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1.
Gene Ther ; 13(2): 127-37, 2006 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-16163381

ABSTRACT

A major limitation in cancer gene therapy, specifically gene-dependent enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT), is inefficient gene delivery and expression. The suicide gene cytosine deaminase (CD) and its substrate, 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC), have been extensively explored due to the inherent 'bystander' effect achieved through diffusion of the toxic metabolite 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). In this study, we aimed to enhance this 'bystander' effect by fusing the Saccharomyces cerevisiae CD to the HSV-1 tegument protein vp22, a novel translocating protein. Two constructs were created: one with vp22 fused to CD (vp22CD) and a second wherein a truncated vp22, lacking the necessary residues for trafficking, fused to CD (delvp22CD). The generated 9L stable lines exhibited similar growth rates, enzyme expression, CD activity, and sensitivity to 5-FC and 5-FU. However, mixed population colony formation assays demonstrated greater bystander effect with the vp22CD fusion as compared to delvp22CD. This enhancement was maintained in vivo where 9L tumors expressing 20 or 50% vp22CD exhibited increased growth delay compared to the respective delvp22CD tumors. Moreover, adenoviral transduction of established wild-type 9L tumors showed increased growth delay with vp22CD (Ad-EF_vp22CD) as compared to equivalent CD (Ad-EF_CD) transduced tumors. Finally, confirming the increased efficacy, (19)F magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) of vp22CD-expressing tumors demonstrated increased 5-FU levels as compared to tumors expressing the nontranslocating CD. These results together demonstrated that fusion of vp22 to CD resulted in CD translocation, which in turn amplified conversion of 5-FC to 5-FU in vivo and enhanced the therapeutic benefit of this GDEPT strategy.


Subject(s)
Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic/therapeutic use , Bystander Effect , Cytosine Deaminase/genetics , Fluorouracil/therapeutic use , Genetic Therapy/methods , Viral Structural Proteins/genetics , Adenoviridae/genetics , Animals , Cell Line , Cytosine Deaminase/analysis , Cytosine Deaminase/metabolism , Flucytosine/therapeutic use , Gene Fusion , Genetic Engineering , Humans , Immunohistochemistry/methods , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy , Male , Mice , Mice, Nude , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/enzymology , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/genetics , Transduction, Genetic/methods , Translocation, Genetic
2.
MAGMA ; 17(3-6): 249-59, 2004 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-15580371

ABSTRACT

The increasing development of novel targeted therapies for treating solid tumors has necessitated the development of technology to determine their efficacy in preclinical animal models. One such technology that can non-invasively quantify early changes in tumor cellularity as a result of an efficacious therapy is diffusion MRI. In this overview we present some theories as to the origin of diffusion changes as a result of tumor therapy, a robust methodology for acquisition of apparent diffusion coefficient maps and some applications of determining therapeutic efficacy in a variety therapeutic regimens and animal models.


Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use , Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods , Disease Models, Animal , Drug Evaluation, Preclinical/methods , Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted/methods , Neoplasms/diagnosis , Neoplasms/drug therapy , Animals , Neoplasms/classification , Prognosis , Treatment Outcome
3.
Eur J Cancer ; 38(16): 2147-56, 2002 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-12387840

ABSTRACT

Non-invasive assessment of antineoplastic response and correlation of the location, magnitude and duration of transgene expression in vivo would be particularly useful for evaluating cancer gene therapy protocols. This review presents selected examples of how magnetic resonance (MR) has been used to assess therapeutic efficacy by non-invasive quantitation of cell kill, to detect a therapeutic response prior to a change in tumour volume and to detect spatial heterogeneity of the tumour response and quantitate transgene expression. In addition, applications of the use of bioluminescence imaging (BLI) for the evaluation of treatment efficacy and in vivo transgene expression are also presented. These examples provide an overview of areas in which imaging of animal tumour models can contribute towards improving the evaluation of experimental therapeutic agents.


Subject(s)
Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods , Neoplasms/diagnosis , Research Design , Animals , Cell Death , Genetic Therapy/methods , Humans , Luminescent Measurements , Neoplasms/therapy , Transgenes/physiology , Treatment Outcome
4.
Gene Ther ; 9(13): 844-9, 2002 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-12080378

ABSTRACT

Colorectal cancer can metastasize to the liver, but remain liver confined for years. A critical step in developing treatments for intrahepatic cancer involves assessment in an orthotopic intrahepatic model. The purpose of this study was to develop a noninvasive intrahepatic tumor model to study the efficacy of 5-flucytosine/yeast cytosine deaminase (5FC/yCD)-based gene therapy for liver tumors. Luciferase expressing human colorectal carcinoma (HT-29luc) cells were generated by retroviral infection and implanted in the left liver lobe of nude mice. The bioluminescence was measured every week for a period of 1 month, then animals were killed and tumors were measured by calipers. After we found a correlation between photon counts and tumor size, animals were implanted with tumors composed of either 0%, 10%, or 100% yCD/HT-29luc cells, and treated with 5FC. Tumor bioluminescence was measured during treatment and tumor histology examined at the time of death. We found that 5FC caused significant regression of yCD expressing tumors. Furthermore, visible tumors at the time of death, which emitted little bioluminescence, contained little or no viable tumor. We then developed an adenoviral vector for yCD. Intraperitoneal administration of adenovirus containing yCD led to the production of yCD enzyme within intrahepatic tumors. These results suggest that (1) intrahepatic cancer responds to 5FC when cells express yCD; (2) the luciferin-luciferase system permits non-invasive real time imaging of viable intrahepatic cancer; and (3) this system can be used to carry out gene therapy experiments using yCD adenovirus.


Subject(s)
Flucytosine/therapeutic use , Genetic Therapy/methods , Liver Neoplasms/secondary , Liver Neoplasms/therapy , Nucleoside Deaminases/genetics , Prodrugs/administration & dosage , