1
|
Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Song J, Cheng X, Zhou C, Huang S, Zhao W, Zong Z, Yang L. Targeting the "tumor microenvironment": RNA-binding proteins in the spotlight in colorectal cancer therapy. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 131:111876. [PMID: 38493688 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.111876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and has the second highest mortality rate among cancers. The development of CRC involves both genetic and epigenetic abnormalities, and recent research has focused on exploring the ex-transcriptome, particularly post-transcriptional modifications. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are emerging epigenetic regulators that play crucial roles in post-transcriptional events. Dysregulation of RBPs can result in aberrant expression of downstream target genes, thereby affecting the progression of colorectal tumors and the prognosis of patients. Recent studies have shown that RBPs can influence CRC pathogenesis and progression by regulating various components of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Although previous research on RBPs has primarily focused on their direct regulation of colorectal tumor development, their involvement in the remodeling of the TME has not been systematically reported. This review aims to highlight the significant role of RBPs in the intricate interactions within the CRC tumor microenvironment, including tumor immune microenvironment, inflammatory microenvironment, extracellular matrix, tumor vasculature, and CRC cancer stem cells. We also highlight several compounds under investigation for RBP-TME-based treatment of CRC, including small molecule inhibitors such as antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), siRNAs, agonists, gene manipulation, and tumor vaccines. The insights gained from this review may lead to the development of RBP-based targeted novel therapeutic strategies aimed at modulating the TME, potentially inhibiting the progression and metastasis of CRC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yiwei Zhang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1 MinDe Road, 330006 Nanchang, China; Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1 Mingde Rd., Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi, China; Queen Mary School, Nanchang University, 330006 Nanchang, China
| | - Yujun Zhang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1 MinDe Road, 330006 Nanchang, China; Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1 Mingde Rd., Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Jingjing Song
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1 MinDe Road, 330006 Nanchang, China; Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1 Mingde Rd., Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi, China; School of Ophthalmology and Optometry of Nanchang University, China
| | - Xifu Cheng
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry of Nanchang University, China
| | - Chulin Zhou
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China
| | - Shuo Huang
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China
| | - Wentao Zhao
- The 3rd Clinical Department of China Medical University, 10159 Shenyang, China
| | - Zhen Zong
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1 MinDe Road, 330006 Nanchang, China.
| | - Lingling Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1 Mingde Rd., Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Zhang SW, Wang H, Ding XH, Xiao YL, Shao ZM, You C, Gu YJ, Jiang YZ. Bidirectional crosstalk between therapeutic cancer vaccines and the tumor microenvironment: Beyond tumor antigens. FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 3:1005-1024. [PMID: 38933006 PMCID: PMC11197801 DOI: 10.1016/j.fmre.2022.03.009] [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: 11/07/2021] [Revised: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has rejuvenated cancer therapy, especially after anti-PD-(L)1 came onto the scene. Among the many therapeutic options, therapeutic cancer vaccines are one of the most essential players. Although great progress has been made in research on tumor antigen vaccines, few phase III trials have shown clinical benefits. One of the reasons lies in obstruction from the tumor microenvironment (TME). Meanwhile, the therapeutic cancer vaccine reshapes the TME in an ambivalent way, leading to immune stimulation or immune escape. In this review, we summarize recent progress on the interaction between therapeutic cancer vaccines and the TME. With respect to vaccine resistance, innate immunosuppressive TME components and acquired resistance caused by vaccination are both involved. Understanding the underlying mechanism of this crosstalk provides insight into the treatment of cancer by directly targeting the TME or synergizing with other therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Si-Wei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Han Wang
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xiao-Hong Ding
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yu-Ling Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Zhi-Ming Shao
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Chao You
- Department of Radiology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'an Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Ya-Jia Gu
- Department of Radiology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, 270 Dong'an Road, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yi-Zhou Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Breast Cancer in Shanghai, Department of Breast Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai 200032, China
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Kumar A, Das SK, Emdad L, Fisher PB. Applications of tissue-specific and cancer-selective gene promoters for cancer diagnosis and therapy. Adv Cancer Res 2023; 160:253-315. [PMID: 37704290 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2023.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
Current treatment of solid tumors with standard of care chemotherapies, radiation therapy and/or immunotherapies are often limited by severe adverse toxic effects, resulting in a narrow therapeutic index. Cancer gene therapy represents a targeted approach that in principle could significantly reduce undesirable side effects in normal tissues while significantly inhibiting tumor growth and progression. To be effective, this strategy requires a clear understanding of the molecular biology of cancer development and evolution and developing biological vectors that can serve as vehicles to target cancer cells. The advent and fine tuning of omics technologies that permit the collective and spatial recognition of genes (genomics), mRNAs (transcriptomics), proteins (proteomics), metabolites (metabolomics), epiomics (epigenomics, epitranscriptomics, and epiproteomics), and their interactomics in defined complex biological samples provide a roadmap for identifying crucial targets of relevance to the cancer paradigm. Combining these strategies with identified genetic elements that control target gene expression uncovers significant opportunities for developing guided gene-based therapeutics for cancer. The purpose of this review is to overview the current state and potential limitations in developing gene promoter-directed targeted expression of key genes and highlights their potential applications in cancer gene therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amit Kumar
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Swadesh K Das
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Luni Emdad
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Paul B Fisher
- Department of Human and Molecular Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; VCU Institute of Molecular Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States; VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Zhou Z, Li Y, Xu H, Xie X, He Z, Lin S, Li R, Jin S, Cui J, Hu H, Liu F, Wu S, Ma W, Songyang Z. An inducible CRISPR/Cas9 screen identifies DTX2 as a transcriptional regulator of human telomerase. iScience 2022; 25:103813. [PMID: 35198878 PMCID: PMC8844827 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.103813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Most tumor cells reactivate telomerase to ensure unlimited proliferation, whereas the expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) is tightly regulated and rate-limiting for telomerase activity maintenance. Several general transcription factors (TFs) have been found in regulating hTERT transcription; however, a systematic study is lacking. Here we performed an inducible CRISPR/Cas9 KO screen using an hTERT core promoter-driven reporter. We identified numerous positive regulators including an E3 ligase DTX2. In telomerase-positive cancer cells, DTX2 depletion downregulated hTERT transcription and telomerase activity, contributing to progressive telomere shortening, growth arrest, and increased apoptosis. Utilizing BioID, we characterized multiple TFs as DTX2 proximal proteins, among which NFIC functioned corporately with DTX2 in promoting hTERT transcription. Further analysis demonstrated that DTX2 mediated K63-linked ubiquitination of NFIC, which facilitated NFIC binding to the hTERT promoter and enhanced hTERT expression. These findings highlight a new hTERT regulatory pathway that may be exploited for potential cancer therapeutics. An inducible CRISPR/Cas9 screen identifies regulators for hTERT transcription DTX2 deficiency leads to telomere shortening and cell growth arrest DTX2 mediates ubiquitination on NFIC, stabilizing NFIC binding on hTERT promoter DTX2-NFIC functions corporately to promote hTERT transcription and tumorigenesis
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhifen Zhou
- Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research, Institute of Healthy Aging Research, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Yujing Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research, Institute of Healthy Aging Research, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Huimin Xu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research, Institute of Healthy Aging Research, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Xiaowei Xie
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research, Institute of Healthy Aging Research, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Zibin He
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research, Institute of Healthy Aging Research, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Song Lin
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research, Institute of Healthy Aging Research, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Ruofei Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research, Institute of Healthy Aging Research, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Shouheng Jin
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research, Institute of Healthy Aging Research, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Jun Cui
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research, Institute of Healthy Aging Research, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Hai Hu
- Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Feng Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research, Institute of Healthy Aging Research, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Su Wu
- Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research, Institute of Healthy Aging Research, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
- Corresponding author
| | - Wenbin Ma
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research, Institute of Healthy Aging Research, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
- Corresponding author
| | - Zhou Songyang
- Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Healthy Aging Research, Institute of Healthy Aging Research, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
- Bioland Laboratory (Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health Guangdong Laboratory), Guangzhou 510005, China
- Corresponding author
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Chang A, Ling J, Ye H, Zhao H, Zhuo X. Enhancement of nanoparticle-mediated double suicide gene expression driven by 'E9-hTERT promoter' switch in dedifferentiated thyroid cancer cells. Bioengineered 2021; 12:6572-6578. [PMID: 34506254 PMCID: PMC8806866 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2021.1974648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), such as papillary thyroid cancer, has a good prognosis after routine treatment. However, in the course of treatment, 5% to 20% of cases may dedifferentiate and can be transformed into dedifferentiated DTC (deDTC) or anaplastic thyroid cancer, leading to treatment failure. To date, several drugs have been used effectively for dedifferentiated thyroid cancer, whereas gene therapy may be a potential method. Literature reported that double suicide genes driven by human telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter (hTERTp) can specifically express in cancer cells and kill them. However, the weak activity of hTERTp limits its further research. To overcome this weakness, we constructed a novel chitosan nanocarrier containing double suicide genes driven by a ‘gene switch’ (a cascade of radiation enhancer E9 and a hTERTp). The vector was labeled with iodine-131 (131I). On one hand, E9 can significantly enhance the activity of hTERTp under the weak radiation of 131I, thereby increasing the expression of double suicide genes in deDTC cells. On the other hand, 131I also plays a certain killing role when it enters host cells. The proposed nanocarrier has good specificity for deDTC cells and thus deserves further study.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aoshuang Chang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Junjun Ling
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China.,Department of Oncology, Chongqing Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing, China
| | - Huiping Ye
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Houyu Zhao
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| | - Xianlu Zhuo
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Bacteriophages as Therapeutic and Diagnostic Vehicles in Cancer. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14020161. [PMID: 33671476 PMCID: PMC7923149 DOI: 10.3390/ph14020161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolution of nanomedicine is the re-design of synthetic and biological carriers to implement novel theranostic platforms. In recent years, bacteriophage research favors this process, which has opened up new roads in drug and gene delivery studies. By displaying antibodies, peptides, or proteins on the surface of different bacteriophages through the phage display technique, it is now possible to unravel specific molecular determinants of both cancer cells and tumor-associated microenvironmental molecules. Downstream applications are manifold, with peptides being employed most of the times to functionalize drug carriers and improve their therapeutic index. Bacteriophages themselves were proven, in this scenario, to be good carriers for imaging molecules and therapeutics as well. Moreover, manipulation of their genetic material to stably vehiculate suicide genes within cancer cells substantially changed perspectives in gene therapy. In this review, we provide examples of how amenable phages can be used as anticancer agents, especially because their systemic administration is possible. We also provide some insights into how their immunogenic profile can be modulated and exploited in immuno-oncology for vaccine production.
Collapse
|
7
|
Montaño-Samaniego M, Bravo-Estupiñan DM, Méndez-Guerrero O, Alarcón-Hernández E, Ibáñez-Hernández M. Strategies for Targeting Gene Therapy in Cancer Cells With Tumor-Specific Promoters. Front Oncol 2020; 10:605380. [PMID: 33381459 PMCID: PMC7768042 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.605380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is the second cause of death worldwide, surpassed only by cardiovascular diseases, due to the lack of early diagnosis, and high relapse rate after conventional therapies. Chemotherapy inhibits the rapid growth of cancer cells, but it also affects normal cells with fast proliferation rate. Therefore, it is imperative to develop other safe and more effective treatment strategies, such as gene therapy, in order to significantly improve the survival rate and life expectancy of patients with cancer. The aim of gene therapy is to transfect a therapeutic gene into the host cells to express itself and cause a beneficial biological effect. However, the efficacy of the proposed strategies has been insufficient for delivering the full potential of gene therapy in the clinic. The type of delivery vehicle (viral or non viral) chosen depends on the desired specificity of the gene therapy. The first gene therapy trials were performed with therapeutic genes driven by viral promoters such as the CMV promoter, which induces non-specific toxicity in normal cells and tissues, in addition to cancer cells. The use of tumor-specific promoters over-expressed in the tumor, induces specific expression of therapeutic genes in a given tumor, increasing their localized activity. Several cancer- and/or tumor-specific promoters systems have been developed to target cancer cells. This review aims to provide up-to-date information concerning targeting gene therapy with cancer- and/or tumor-specific promoters including cancer suppressor genes, suicide genes, anti-tumor angiogenesis, gene silencing, and gene-editing technology, as well as the type of delivery vehicle employed. Gene therapy can be used to complement traditional therapies to provide more effective treatments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mariela Montaño-Samaniego
- Laboratorio de Terapia Génica, Departamento de Bioquímica, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Diana M Bravo-Estupiñan
- Laboratorio de Terapia Génica, Departamento de Bioquímica, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Oscar Méndez-Guerrero
- Laboratorio de Terapia Génica, Departamento de Bioquímica, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Ernesto Alarcón-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Genética Molecular, Departamento de Bioquímica, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Miguel Ibáñez-Hernández
- Laboratorio de Terapia Génica, Departamento de Bioquímica, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México, México
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Li J, Huang L, Zhao H, Yan Y, Lu J. The Role of Interleukins in Colorectal Cancer. Int J Biol Sci 2020; 16:2323-2339. [PMID: 32760201 PMCID: PMC7378639 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.46651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2020] [Accepted: 05/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite great progress has been made in treatment strategies, colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the predominant life-threatening malignancy with the feature of high morbidity and mortality. It has been widely acknowledged that the dysfunction of immune system, including aberrantly expressed cytokines, is strongly correlated with the pathogenesis and progression of colorectal cancer. As one of the most well-known cytokines that were discovered centuries ago, interleukins are now uncovering new insights into colorectal cancer therapy. Herein, we divide currently known interleukins into 6 families, including IL-1 family, IL-2 family, IL-6 family, IL-8 family, IL-10 family and IL-17 family. In addition, we comprehensively reviewed the oncogenic or antitumour function of each interleukin involved in CRC pathogenesis and progression by elucidating the underlying mechanisms. Furthermore, by providing interleukins-associated clinical trials, we have further driven the profound prospect of interleukins in the treatment of colorectal cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Li
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Grade 2017, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan, China
| | - Ling Huang
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Grade 2017, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan, China
| | - Hanzhang Zhao
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Grade 2017, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan, China
| | - Yuheng Yan
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Grade 2017, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan, China
| | - Jing Lu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Henan Province for Cancer Chemoprevention, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan, China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Emerging Roles for Interleukin-18 in the Gastrointestinal Tumor Microenvironment. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2020; 1240:59-72. [PMID: 32060888 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-38315-2_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Interleukin (IL)-18, a member of the IL-1 family of cytokines, has emerged as a key regulator of mucosal homeostasis within the gastrointestinal tract. Like other members of this family, IL-18 is secreted as an inactive protein and is processed into its active form by caspase-1, although other contributors to precursor processing are emerging.Numerous studies have evaluated the role of IL-18 within the gastrointestinal tract using genetic or complementary pharmacological tools and have revealed multiple roles in tumorigenesis. Most striking among these are the divergent roles for IL-18 in colon and gastric cancers. Here, we review our current understanding of IL-18 biology and how this applies to colorectal and gastric cancers.
Collapse
|
10
|
Li JY, Huang WX, Chen J, Zhao SP, Tang YY. Targeted Inhibitory Effect of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cells by Hre 2.Grp78 Chimeric Promoter Regulating Fusion Gene TK/VP3. Technol Cancer Res Treat 2019; 18:1533033819875166. [PMID: 31769345 PMCID: PMC6880038 DOI: 10.1177/1533033819875166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: To construct plasmids with Hre2.Grp78 chimeric promoter regulating fusion
gene TK/VP3 and elaborate the effects of overexpressed
TK/VP3 on nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells. Methods: Four plasmids were constructed, including pcDNA3.1-CMV-TK/VP3,
pcDNA3.1-Hre2.TK/VP3, pcDNA3.1-Grp78.TK/VP3, and
pcDNA3.1-Hre2.Grp78.TK/VP3. The human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line HNE1
cells were transfected with the 4 plasmids, respectively. Cell viabilities were
evaluated using 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT)
assay, and apoptosis was conducted using flow cytometry analysis. The expression of TK,
VP3, Grp78, and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α and apoptosis-related proteins was
determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. Results: The recombinant plasmids that could steadily overexpress TK and VP3 were successfully
constructed. Expression of TK and VP3 in cells transfected with
pcDNA3.1-Hre2.TK/VP3 and pcDNA3.1-Grp78.TK/VP3 was significantly higher than
pcDNA3.1-CMV-TK/VP3, and expression in cells transfected with
pcDNA3.1-Hre2.Grp78.TK/VP3 was the highest. Under glucose deprivation or
hypoxia condition, Grp78 or hypoxia-inducible factor 1α was overexpressed so that
expression of TK and VP3 was significantly upregulated, which could further inhibit cell
proliferation and enhance cell apoptosis. Conclusion: We successfully constructed 4 plasmids with Hre2.Grp78 chimeric promoter
regulating fusion gene TK/VP3, which could significantly inhibit the
proliferation as well as enhance the apoptosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells under
glucose deprivation or hypoxia condition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jin-Yun Li
- Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Wen-Xiao Huang
- Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jie Chen
- Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Su-Ping Zhao
- Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Yao-Yun Tang
- Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Specific driving of the suicide E gene by the CEA promoter enhances the effects of paclitaxel in lung cancer. Cancer Gene Ther 2019; 27:657-668. [PMID: 31548657 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-019-0137-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Revised: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Classical chemotherapy for lung cancer needs new strategies to enhance its antitumor effect. The cytotoxicity, nonspecificity, and low bioavailability of paclitaxel (PTX) limits their use in this type of cancer. Suicide gene therapy using tumor-specific promoters may increase treatment effectiveness. We used carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) as a tumor-specific promoter to drive the bacteriophage E gene (pCEA-E) towards lung cancer cells (A-549 human and LL2 mice cell lines) but not normal lung cells (L132 human embryonic lung cell line), in association with PTX as a combined treatment. The study was carried out using cell cultures, tumor spheroid models (MTS), subcutaneous induced tumors and lung cancer stem cells (CSCs). pCEA-E induced significant inhibition of A-549 and LL2 cell proliferation in comparison to L132 cells, which have lower CEA expression levels. Moreover, pCEA-E induced an important decrease in volume growth of A-549 and LL2 MTS producing intense apoptosis, in comparison to L132 MTS. In addition, pCEA-E enhanced the antitumor effects of PTX when combined, showing a synergistic effect. This effect was also observed in A-549 CSCs, which have been related to the recurrence of cancer. The in vivo study corroborated the effectiveness of the pCEA-E-PTX combined therapy, inducing a greater decrease in tumor volume compared to PTX and pCEA-E alone. Our results suggest that the CEA promoter is an excellent candidate for directing E gene expression specifically towards lung cancer cells, and may be used to enhance the effectiveness of PTX against this type of tumor.
Collapse
|
12
|
Liu C, Wen C, Wang X, Wei Y, Xu C, Mu X, Zhang L, Wang X, Tian J, Ma P, Meng F, Zhang Q, Zhao N, Yu B, Gong T, Guo R, Wang H, Xie J, Sun G, Li G, Zhang H, Qin Q, Xu J, Dong X, Wang L. Golgi membrane protein GP73 modified-liposome mediates the antitumor effect of survivin promoter-driven HSVtk in hepatocellular carcinoma. Exp Cell Res 2019; 383:111496. [PMID: 31306654 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2019.111496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common types of cancer worldwide, and there is currently no effective therapeutic strategy in clinical practice. Gene therapy has great potential for decreasing tumor-induced mortality but has been clinically limited because of the lack of tumor-specific targets and insufficient gene transfer. The study of targeted transport of therapeutic genes in HCC treatment seems to be very important. In this study, we evaluated a gene therapy approach targeting HCC using the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase/ganciclovir (HSVtk/GCV) suicide gene system in HCC cell lines and in an in vivo human HCC xenograft mouse model. GP73-modified liposomes targeted gene delivery to the tumor tissue, and the survivin promoter drove HSVtk expression in the HCC cells. Our results showed that the survivin promoter was specifically activated in tumor cells and HSVtk was expressed selectively in tumor cells. Combined with GCV treatment, HSVtk expression resulted in suppression of HCC cell proliferation via enhancing apoptosis. Moreover, tail vein injection of GP73-HSVtk significantly suppressed the growth of xenograft tumors through an apoptosis-dependent pathway and extended the survival of tumor-bearing mice without damaging the mice liver functions. Taken together, this study demonstrates an effective cancer-specific gene therapy strategy using the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase/ganciclovir (HSVtk/GCV) suicide gene system for HCC that can be further developed for future clinical trials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chang Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Chaochao Wen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Xi Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Yan Wei
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Chunyang Xu
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Xiuli Mu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Lina Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Xuan Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Jiubo Tian
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Peiyuan Ma
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Fanxiu Meng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Na Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Baofeng Yu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China.
| | - Tao Gong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Rui Guo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Hailong Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Jun Xie
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Gongqin Sun
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China; Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA
| | - Gaopeng Li
- Department of General Surgery, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Hongwei Zhang
- Department of Haematology, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Qin Qin
- Central Laboratory, Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Jun Xu
- Department of General Surgery, Shanxi Dayi Hospital, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China.
| | - Xiushan Dong
- Department of General Surgery, Shanxi Dayi Hospital, Taiyuan, 030001, Shanxi, China
| | - Lumei Wang
- Department of Dermatology, Dong Guan People's Hospital, Dongguan, 523018, Guangdong, China.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Xie Y, Wu L, Wang M, Cheng A, Yang Q, Wu Y, Jia R, Zhu D, Zhao X, Chen S, Liu M, Zhang S, Wang Y, Xu Z, Chen Z, Zhu L, Luo Q, Liu Y, Yu Y, Zhang L, Chen X. Alpha-Herpesvirus Thymidine Kinase Genes Mediate Viral Virulence and Are Potential Therapeutic Targets. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:941. [PMID: 31134006 PMCID: PMC6517553 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.00941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Alpha-herpesvirus thymidine kinase (TK) genes are virulence-related genes and are nonessential for viral replication; they are often preferred target genes for the construction of gene-deleted attenuated vaccines and genetically engineered vectors for inserting and expressing foreign genes. The enzymes encoded by TK genes are key kinases in the nucleoside salvage pathway and have significant substrate diversity, especially the herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) TK enzyme, which phosphorylates four nucleosides and various nucleoside analogues. Hence, the HSV-1 TK gene is exploited for the treatment of viral infections, as a suicide gene in antitumor therapy, and even for the regulation of stem cell transplantation and treatment of parasitic infection. This review introduces the effects of α-herpesvirus TK genes on viral virulence and infection in the host and classifies and summarizes the current main application domains and potential uses of these genes. In particular, mechanisms of action, clinical limitations, and antiviral and antitumor therapy development strategies are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ying Xie
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Liping Wu
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Mingshu Wang
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Anchun Cheng
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qiao Yang
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ying Wu
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Renyong Jia
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Dekang Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - XinXin Zhao
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shun Chen
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Mafeng Liu
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shaqiu Zhang
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhiwen Xu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhengli Chen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ling Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qihui Luo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yunya Liu
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yanling Yu
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ling Zhang
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaoyue Chen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Telomere Gene Therapy: Polarizing Therapeutic Goals for Treatment of Various Diseases. Cells 2019; 8:cells8050392. [PMID: 31035374 PMCID: PMC6563133 DOI: 10.3390/cells8050392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Revised: 04/22/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Modulation of telomerase maintenance by gene therapy must meet two polarizing requirements to achieve different therapeutic outcomes: Anti-aging/regenerative applications require upregulation, while anticancer applications necessitate suppression of various genes integral to telomere maintenance (e.g., telomerase, telomerase RNA components, and shelterin complex). Patients suffering from aging-associated illnesses often exhibit telomere attrition, which promotes chromosomal instability and cellular senescence, thus requiring the transfer of telomere maintenance-related genes to improve patient outcomes. However, reactivation and overexpression of telomerase are observed in 85% of cancer patients; this process is integral to cancer immortality. Thus, telomere-associated genes in the scope of cancer gene therapy must be inactivated or inhibited to induce anticancer effects. These contradicting requirements for achieving different therapeutic outcomes mean that any vector-mediated upregulation of telomere-associated genes must be accompanied by rigorous evaluation of potential oncogenesis. Thus, this review aims to discuss how telomere-associated genes are being targeted or utilized in various gene therapy applications and provides some insight into currently available safety hazard assessments.
Collapse
|
15
|
Wang YY, Lyu YN, Xin HY, Cheng JT, Liu XQ, Wang XW, Peng XC, Xiang Y, Xin VW, Lu CB, Ren BX, Liang YF, Ji JF, Ma Z, Cui SZ, Xin HW. Identification of Putative UL54 (ICP27) Transcription Regulatory Sequences Binding to Oct-1, v-Myb, Pax-6 and Hairy in Herpes Simplex Viruses. J Cancer 2019; 10:430-440. [PMID: 30719137 PMCID: PMC6360293 DOI: 10.7150/jca.29787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Accepted: 10/23/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
An oncolytic herpes simplex virus (oHSV) has proven amenable in oncolytic virotherapy and was approved to treat melanoma. The immediate-early (IE) protein ICP27 encoded by gene UL54 is essential for HSV infection. Post-transcriptional modification of UL54 would increase tumor targeting of oHSVs. However, UL54 gene transcription regulatory sequences and factors were not reported yet. Here we isolated a new strain LXMW of type 1 HSV (HSV-1-LXMW) in China and found it's closely related to HSV-1 strains Patton and H129 in the US by the first and next generation DNA sequencing viral DNA phylogenetic analysis. Using a weight matrix-based program Match, we found the UL54 transcription regulatory sequences binding to the transcription factors Oct-1, v-Myb and Pax-6 in HSV-1-LXMW, while the sequences binding to Oct-1 and Hairy in a HSV-2 strain. Further validation showed that HSV-1 and HSV-2 shared the common sequence binding to Oct-1, but had unique sequences to bind v-Myb and Pax-6, or Hairy, respectively, by DNA sequence alignment of total 11 HSV strains. The published results howed that the expression of transcription factors is consistent with the tissue tropism of HSV-1 and HSV-2. In the current article a new HSV-1 strain LXMW was isolated and its putative HSV UL54 transcription regulatory sequences and factors were identified for the first time. Our findings highlight the new understanding of the principles of transcriptional regulation in HSV biology and oncolytic virotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Ying Wang
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Department of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China.,Laboratory of Oncology, Center for Molecular Medicine, School of Basic Medicine, Health Science Center, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Health Science Center, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China
| | - Yan-Ning Lyu
- Institute for Infectious Diseases and Endemic Diseases Prevention and Control, Beijing Center for Diseases Prevention and Control, Beijing, 100013, China
| | - Hong-Yi Xin
- Animal Health Biotechnology, Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117604
| | - Jun-Ting Cheng
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Department of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China.,Laboratory of Oncology, Center for Molecular Medicine, School of Basic Medicine, Health Science Center, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Health Science Center, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China
| | - Xiao-Qin Liu
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Department of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China.,Laboratory of Oncology, Center for Molecular Medicine, School of Basic Medicine, Health Science Center, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China.,Department of Medical Imaging, School of Basic Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China
| | - Xian-Wang Wang
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Department of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China.,Laboratory of Oncology, Center for Molecular Medicine, School of Basic Medicine, Health Science Center, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Basic Medicine, Yangtze University, 1 Nanhuan Road, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China
| | - Xiao-Chun Peng
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Department of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China.,Laboratory of Oncology, Center for Molecular Medicine, School of Basic Medicine, Health Science Center, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China.,Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China
| | - Ying Xiang
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Department of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China.,Laboratory of Oncology, Center for Molecular Medicine, School of Basic Medicine, Health Science Center, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Health Science Center, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China
| | - Victoria W Xin
- Montgomery Blair High School Magnet Program Class of 2020, Silver Spring, MD 20901-2451, USA
| | - Cheng-Biao Lu
- Laboratory of Neuronal Network and Brain Diseases Modulation, School of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei Province, China
| | - Bo-Xu Ren
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Department of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China.,Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China
| | - Yan-Fang Liang
- Department of Radiology, Guangzhou Medical University Cancer Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jia-Fu Ji
- Gastrointestinal Cancer Center, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education), Peking University Cancer Hospital and Institute, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Zhaowu Ma
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Department of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China.,Laboratory of Oncology, Center for Molecular Medicine, School of Basic Medicine, Health Science Center, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Health Science Center, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China
| | - Shu-Zhong Cui
- Department of Theromotherapy, Guangzhou Medical University Cancer Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hong-Wu Xin
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Department of Medicine, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China.,Laboratory of Oncology, Center for Molecular Medicine, School of Basic Medicine, Health Science Center, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Health Science Center, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei 434023, China
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Meng J, Zhang JG, Du ST, Li N. The effect of gene therapy on postoperative recurrence of small hepatocellular carcinoma (less than 5cm). Cancer Gene Ther 2018; 26:114-117. [PMID: 30190512 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-018-0043-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2018] [Revised: 07/06/2018] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
To observe the curative effect of surgery combined with gene therapy on small hepatocellular carcinoma. Seventy-seven patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma (diameter < 5 cm) underwent surgical resection. The tumor located at the edge of the liver was treated by local excision or irregular hepatectomy. The tumor in the center of the liver was resected by hepatic lobectomy in order to ensure at least a 2-cm safety margin. Fifty-four patients underwent gene therapy (gene group) one or two times before operation, whereas 23 patients underwent surgery alone (control group) selected by themselves. The injectable gene was made of ADV-TK (adenovirus containing thymidine kinase suicide gene, with a concentration of 5 × 1012/ml). The prognosis of patients was analyzed by imaging twice a year. In the gene group, the 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates were 91.4, 63.6, and 52.1%. In the control group, the survival rates were 84.3, 54.4, and 32.6%, respectively. There was a significant difference in the overall survival rates between two groups. Factors associated with overall survival in univariate analysis included bilirubin, prothrombin activity, cirrhosis, and gene therapy (P < 0.05). In the multivariate analysis, it included cirrhosis, gene therapy, and bilirubin. The gene therapy hepatocellular carcinoma patients with a diameter < 5 cm could significantly reduce recurrence after operation. It was worthy of being popularized.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jian Meng
- Department of surgery, Beijing You-An Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100069, BeiJing, China
| | - Jing-Guang Zhang
- Department of surgery, Beijing You-An Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100069, BeiJing, China
| | - Song-Tao Du
- Department of surgery, Beijing You-An Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100069, BeiJing, China
| | - Ning Li
- Department of surgery, Beijing You-An Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100069, BeiJing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Ho SY, Chang BH, Chung CH, Lin YL, Chuang CH, Hsieh PJ, Huang WC, Tsai NM, Huang SC, Liu YK, Lo YC, Liao KW. Development of a computational promoter with highly efficient expression in tumors. BMC Cancer 2018; 18:480. [PMID: 29703163 PMCID: PMC5924487 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-018-4421-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2017] [Accepted: 04/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Gene therapy is a potent method to increase the therapeutic efficacy against cancer. However, a gene that is specifically expressed in the tumor area has not been identified. In addition, nonspecific expression of therapeutic genes in normal tissues may cause side effects that can harm the patients’ health. Certain promoters have been reported to drive therapeutic gene expression specifically in cancer cells; however, low expression levels of the target gene are a problem for providing good therapeutic efficacy. Therefore, a specific and highly expressive promoter is needed for cancer gene therapy. Methods Bioinformatics approaches were utilized to analyze transcription factors (TFs) from high-throughput data. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, western blotting and cell transfection were applied for the measurement of mRNA, protein expression and activity. C57BL/6JNarl mice were injected with pD5-hrGFP to evaluate the expression of TFs. Results We analyzed bioinformatics data and identified three TFs, nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), cyclic AMP response element binding protein (CREB), and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), that are highly active in tumor cells. Here, we constructed a novel mini-promoter, D5, that is composed of the binding sites of the three TFs. The results show that the D5 promoter specifically drives therapeutic gene expression in tumor tissues and that the strength of the D5 promoter is directly proportional to tumor size. Conclusions Our results show that bioinformatics may be a good tool for the selection of appropriate TFs and for the design of specific mini-promoters to improve cancer gene therapy. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12885-018-4421-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Yi Ho
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Bo-Hau Chang
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Chen-Han Chung
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Bioengineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 30050, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Yu-Ling Lin
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, Republic of China.,Center for Bioinformatics Research, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Cheng-Hsun Chuang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Bioengineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 30050, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Pei-Jung Hsieh
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Wei-Chih Huang
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 300, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Nu-Man Tsai
- School of Medical and Laboratory Biotechnology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan, Republic of China.,Clinical Laboratory, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Sheng-Chieh Huang
- Department of Surgery, National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.,Division of Colon and Rectal surgery, Department of surgery, Taipei Veteran General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Yen-Ku Liu
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Bioengineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 30050, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Yu-Chih Lo
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Kuang-Wen Liao
- Department of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, Republic of China. .,Institute of Molecular Medicine and Bioengineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, 30050, Taiwan, Republic of China. .,College of Biological Science and Technology, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu, Taiwan, Republic of China. .,Graduate Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Regulated Mesenchymal Stem Cells Mediated Colon Cancer Therapy Assessed by Reporter Gene Based Optical Imaging. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19041002. [PMID: 29584688 PMCID: PMC5979455 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19041002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Revised: 03/24/2018] [Accepted: 03/25/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer is the most common cancer in both men and women and the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths. Suicide gene-based therapy with suicide gene-transduced mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is a promising therapeutic strategy. A tetracycline-controlled Tet-On inducible system used to regulate gene expression may be a useful tool for gene-based therapies. The aim of this study was to develop therapeutic MSCs with a suicide gene that is induced by an artificial stimulus, to validate therapeutic gene expression, and to monitor the MSC therapy for colon cancer using optical molecular imaging. For our study, we designed the Tet-On system using a retroviral vector and developed a response plasmid RetroX-TRE (tetracycline response element) expressing a mutant form of herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV1-sr39TK) with dual reporters (eGFP-Fluc2). Bone marrow-derived MSCs were transduced using a RetroX-Tet3G (Clontech, CA, USA) regulatory plasmid and RetroX-TRE-HSV1-sr39TK-eGFP-IRES-Fluc2, for a system with a Tet-On (MSC-Tet-TK/Fluc2 or MSC-Tet-TK) or without a Tet-On (MSC-TK/Fluc2 or MSC-TK) function. Suicide gene engineered MSCs were co-cultured with colon cancer cells (CT26/Rluc) in the presence of the prodrug ganciclovir (GCV) after stimulation with or without doxycycline (DOX). Treatment efficiency was monitored by assessing Rluc (CT26/Rluc) and Fluc (MSC-Tet-TK and MSC-TK) activity using optical imaging. The bystander effect of therapeutic MSCs was confirmed in CT26/Rluc cells after GCV treatment. Rluc activity in CT26/Rluc cells decreased significantly with GCV treatment of DOX(+) cells (p < 0.05 and 0.01) whereas no significant changes were observed in DOX(-) cells. In addition, Fluc activity in also decreased significantly with DOX(+) MSC-Tet-TK cells, but no signal was observed in DOX(-) cells. In addition, an MSC-TK bystander effect was also confirmed. We assessed therapy with this system in a colon cancer xenograft model (CT26/Rluc). We successfully transduced cells and developed a Tet-On system with the suicide gene HSV1-sr39TK. Our results confirmed the therapeutic efficiency of a suicide gene with the Tet-On system for colon cancer. In addition, our results provide an innovative therapeutic approach using the Tet-On system to eradicate tumors by administration of MSC-Tet-TK cells with DOX and GCV.
Collapse
|
19
|
Rangel-Sosa MM, Aguilar-Córdova E, Rojas-Martínez A. Immunotherapy and gene therapy as novel treatments for cancer. COLOMBIA MEDICA (CALI, COLOMBIA) 2017; 48:138-147. [PMID: 29213157 PMCID: PMC5687866 DOI: 10.25100/cm.v48i3.2997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The immune system interacts closely with tumors during the disease development and progression to metastasis. The complex communication between the immune system and the tumor cells can prevent or promote tumor growth. New therapeutic approaches harnessing protective immunological mechanisms have recently shown very promising results. This is performed by blocking inhibitory signals or by activating immunological effector cells directly. Immune checkpoint blockade with monoclonal antibodies directed against the inhibitory immune receptors CTLA-4 and PD-1 has emerged as a successful treatment approach for patients with advanced melanoma. Ipilimumab is an anti-CTLA-4 antibody which demonstrated good results when administered to patients with melanoma. Gene therapy has also shown promising results in clinical trials. Particularly, Herpes simplex virus (HSV)-mediated delivery of the HSV thymidine kinase (TK) gene to tumor cells in combination with ganciclovir (GCV) may provide an effective suicide gene therapy for destruction of glioblastomas, prostate tumors and other neoplasias by recruiting tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes into the tumor. The development of new treatment strategies or combination of available innovative therapies to improve cell cytotoxic T lymphocytes trafficking into the tumor mass and the production of inhibitory molecules blocking tumor tissue immune-tolerance are crucial to improve the efficacy of cancer therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martha Montserrat Rangel-Sosa
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Medicina Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León. Nuevo León, México
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
20
|
Liu X, Wang S, Guo X, Wei F, Yin J, Zang Y, Li N, Chen D. Exogenous p53 and ASPP2 expression enhances rAdV-TK/ GCV-induced death in hepatocellular carcinoma cells lacking functional p53. Oncotarget 2017; 7:18896-905. [PMID: 26934443 PMCID: PMC4951338 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.7749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2015] [Accepted: 01/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Suicide gene therapy using herpes simplex virus-1 thymidine kinase (HSV-TK) in combination with ganciclovir (GCV) has emerged as a potential new method for treating cancer. We hypothesize that the efficacy of HSV-TK/GCV therapy is at least partially dependent on p53 status in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Using recombinant adenoviral vectors (rAdV), TK, p53, and ASPP2 were overexpressed individually and in combination in Hep3B (p53 null) and HepG2 (p53 wild-type) cell lines and in primary HCC tumor cells. p53 overexpression induced death in Hep3B cells, but not HepG2 cells. ASPP2 overexpression increased rAdV-TK/GCV-induced HepG2 cell death by interacting with endogenous p53. Similarly, ASPP2 reduced survival in rAdV-TK/GCV-treated primary HCC cells expressing p53 wild-type but not a p53 R249S mutant. Mutated p53 was unable to bind to ASPP2, suggesting that the increase in rAdV-TK/GCV-induced cell death resulting from ASPP2 overexpression was dependent on its interaction with p53. Additionally, γ-H2AX foci, ATM phosphorylation, Bax, and p21 expression increased in rAdV-TK/GCV-treated HepG2 cells as compared to Hep3B cells. This suggests that the combined use of HSV-TK, GCV, rAdV-p53 and rAdV-ASPP2 may improve therapeutic efficacy in HCC patients lacking functional p53.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiuhong Liu
- Beijing You'an Hospital Affiliated with Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China.,Beijing Institute of Hepatology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Shuang Wang
- Beijing You'an Hospital Affiliated with Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China.,Beijing Institute of Hepatology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Xianghua Guo
- Beijing Institute of Hepatology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Feili Wei
- Beijing Institute of Hepatology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Jiming Yin
- Beijing Institute of Hepatology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Yunjin Zang
- Beijing You'an Hospital Affiliated with Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Ning Li
- Beijing You'an Hospital Affiliated with Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Dexi Chen
- Beijing You'an Hospital Affiliated with Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China.,Beijing Institute of Hepatology, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Shang Y, Yu D, Hao L. Liposome-Adenoviral hTERT-siRNA Knockdown in Fibroblasts from Keloids Reduce Telomere Length and Fibroblast Growth. Cell Biochem Biophys 2017; 72:405-10. [PMID: 25561286 DOI: 10.1007/s12013-014-0476-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Keloids, which possess invasive tumor-like behavior, have been clinically challenging to clinicians especially surgeons. Excessive extracellular matrix secreted from fibroblasts is the main histo-pathological feature of keloids. In this study, we transfected hTERT-siRNA into scar fibroblasts by liposome-adenoviral transduction in order to disrupt telomere length homeostasis and influence the cell cycle of fibroblasts. Our results showed that liposome hTERT-siRNA was able to knock down hTERT gene expression in scar fibroblasts. Moreover, the telomerase activity in hTERT-siRNA group was significantly reduced compared with the control groups. And the telomeric length of hTERT-siRNA group was significantly shortened as well. Further, flow cytometry studies and MTT assay demonstrated that apoptosis rate of fibroblasts in liposome hTERT-siRNA group significantly increased. These results indicated that the liposome-mediated hTERT gene transduction could inhibit the growth of fibroblasts in scar tissues suggesting a promising strategy of keloids treatment in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yong Shang
- Plastic and Cosmetic Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 23 Youzheng Str. Nangang District, Harbin, 150001, People's Republic of China
| | - Dongmei Yu
- Plastic and Cosmetic Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 23 Youzheng Str. Nangang District, Harbin, 150001, People's Republic of China
| | - Lijun Hao
- Plastic and Cosmetic Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 23 Youzheng Str. Nangang District, Harbin, 150001, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Zhou H, He Z, Wang C, Xie T, Liu L, Liu C, Song F, Ma Y. Intravenous Administration Is an Effective and Safe Route for Cancer Gene Therapy Using the Bifidobacterium-Mediated Recombinant HSV-1 Thymidine Kinase and Ganciclovir. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:ijms17060891. [PMID: 27275821 PMCID: PMC4926425 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17060891] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2016] [Revised: 05/25/2016] [Accepted: 05/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase/ganciclovir (HSV TK/GCV) system is one of the best studied cancer suicide gene therapy systems. Our previous study showed that caspase 3 expression was upregulated and bladder tumor growth was significantly reduced in rats treated with a combination of Bifidobacterium (BF) and HSV TK/GCV (BF-rTK/GCV). However, it was raised whether the BF-mediated recombinant thymidine kinase combined with ganciclovir (BF-rTK/GCV) was safe to administer via venous for cancer gene therapy. To answer this question, the antitumor effects of BF-rTK/GCV were mainly evaluated in a xenograft nude mouse model bearing MKN-45 gastric tumor cells. The immune response, including analysis of cytokine profiles, was analyzed to evaluate the safety of intramuscular and intravenous injection of BF-rTK in BALB/c mice. The results suggested that gastric tumor growth was significantly inhibited in vivo by BF-rTK/GCV. However, the BF-rTK/GCV had no effect on mouse body weight, indicating that the treatment was safe for the host. The results of cytokine profile analysis indicated that intravenous injection of a low dose of BF-rTK resulted in a weaker cytokine response than that obtained with intramuscular injection. Furthermore, immunohistochemical analysis showed that intravenous administration did not affect the expression of immune-associated TLR2 and TLR4. Finally, the BF-rTK/GCV inhibited vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in mouse model, which is helpful for inhibiting of tumor angiogenesis. That meant intravenous administration of BF-rTK/GCV was an effective and safe way for cancer gene therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Huicong Zhou
- Molecular Medicine & Cancer Research Center, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Chongqing Medical University, Yuzhong District, Yi XueYuan Road, Number 1, Chongqing 400016, China.
