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Alfano A, Cafferata EGA, Gangemi M, Nicola Candia A, Malnero CM, Bermudez I, Lopez MV, Ríos GD, Rotondaro C, Cuneo N, Curiel DT, Podhajcer OL, Lopez MV. In Vitro and In Vivo Efficacy of a Stroma-Targeted, Tumor Microenvironment Responsive Oncolytic Adenovirus in Different Preclinical Models of Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:9992. [PMID: 37373140 PMCID: PMC10297998 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24129992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
More than one million women are diagnosed annually worldwide with a gynecological cancer. Most gynecological cancers are diagnosed at a late stage, either because a lack of symptoms, such as in ovarian cancer or limited accessibility to primary prevention in low-resource countries, such as in cervical cancer. Here, we extend the studies of AR2011, a stroma-targeted and tumor microenvironment responsive oncolytic adenovirus (OAdV), whose replication is driven by a triple hybrid promoter. We show that AR2011 was able to replicate and lyse in vitro fresh explants obtained from human ovarian cancer, uterine cancer, and cervical cancer. AR2011 was also able to strongly inhibit the in vitro growth of ovarian malignant cells obtained from human ascites fluid. The virus could synergize in vitro with cisplatin even on ascites-derived cells obtained from patients heavily pretreated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. AR2011(h404), a dual transcriptionally targeted derived virus armed with hCD40L and h41BBL under the regulation of the hTERT promoter, showed a strong efficacy in vivo both on subcutaneous and intraperitoneally established human ovarian cancer in nude mice. Preliminary studies in an immunocompetent murine tumor model showed that AR2011(m404) expressing the murine cytokines was able to induce an abscopal effect. The present studies suggest that AR2011(h404) is a likely candidate as a novel medicine for intraperitoneal disseminated ovarian cancer.
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Iseas S, Sendoya JM, Robbio J, Coraglio M, Kujaruk M, Mikolaitis V, Rizzolo M, Cabanne A, Ruiz G, Salanova R, Gualdrini U, Méndez G, Antelo M, Carballido M, Rotondaro C, Viglino J, Eleta M, Di Sibio A, Podhajcer OL, Roca E, Llera AS, Golubicki M, Abba MC. Prognostic Impact of An Integrative Landscape of Clinical, Immune, and Molecular Features in Non-Metastatic Rectal Cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 11:801880. [PMID: 35071006 PMCID: PMC8777220 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.801880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Rectal Cancer (RC) is a complex disease that involves highly variable treatment responses. Currently, there is a lack of reliable markers beyond TNM to deliver a personalized treatment in a cancer setting where the goal is a curative treatment. Here, we performed an integrated characterization of the predictive and prognostic role of clinical features, mismatch-repair deficiency markers, HER2, CDX2, PD-L1 expression, and CD3-CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) coupled with targeted DNA sequencing of 76 non-metastatic RC patients assigned to total mesorectal excision upfront (TME; n = 15) or neoadjuvant chemo-radiotherapy treatment (nCRT; n = 61) followed by TME. Eighty-two percent of RC cases displayed mutations affecting cancer driver genes such as TP53, APC, KRAS, ATM, and PIK3CA. Good response to nCRT treatment was observed in approximately 40% of the RC cases, and poor pathological tumor regression was significantly associated with worse disease-free survival (DFS, HR = 3.45; 95%CI = 1.14-10.4; p = 0.028). High neutrophils-platelets score (NPS) (OR = 10.52; 95%CI=1.34-82.6; p = 0.025) and KRAS mutated cases (OR = 5.49; 95%CI = 1.06-28.4; p = 0.042) were identified as independent predictive factors of poor response to nCRT treatment in a multivariate analysis. Furthermore, a Cox proportional-hazard model showed that the KRAS mutational status was an independent prognostic factor associated with higher risk of local recurrence (HR = 9.68; 95%CI = 1.01-93.2; p <0.05) and shorter DFS (HR = 2.55; 95%CI = 1.05-6.21; p <0.05), while high CEA serum levels were associated with poor DFS (HR = 2.63; 95%CI = 1.01-6.85; p <0.05). Integrated clinical and molecular-based unsupervised analysis allowed us to identify two RC prognostic groups (cluster 1 and cluster 2) associated with disease-specific OS (HR = 20.64; 95%CI = 2.63-162.2; p <0.0001), metastasis-free survival (HR = 3.67; 95%CI = 1.22-11; p = 0.012), local recurrence-free survival (HR = 3.34; 95%CI = 0.96-11.6; p = 0.043) and worse DFS (HR = 2.68; 95%CI = 1.18-6.06; p = 0.012). The worst prognosis cluster 2 was enriched by stage III high-risk clinical tumors, poor responders to nCRT, with low TILs density and high frequency of KRAS and TP53 mutated cases compared with the best prognosis cluster 1 (p <0.05). Overall, this study provides a comprehensive and integrated characterization of non-metastatic RC cases as a new insight to deliver a personalized therapeutic approach.
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Aris M, Bravo AI, Garcia Alvarez HM, Carri I, Podaza E, Blanco PA, Rotondaro C, Bentivegna S, Nielsen M, Barrio MM, Mordoh J. Immunization With the CSF-470 Vaccine Plus BCG and rhGM-CSF Induced in a Cutaneous Melanoma Patient a TCRβ Repertoire Found at Vaccination Site and Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes That Persisted in Blood. Front Immunol 2019; 10:2213. [PMID: 31620131 PMCID: PMC6759869 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The CSF-470 cellular vaccine plus BCG and rhGM-CSF increased distant metastases-free survival in cutaneous melanoma patients stages IIB-IIC-III relative to medium dose IFN-α2b (CASVAC-0401 study). Patient-045 developed a mature vaccination site (VAC-SITE) and a regional cutaneous metastasis (C-MTS), which were excised during the protocol, remaining disease-free 36 months from vaccination start. CDR3-TCRβ repertoire sequencing in PBMC and tissue samples, along with skin-DTH score and IFN-γ ELISPOT assay, were performed to analyze the T-cell immune response dynamics throughout the immunization protocol. Histopathological analysis of the VAC-SITE revealed a highly-inflamed granulomatous structure encircled by CD11c+ nested-clusters, brisk CD8+ and scarce FOXP3+, lymphocytes with numerous Langhans multinucleated-giant-cells and macrophages. A large tumor-regression area fulfilled the C-MTS with brisk lymphocyte infiltration, mainly composed of CD8+PD1+ T-cells, CD20+ B-cells, and scarce FOXP3+ cells. Increasing DTH score and IFN-γ ELISPOT assay signal against the CSF-470 vaccine-lysate was evidenced throughout immunization. TCRβ repertoire analysis revealed for the first time the presence of common clonotypes between a VAC-SITE and a C-MTS; most of them persisted in blood by the end of the immunization protocol. In vitro boost with vaccine-lysate revealed the expansion of persistent clones that infiltrated the VAC-SITE and/or the C-MTS; other persistent clones expanded in the patient's blood as well. We propose that expansion of such persistent clonotypes might derive from two different although complementary mechanisms: the proliferation of specific clones as well as the expansion of redundant clones, which increased the number of nucleotide rearrangements per clonotype, suggesting a functional antigenic selection. In this patient, immunization with the CSF-470 vaccine plus BCG and rhGM-CSF induced a T-cell repertoire at the VAC-SITE that was able to infiltrate an emerging C-MTS, which resulted in the expansion of a T-cell repertoire that persisted in blood by the end of the 2-year treatment.
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Sendoya JM, Iseas S, Golubicki M, Robbio J, Coraglio MF, Gualdrini U, Cabanne A, Kujaruk M, Mikolaitis V, Rizzolo M, Salanova R, Rotondaro C, Abba M, Podhajcer O, Roca E, Llera A. Abstract LB-374: Transcriptome-based inference of immune cell subsets and pathway deregulation in rectal cancer reveals biological processes related to therapy response. Cancer Res 2018. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2018-lb-374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Purpose: Colorectal cancer is the second most frequent cancer and the second and third cause of cancer-related mortality in Argentina for men and women respectively. For locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC), preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) ± induction chemotherapy (iCT) comprises the standard treatment. However, only 15-27% of patients achieve a pathological complete response, while 40-60% respond variably. This scenario poses a strong need for biomarkers able to predict response to CRT and provide guidance towards optimal treatment for each patient. Here we explore LARC gene expression data to identify baseline immune populations and pathways that might be associated with response to CRT.
Methods: Using Agilent Human Genome Microarrays, we analyzed gene expression in pre-treatment tumor biopsies of 26 LARC patients as part of an ongoing prospective translational study in Argentina. After treatment with CRT (capecitabine + radiotherapy) ± iCT (capecitabine + oxaliplatin) and surgery, pathological response was assessed according to College of American Pathologists (CAP) guidelines. We grouped CAP scores 0-1 as responders and 2-3 as nonresponders. We estimated cellular heterogeneity of the microenvironment from transcriptomic data by applying two independent computational methods: GSVA and xCell, and inferred patient-specific pathway deregulation with PARADIGM. To elucidate differential features between both patient groups, we performed Two-sample t-Tests for GSVA and xCell, and Rank Product test for PARADIGM. All tests were adjusted for FDR<0.01.
Results: Of 26 analyzed patients, we focused on 16 with currently available response data. T-test yielded 98 differentially expressed genes. From the cell type estimators, among the responder group we observed upmodulation of genes related to B-cells (p-GSVA: 0.0001; p-xCell: 0.004), mast cells (p-GSVA: 0.038; p-xCell: 0.029), activated dendritic cells (p-GSVA: 0.035) and effector memory CD8+cells (p-xCell: 0.034). PARADIGM revealed upmodulated activities in responders such as ‘DNA damage', miR34A (regulation of tumor suppression), and TP73 (apoptotic response to DNA damage). Downmodulated pathways included E2F1/3 (transcriptional/cell cycle activation), PARP1 (DNA repair) and IL8 (tumorigenic/proangiogenic chemokine). For all cases, FDR-adjusted p < 0.0001.
Conclusions: Considering the caveats regarding our current sample size, we could detect higher involvement of adaptive immunity cell populations, upmodulation of proapoptotic features, and downmodulation of DNA repair and proliferation activities in baseline biopsies of responders when compared to nonresponders. Overall, a cell cycle-decelerated tumor with poor DNA repair abilities immersed in a proapoptotic environment seems to be the one in which CRT would be more effective. With necessary validation of these analyses underway, we envision this effort as the basis on which we will evaluate genomic biomarkers for response prediction in our LARC population.
Citation Format: Juan M. Sendoya, Soledad Iseas, Mariano Golubicki, Juan Robbio, Mariana F. Coraglio, Ubaldo Gualdrini, Ana Cabanne, Mirta Kujaruk, Vanesa Mikolaitis, Mariana Rizzolo, Ruben Salanova, Cecilia Rotondaro, Martin Abba, Osvaldo Podhajcer, Enrique Roca, Andrea Llera. Transcriptome-based inference of immune cell subsets and pathway deregulation in rectal cancer reveals biological processes related to therapy response [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-374.
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Alfano AL, Nicola Candia A, Cuneo N, Guttlein LN, Soderini A, Rotondaro C, Sganga L, Podhajcer OL, Lopez MV. Oncolytic Adenovirus-Loaded Menstrual Blood Stem Cells Overcome the Blockade of Viral Activity Exerted by Ovarian Cancer Ascites. MOLECULAR THERAPY-ONCOLYTICS 2017; 6:31-44. [PMID: 28736743 PMCID: PMC5510493 DOI: 10.1016/j.omto.2017.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2017] [Accepted: 06/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Patients with ovarian cancer present peritoneal ascites at recurrence as a marker of disseminated disease and dismal prognosis. Oncolytic immunotherapy is an emerging approach for the treatment of disseminated cancer. In the present work, we constructed a novel oncolytic adenovirus, AR2011, to target malignant ovarian tumors. AR2011 exhibited a clear lytic effect in vitro in human ovarian cancer cell lines and malignant cells obtained from ascitic fluids (AFs) of patients with ovarian cancer. AR2011 activity was neutralized by antibodies present in 31 samples of patient-derived AFs. However, this blockade was overridden by preloading menstrual blood stem cells (MenSCs) with AR2011 (MenSC-AR), since AFs exerted no in vitro inhibitory effect on viral lytic activity under these conditions. Moreover, soluble factors present in AFs act as MenSC chemoattractants. MenSC-AR treatment of nude mice carrying established peritoneal carcinomatosis following administration of human ovarian cancer cells was able to inhibit tumor growth at levels similar to those observed with AR2011 alone. This study demonstrates that MenSCs can be used to override the blockade that AFs exert on viral oncolytic effects.
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Iseas S, Sendoya Juan M, Golubicki M, Coraglio M, Gualdrini U, Cabanne A, Kujaruk M, Mikolaitis V, Rizzolo M, Salanova R, Eleta M, Irmas S, Rotondaro C, Ink M, Elmer F, Podhajcer O, Llera A, Roca E. Comprehensive clinical, pathological and molecular characterization of a cohort of locally advanced rectal cancer patients: Towards an integrative classification for rectal cancer management. Ann Oncol 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdx261.353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Güttlein LN, Benedetti LG, Fresno C, Spallanzani RG, Mansilla SF, Rotondaro C, Raffo Iraolagoitia XL, Salvatierra E, Bravo AI, Fernández EA, Gottifredi V, Zwirner NW, Llera AS, Podhajcer OL. Predictive Outcomes for HER2-enriched Cancer Using Growth and Metastasis Signatures Driven By SPARC. Mol Cancer Res 2016; 15:304-316. [PMID: 28031408 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-16-0243-t] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2016] [Revised: 11/25/2016] [Accepted: 12/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the mechanism of metastatic dissemination is crucial for the rational design of novel therapeutics. The secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) is a matricellular glycoprotein which has been extensively associated with human breast cancer aggressiveness although the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Here, shRNA-mediated SPARC knockdown greatly reduced primary tumor growth and completely abolished lung colonization of murine 4T1 and LM3 breast malignant cells implanted in syngeneic BALB/c mice. A comprehensive study including global transcriptomic analysis followed by biological validations confirmed that SPARC induces primary tumor growth by enhancing cell cycle and by promoting a COX-2-mediated expansion of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC). The role of SPARC in metastasis involved a COX-2-independent enhancement of cell disengagement from the primary tumor and adherence to the lungs that fostered metastasis implantation. Interestingly, SPARC-driven gene expression signatures obtained from these murine models predicted the clinical outcome of patients with HER2-enriched breast cancer subtypes. In total, the results reveal that SPARC and its downstream effectors are attractive targets for antimetastatic therapies in breast cancer.Implications: These findings shed light on the prometastatic role of SPARC, a key protein expressed by breast cancer cells and surrounding stroma, with important consequences for disease outcome. Mol Cancer Res; 15(3); 304-16. ©2016 AACR.
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Güttlein LN, Benedetti LG, Spallanzani RG, Rotondaro C, Raffo Iraolagoitia XL, Sganga L, Salvatierra E, Llera AS, Zwirner NW, Podhajcer OL. Abstract 4140: Secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) promotes mammary tumor growth and dissemination through immune and non-immune mediated mechanisms. Cancer Res 2016. [DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.am2016-4140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Secreted protein and rich in cysteine (SPARC) is a matricellular glycoprotein which has been extensively associated with breast cancer progression, both in human tumors and in experimental models. However, the molecular mechanisms responsible for this effect are still unclear in particular because most studies were performed in immunocompromised nude mice. We undertook a comprehensive study of SPARC role in this disease by using the highly metastatic and poorly immunogenic 4T1 and LM3 mammary tumor cells syngeneic in Balb/c mice. Knock down of SPARC expression using a targeted shRNA in both cell lines greatly reduced primary tumor growth and completely obliterated the establishment of metastatic foci in lung. We performed global gene expression analysis comparing primary tumors and metastatic foci of control 4T1 cells with those arisen from shRNA-treated, SPARC-deficient 4T1 cells. From these studies, a potential role of the inflammatory/immune response in controlling tumor evasion and metastasis, more specifically through genes associated with the prostaglandin pathway, was suggested. As we explored this hypothesis, we observed that knock down of SPARC expression in 4T1 3D spheroids, but not in 2D monolayers, downregulated COX-2 mRNA and protein levels. Moreover, exogenous addition of SPARC in SPARC-deficient spheroids of 4T1 and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells increased COX-2 expression. Interestingly, the re-expression of COX-2 in SPARC-deficient 4T1 cells partially restored the in vivo primary tumor growth with no effect on the establishment of metastatic foci. COX-2 plays an important role in inducing myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs, CD11b+Gr-1+ cells), which promotes breast cancer outgrowth through immunosuppression. Flow cytometry analyses demonstrated that SPARC-deficient 4T1 tumor-bearing mice exhibited reduced levels of CD11b+Gr-1+ cells compared to control 4T1 tumor-bearing mice in the spleen (6,9±3,2 vs. 25,3±2,0 p<0,001), lungs (0,7±0,2 vs. 6,2±0,9 p<0,001) and bone marrow (48,0±6,4% vs. 62,1±5,3 p>0,05). COX-2 re-expression restored systemic MDSCs expansion in SPARC-deficient 4T1 tumor-bearing mice. The present data suggest that COX-2 expression is under SPARC control in breast cancer cells; moreover, COX-2 could mediate SPARC effects on tumor evasion from immune surveillance.
Citation Format: Leandro N. Güttlein, Lorena G. Benedetti, Raúl G. Spallanzani, Cecilia Rotondaro, Ximena L. Raffo Iraolagoitia, Leonardo Sganga, Edgardo Salvatierra, Andrea S. Llera, Norberto W. Zwirner, Osvaldo L. Podhajcer. Secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) promotes mammary tumor growth and dissemination through immune and non-immune mediated mechanisms. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 4140.
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Weber HL, Gidekel M, Werbajh S, Salvatierra E, Rotondaro C, Sganga L, Haab GA, Curiel DT, Cafferata EG, Podhajcer OL. A Novel CDC25B Promoter-Based Oncolytic Adenovirus Inhibited Growth of Orthotopic Human Pancreatic Tumors in Different Preclinical Models. Clin Cancer Res 2015; 21:1665-74. [PMID: 25573380 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-14-2316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2014] [Accepted: 12/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE We decided to construct a novel oncolytic adenovirus whose replication was driven by the CDC25B promoter for its use in preclinical models of pancreatic cancer. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We placed the essential E1A gene under control of the CDC25B promoter. Based on preliminary data, we pseudotyped the adenovirus with a chimeric fiber of serotypes 5/3. We investigated the in vitro lytic effect and the in vivo therapeutic efficacy in combination with gemcitabine on human pancreatic tumor xenografts orthotopically growing in nude mice and in tumors growing in Syrian hamsters. We also assessed biochemical markers of hepatic toxicity and CA19.9 levels. RESULTS AV25CDC exhibited a strong in vitro lytic effect on pancreatic cancer cells. In vivo administration of AV25CDC combined with gemcitabine in mice harboring subcutaneously growing SW1990 pancreatic tumors almost abrogated tumor growth. Nude mice harboring 15-day-old orthotopic tumors, treated intratumorally or systemically with AV25CDC combined with gemcitabine, exhibited 70% to 80% reduction in tumor size compared with control mice that lasted for at least 60 days. Chemovirotherapy treatment induced a return to normal levels of biochemical parameters of hepatic toxicity; these mice exhibited more than 90% reduction in CA19.9 serum levels compared with control. Chemovirotherapy efficacy was confirmed in mice harboring Mia PaCa-2 tumors and in Syrian hamster harboring HaP-T1 tumors. We observed that viral treatment disrupted tumor architecture and induced an increase in MMP-9 activity that might facilitate gemcitabine penetrability. CONCLUSION These data demonstrate that AV25CDC is an effective oncolytic agent candidate for pancreatic cancer chemovirotherapy combination.
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Galeano P, Martino Adami PV, Do Carmo S, Blanco E, Rotondaro C, Capani F, Castaño EM, Cuello AC, Morelli L. Longitudinal analysis of the behavioral phenotype in a novel transgenic rat model of early stages of Alzheimer's disease. Front Behav Neurosci 2014; 8:321. [PMID: 25278855 PMCID: PMC4165352 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2014] [Accepted: 08/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Intraneuronal accumulation of amyloid β (iAβ) has been linked to mild cognitive impairment that may precede Alzheimer's disease (AD) onset. This neuropathological trait was recently mimicked in a novel animal model of AD, the hemizygous transgenic McGill-R-Thy1-APP (Tg+/−) rat. The characterization of the behavioral phenotypes in this animal model could provide a baseline of efficacy for earlier therapeutic interventions. The aim of the present study was to undertake a longitudinal study of Aβ accumulation and a comprehensive behavioral evaluation of this transgenic rat model. We assessed exploratory activity, anxiety-related behaviors, recognition memory, working memory, spatial learning and reference memory at 3, 6, and 12 months of age. In parallel, we measured Aβ by ELISA, Western blots and semiquantitative immunohistochemistry in hippocampal samples. SDS-soluble Aβ peptide accumulated at low levels (~9 pg/mg) without differences among ages. However, Western blots showed SDS-resistant Aβ oligomers (~30 kDa) at 6 and 12 months, but not at 3 months. When compared to wild-type (WT), male Tg+/− rats exhibited a spatial reference memory deficit in the Morris Water Maze (MWM) as early as 3 months of age, which persisted at 6 and 12 months. In addition, Tg+/− rats displayed a working memory impairment in the Y-maze and higher anxiety levels in the Open Field (OF) at 6 and 12 months of age, but not at 3 months. Exploratory activity in the OF was similar to that of WT at all-time points. Spatial learning in the MWM and the recognition memory, as assessed by the Novel Object Recognition Test, were unimpaired at any time point. The data from the present study demonstrate that the hemizygous transgenic McGill-R-Thy1-APP rat has a wide array of behavioral and cognitive impairments from young adulthood to middle-age. The low Aβ burden and early emotional and cognitive deficits in this transgenic rat model supports its potential use for drug discovery purposes in early AD.
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Marcora MS, Fernández-Gamba AC, Avendaño LA, Rotondaro C, Podhajcer OL, Vidal R, Morelli L, Ceriani MF, Castaño EM. Amyloid peptides ABri and ADan show differential neurotoxicity in transgenic Drosophila models of familial British and Danish dementia. Mol Neurodegener 2014; 9:5. [PMID: 24405716 PMCID: PMC3898387 DOI: 10.1186/1750-1326-9-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2013] [Accepted: 12/29/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Familial British and Familial Danish dementias (FBD and FDD, respectively) are associated with mutations in the BRI2 gene. Processing of the mutated BRI2 protein leads to the accumulation in the brain of the 34-mer amyloid Bri (ABri) and amyloid Dan (ADan) peptides, accompanied by neurofibrillary tangles. Recently, transgenic mice successfully reproduced different aspects of FDD, while modeling of FBD in vivo has been more difficult. In this work we have modeled FBD and FDD in Drosophila and tested the hypothesis that ABri and ADan are differentially neurotoxic. Results By using site-directed insertion, we generated transgenic lines carrying ABri, ADan, Bri2-23 (the normal product of wild-type BRI2 processing) and amyloid-β (Aβ) 1–42 as a well-characterized neurotoxic peptide, alone or with a His-tag. Therefore, we avoided random insertion effects and were able to compare levels of accumulation accurately. Peptides were expressed with the GAL4-Upstream Activating Sequence (UAS) system using specific drivers. Despite low levels of expression, toxicity in the eye was characterized by mild disorganization of ommatidia and amyloid peptides accumulation. The highest toxicity was seen for ADan, followed by Aβ42 and ABri. Pan-neuronal expression in the CNS revealed an age-dependent toxicity of amyloid peptides as determined by the ability of flies to climb in a geotaxis paradigm when compared to Bri2-23. This effect was stronger for ADan, detected at 7 days post-eclosion, and followed by ABri and Aβ42, whose toxicity became evident after 15 and 21 days, respectively. Histological analysis showed mild vacuolization and thioflavine-S-negative deposits of amyloid peptides. In contrast, the over-expression of amyloid peptides in the specific subset of lateral neurons that control circadian locomotor activity showed no toxicity. Conclusions Our results support the differential neurotoxicity of ADan and ABri in the Drosophila eye and CNS at low expression levels. Such differences may be partially attributed to rates of aggregation and accumulation. In the CNS, both peptides appear to be more neurotoxic than wild-type Aβ42. These Drosophila models will allow a systematic and unambiguous comparison of differences and similarities in the mechanisms of toxicity of diverse amyloid peptides associated with dementia.
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Viale DL, Cafferata EG, Gould D, Rotondaro C, Chernajovsky Y, Curiel DT, Podhajcer OL, Veronica Lopez M. Therapeutic improvement of a stroma-targeted CRAd by incorporating motives responsive to the melanoma microenvironment. J Invest Dermatol 2013; 133:2576-2584. [PMID: 23604101 DOI: 10.1038/jid.2013.191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2012] [Revised: 02/27/2013] [Accepted: 03/21/2013] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
We have previously designed a conditionally replicative oncolytic adenovirus (CRAd) named Ad-F512 that can target both the stromal and the malignant melanoma cell compartments. The replication capacity of this CRAd is driven by a 0.5-Kb SPARC promoter fragment (named F512). To improve CRAd's efficacy, we cloned into F512 motives responsive to hypoxia (hypoxia-responsive element (HRE)) and inflammation (nuclear factor kappa B) to obtain a chimeric promoter named κBF512HRE. Using luciferase as a reporter gene, we observed 10-15-fold increased activity under hypoxia and 10-80-fold induction upon tumor necrosis factor-α addition. We next constructed a CRAd (Ad-κBF512HRE) where E1A activity was under κBF512HRE regulation. Treatment of nude mice harboring established tumors made of a mix of SB2 melanoma cells and WI-38 fibroblasts with Ad-κBF512HRE led to the complete elimination of tumors in 100% of mice (8/8). Moreover, Ad-5/3-κBF512HRE, a viral variant pseudotyped with a chimeric 5/3 fiber, exerted a strong lytic effect on CAR-negative melanoma cells and was highly effective in vivo on established tumors made of melanoma cells and WI-38 fibroblasts, leading to the complete elimination of 4/5 tumors. These results indicate that this improved stroma-targeted oncolytic adenovirus can override the resistance of melanoma tumors and might become of significant importance for melanoma therapeutics.
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