overexpressed miRNAs on oncolytic adenoviral activity and identified miRNAs modulators of adenoviral oncolysis in pancreatic cancer cells. Inhibition of the highly upregulated miR-222 sensitized cancer cells to oncolysis. To provide a therapeutic application to this insight, we engineered the oncolytic adenovirus AdNuPARmE1A with miR-222 binding sites, working as sponges to withdraw the miRNA from the cellular environment. AdNuPAR-E-miR222-S mediated-decrease of miR-222 expression in pancreatic cancer cells strongly improved the viral yield and enhanced the adenoviral cytotoxic effects. Antitumoral studies confirmed a high activity for AdNuPARmE1A-miR222-S in vivo, controlling tumor progression more effectively than the scrambled control virus in xenografts. We demonstrated that the increased antitumor potency of the novel oncolytic virus resulted from the combinatory effects of miR-222 oncomiR inhibition and the restoration of miR-222 target genes activity enhancing viral fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Raimondi
- Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (G.R.); (S.G.-S.); (M.O.-M.)
| | - Sabrina Gea-Sorlí
- Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (G.R.); (S.G.-S.); (M.O.-M.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 08036 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marc Otero-Mateo
- Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (G.R.); (S.G.-S.); (M.O.-M.)
| | - Cristina Fillat
- Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (G.R.); (S.G.-S.); (M.O.-M.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Facultat de Medicina i Ciències de la Salut, Universitat de Barcelona (UB), 08036 Barcelona, Spain
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Brachtlova T, van Ginkel JW, Luinenburg MJ, de Menezes RX, Koppers-Lalic D, Pegtel DM, Dong W, de Gruijl TD, van Beusechem VW. Expression of Oncolytic Adenovirus-Encoded RNAi Molecules Is Most Effective in a pri-miRNA Precursor Format. MOLECULAR THERAPY-ONCOLYTICS 2020; 19:332-343. [PMID: 33335978 PMCID: PMC7723779 DOI: 10.1016/j.omto.2020.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Oncolytic adenoviruses are being developed as new anti-cancer agents. Their efficacy can be improved by incorporating RNA interference (RNAi) molecules. RNAi molecules can be expressed in various precursor formats. The aim of this study was to determine the most effective format. To this end, we constructed three Δ24-type oncolytic adenoviruses, with human microRNA-1 (miR-1) expression cassettes in short hairpin RNA (shRNA), precursor microRNA (pre-miRNA), and primary miRNA (pri-miRNA) format, respectively. The viruses were compared for virus replication, mature miR-1 expression, and target gene silencing in cancer cells. Incorporation of the cassettes had only minor effects on virus replication. Mature miR-1 expression from the pri-miRNA format reached on average 100-fold higher levels than from the other two formats. This expression remained stable upon long-term virus propagation. Infection with the pri-miR-1-expressing virus silenced the validated miR-1 targets FOXP1 and MET. Drosha knockout almost completely abrogated mature miR-1 expression, confirming that processing of adenovirus-encoded pri-miR-1 was dependent on the host cell miRNA machinery. Using simple in vitro recombination cloning, a similar virus expressing miR-26b was made and shown to silence the validated miR-26b target PTGS2. We thus provide a platform for construction of oncolytic adenoviruses with high expression of RNAi molecules of choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tereza Brachtlova
- Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- ORCA Therapeutics B.V., 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Mark J. Luinenburg
- Department of Neurosurgery, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Cancer Center Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Renée X. de Menezes
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Netherlands Bioinformatics Center, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Danijela Koppers-Lalic
- Department of Neurosurgery, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Cancer Center Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - D. Michiel Pegtel
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Cancer Center Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Wenliang Dong
- ORCA Therapeutics B.V., 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Tanja D. de Gruijl
- Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Victor W. van Beusechem
- Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, De Boelelaan 1117, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
- Corresponding author: Victor W. van Beusechem, Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam Infection & Immunity Institute, De Boelelaan 1117, Room CCA 3.50, P.O. Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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Oncolytic Adenoviruses: Strategies for Improved Targeting and Specificity. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12061504. [PMID: 32526919 PMCID: PMC7352392 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12061504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a major health problem. Most of the treatments exhibit systemic toxicity, as they are not targeted or specific to cancerous cells and tumors. Adenoviruses are very promising gene delivery vectors and have immense potential to deliver targeted therapy. Here, we review a wide range of strategies that have been tried, tested, and demonstrated to enhance the specificity of oncolytic viruses towards specific cancer cells. A combination of these strategies and other conventional therapies may be more effective than any of those strategies alone.
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Effect of Transgene Location, Transcriptional Control Elements and Transgene Features in Armed Oncolytic Adenoviruses. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12041034. [PMID: 32340119 PMCID: PMC7226017 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12041034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical results with oncolytic adenoviruses (OAds) used as antitumor monotherapies show limited efficacy. To increase OAd potency, transgenes have been inserted into their genome, a strategy known as “arming OAds”. Here, we review different parameters that affect the outcome of armed OAds. Recombinant adenovirus used in gene therapy and vaccination have been the basis for the design of armed OAds. Hence, early region 1 (E1) and early region 3 (E3) have been the most commonly used transgene insertion sites, along with partially or complete E3 deletions. Besides transgene location and orientation, transcriptional control elements, transgene function, either virocentric or immunocentric, and even the codons encoding it, greatly impact on transgene levels and virus fitness.
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Cervera-Carrascon V, Havunen R, Hemminki A. Oncolytic adenoviruses: a game changer approach in the battle between cancer and the immune system. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2019; 19:443-455. [PMID: 30905206 DOI: 10.1080/14712598.2019.1595582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Oncolytic adenoviruses are among the most studied oncolytic viruses because of their tumor selectivity, safety, and transgene-delivery capability. With a growing number of different immunotherapies against cancer, the extraordinary immunogenicity of the adenovirus has emerged as a differentiating strength. Enabling T-cell related therapies with oncolytic adenoviruses appears a promising approach due to its inherent ability to elicit responses from the adaptive immune compartment. AREAS COVERED These viruses have successfully enhanced both adoptive T-cell therapies and immune-checkpoint therapies. Oncolytic viruses induce several effects at the tumor and on the systemic level that help to circumvent current limitations of T-cells and related therapies, such as T-cell trafficking, tumor immune suppressivity and antigen spreading EXPERT OPINION Taking into account the multitude of possibilities of treating cancer with immunotherapies, learning to optimize the combinations and administration strategies of these drugs, could lead to durable responses in patients with currently incurable cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Cervera-Carrascon
- a Cancer Gene Therapy Group, Translational Immunology Research Program, Faculty of Medicine , University of Helsinki , Helsinki , Finland.,b TILT Biotherapeutics Ltd , Helsinki , Finland
| | - Riikka Havunen
- a Cancer Gene Therapy Group, Translational Immunology Research Program, Faculty of Medicine , University of Helsinki , Helsinki , Finland.,b TILT Biotherapeutics Ltd , Helsinki , Finland
| | - Akseli Hemminki
- a Cancer Gene Therapy Group, Translational Immunology Research Program, Faculty of Medicine , University of Helsinki , Helsinki , Finland.,b TILT Biotherapeutics Ltd , Helsinki , Finland.,c Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center , Helsinki University , Helsinki , Finland
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