| | - Zhiliang He
- Molecular Medicine & Cancer Research Center, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Chongqing Medical University, Yuzhong District, Yi XueYuan Road, Number 1, Chongqing 400016, China.
| | - Changdong Wang
- Molecular Medicine & Cancer Research Center, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Chongqing Medical University, Yuzhong District, Yi XueYuan Road, Number 1, Chongqing 400016, China.
| | - Tingting Xie
- Molecular Medicine & Cancer Research Center, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Chongqing Medical University, Yuzhong District, Yi XueYuan Road, Number 1, Chongqing 400016, China.
| | - Lin Liu
- Molecular Medicine & Cancer Research Center, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Chongqing Medical University, Yuzhong District, Yi XueYuan Road, Number 1, Chongqing 400016, China.
| | - Chuanyang Liu
- Molecular Medicine & Cancer Research Center, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Chongqing Medical University, Yuzhong District, Yi XueYuan Road, Number 1, Chongqing 400016, China.
| | - Fangzhou Song
- Molecular Medicine & Cancer Research Center, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Chongqing Medical University, Yuzhong District, Yi XueYuan Road, Number 1, Chongqing 400016, China.
| | - Yongping Ma
- Molecular Medicine & Cancer Research Center, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Chongqing Medical University, Yuzhong District, Yi XueYuan Road, Number 1, Chongqing 400016, China.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Wang Y, Wang M, Li Y. Anti-colorectal cancer effect of interleukin-2 and interferon-β fusion gene driven by carcinoembryonic antigen promoter. Onco Targets Ther 2016; 9:3259-67. [PMID: 27313471 PMCID: PMC4892829 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s97444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
This study was designed to investigate the antitumor effects of combined interleukin-2/interferon-β-based gene therapy in colorectal cancer. Transfection of the fusion gene expression plasmid induced significant apoptosis of Lovo cells. Additionally, the fusion gene exhibited strong inhibitory activity against tumor growth and apoptosis when being injected into the nude mice implanted with human colon cancer cells. Furthermore, the tail-vein injection showed a more notable effect than direct injection into tumor. These results suggest that the combined interleukin-2/interferon-β-based gene therapy with the carcinoembryonic antigen promoter might be an effective antitumor strategy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Mengchun Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Tang Q, Lu M, Chen D, Liu P. Combination of PEI-Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles and pHsp 70-HSV-TK/GCV with magnet-induced heating for treatment of hepatoma. Int J Nanomedicine 2015; 10:7129-43. [PMID: 26604760 PMCID: PMC4655962 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s92179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background To explore a new combination of thermal treatment and gene therapy for hepatoma, a heat-inducible herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase/ganciclovir (HSV-TK/GCV) gene therapy system was developed in which thermal energy generated by Mn0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticles (MZF-NPs) under an alternating magnetic field was used to activate gene expression. Methods First, a recombinant eukaryotic plasmid, pHsp 70-HSV-TK, was constructed as a target gene for therapy. This recombinant plasmid was used to transfect SMMC-7721 hepatoma cells and the gene expression was evaluated. Magnet-induced heating was then applied to cells to assess the antihepatoma effects of the polyethylenimine (PEI)-MZF-NPs/pHsp 70-HSV-TK/GCV complex, in vitro and in vivo. Results The results showed that cells were successfully transfected with pHsp 70-HSV-TK and that expression levels of HSV-TK remained stable. Both in vitro and in vivo results indicated that the combination of gene therapy and heat treatment resulted in better therapeutic effects than heating-alone group. The rates of apoptosis and necrosis in the combined treatment group were 49.0% and 7.21%, respectively. The rate of inhibition of cell proliferation in the combined treatment group was significantly higher (87.5%) than that in the heating-alone group (65.8%; P<0.01). The tumor volume and mass inhibition rates of the combined treatment group were 91.3% and 87.91%, respectively, and were significantly higher than the corresponding rates of the heating-alone group (70.41% and 57.14%; P<0.01). The expression levels of Stat3 and Bcl-xL messenger RNA and p-Stat3 and Bcl-xL protein in the combined treatment group were significantly lower than those in the other groups (P<0.01). The expression levels of Bax messenger RNA and protein in the recombinant plasmid group were significantly higher than those in the other groups (P<0.01). Conclusion It can therefore be concluded that the combined application of heat treatment and gene therapy has a synergistic and complementary effect and that PEI-MZF-NPs can simultaneously act both as a nonviral gene vector and a magnet-induced source of heat, thereby representing a viable approach for the treatment of cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qiusha Tang
- School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Mudan Lu
- Genetic Laboratory, Wuxi Hospital for Maternal and Child Health Care, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Daozhen Chen
- Genetic Laboratory, Wuxi Hospital for Maternal and Child Health Care, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Peidang Liu
- School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Peng Z, Liang W, Li Z, Xu Y, Chen L. Interleukin-15-transferred cytokine-induced killer cells elevated anti-tumor activity in a gastric tumor-bearing nude mice model. Cell Biol Int 2015; 40:204-13. [PMID: 26503216 DOI: 10.1002/cbin.10553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2015] [Accepted: 10/23/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Peng
- Department of General Surgery; Chinese PLA General Hospital; Beijing 100853 China
| | - Wentao Liang
- Institute of General Surgery; Chinese PLA General Hospital; Beijing 100853 China
| | - Zexue Li
- Institute of General Surgery; Chinese PLA General Hospital; Beijing 100853 China
| | - Yingxin Xu
- Institute of General Surgery; Chinese PLA General Hospital; Beijing 100853 China
| | - Lin Chen
- Department of General Surgery; Chinese PLA General Hospital; Beijing 100853 China
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Tissue Specific Promoters in Colorectal Cancer. DISEASE MARKERS 2015; 2015:390161. [PMID: 26648599 PMCID: PMC4662999 DOI: 10.1155/2015/390161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2015] [Accepted: 10/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Colorectal carcinoma is the third most prevalent cancer in the world. In the most advanced stages, the use of chemotherapy induces a poor response and is usually accompanied by other tissue damage. Significant progress based on suicide gene therapy has demonstrated that it may potentiate the classical cytotoxic effects in colorectal cancer. The inconvenience still rests with the targeting and the specificity efficiency. The main target of gene therapy is to achieve an effective vehicle to hand over therapeutic genes safely into specific cells. One possibility is the use of tumor-specific promoters overexpressed in cancers. They could induce a specific expression of therapeutic genes in a given tumor, increasing their localized activity. Several promoters have been assayed into direct suicide genes to cancer cells. This review discusses the current status of specific tumor-promoters and their great potential in colorectal carcinoma treatment.
Collapse
|
27
|
Gatault S, Delbeke M, Driss V, Sarazin A, Dendooven A, Kahn JE, Lefèvre G, Capron M. IL-18 Is Involved in Eosinophil-Mediated Tumoricidal Activity against a Colon Carcinoma Cell Line by Upregulating LFA-1 and ICAM-1. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2015. [PMID: 26216891 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1402914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Eosinophils are multifunctional leukocytes that are involved in innate and adaptive immune responses through the expression of various receptors and mediators. Previously, we showed that human eosinophils and T cells shared cytotoxic activities against tumor cells that involved the γ-δ TCR and cell-cell contact. In this study, we investigated the molecules involved in eosinophil-tumor cell interactions. Given the role of IL-18 in cell adhesion and in protecting against colon cancer, we evaluated its role in eosinophil-mediated cytotoxicity against Colo-205, a human colon carcinoma cell line. We found that human eosinophils exerted dose- and time-dependent tumoricidal activity against Colo-205 cells. Neutralization of IL-18 significantly reduced eosinophil-mediated Colo-205 apoptosis and inhibited cell-cell adhesion. Moreover, addition of rIL-18 led to upregulation of CD11a and ICAM-1 adhesion molecules, which were involved in the contact between eosinophils and Colo-205 cells. Our results indicated that IL-18 was involved in the eosinophil-mediated death of Colo-205 by facilitating contact between effector and target cells. These data underscored the involvement of an additional mediator in eosinophil-mediated antitumor cytotoxicity. Our findings support existing evidence that eosinophils could play a beneficial role in the context of colon cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Solène Gatault
- LIRIC-Unité Mixte de Recherche 995 INSERM, Université de Lille 2, CHRU de Lille, 59045 Lille, France;
| | - Marie Delbeke
- LIRIC-Unité Mixte de Recherche 995 INSERM, Université de Lille 2, CHRU de Lille, 59045 Lille, France
| | - Virginie Driss
- LIRIC-Unité Mixte de Recherche 995 INSERM, Université de Lille 2, CHRU de Lille, 59045 Lille, France
| | - Aurore Sarazin
- LIRIC-Unité Mixte de Recherche 995 INSERM, Université de Lille 2, CHRU de Lille, 59045 Lille, France
| | - Arnaud Dendooven
- LIRIC-Unité Mixte de Recherche 995 INSERM, Université de Lille 2, CHRU de Lille, 59045 Lille, France
| | - Jean-Emmanuel Kahn
- Service de Médecine Interne, Hôpital Foch, Université Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, 92150 Suresnes, France; Réseau Eosinophile Français, EA2686, Université de Lille, 59045 Lille, France; and
| | - Guillaume Lefèvre
- Réseau Eosinophile Français, EA2686, Université de Lille, 59045 Lille, France; and Institut d'Immunologie, Service de Médecine Interne, Unité d'Immunologie Clinique, CHRU de Lille, 59045 Lille, France
| | - Monique Capron
- LIRIC-Unité Mixte de Recherche 995 INSERM, Université de Lille 2, CHRU de Lille, 59045 Lille, France
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Specific Colon Cancer Cell Cytotoxicity Induced by Bacteriophage E Gene Expression under Transcriptional Control of Carcinoembryonic Antigen Promoter. Int J Mol Sci 2015; 16:12601-15. [PMID: 26053394 PMCID: PMC4490463 DOI: 10.3390/ijms160612601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2015] [Revised: 05/26/2015] [Accepted: 05/26/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers in the world. Patients in advanced stages often develop metastases that require chemotherapy and usually show a poor response, have a low survival rate and develop considerable toxicity with adverse symptoms. Gene therapy may act as an adjuvant therapy in attempts to destroy the tumor without affecting normal host tissue. The bacteriophage E gene has demonstrated significant antitumor activity in several cancers, but without any tumor-specific activity. The use of tumor-specific promoters may help to direct the expression of therapeutic genes so they act against specific cancer cells. We used the carcinoembryonic antigen promoter (CEA) to direct E gene expression (pCEA-E) towards colon cancer cells. pCEA-E induced a high cell growth inhibition of human HTC-116 colon adenocarcinoma and mouse MC-38 colon cancer cells in comparison to normal human CCD18co colon cells, which have practically undetectable levels of CEA. In addition, in vivo analyses of mice bearing tumors induced using MC-38 cells showed a significant decrease in tumor volume after pCEA-E treatment and a low level of Ki-67 in relation to untreated tumors. These results suggest that the CEA promoter is an excellent candidate for directing E gene expression specifically toward colon cancer cells.
Collapse
|
29
|
Somatostatin receptor based imaging and radionuclide therapy. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2015; 2015:917968. [PMID: 25879040 PMCID: PMC4387942 DOI: 10.1155/2015/917968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2014] [Revised: 01/15/2015] [Accepted: 01/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Somatostatin (SST) receptors (SSTRs) belong to the typical 7-transmembrane domain family of G-protein-coupled receptors. Five distinct subtypes (termed SSTR1-5) have been identified, with SSTR2 showing the highest affinity for natural SST and synthetic SST analogs. Most neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) have high expression levels of SSTRs, which opens the possibility for tumor imaging and therapy with radiolabeled SST analogs. A number of tracers have been developed for the diagnosis, staging, and treatment of NETs with impressive results, which facilitates the applications of human SSTR subtype 2 (hSSTr2) reporter gene based imaging and therapy in SSTR negative or weakly positive tumors to provide a novel approach for the management of tumors. The hSSTr2 gene can act as not only a reporter gene for in vivo imaging, but also a therapeutic gene for local radionuclide therapy. Even a second therapeutic gene can be transfected into the same tumor cells together with hSSTr2 reporter gene to obtain a synergistic therapeutic effect. However, additional preclinical and especially translational and clinical researches are needed to confirm the value of hSSTr2 reporter gene based imaging and therapy in tumors.
Collapse
|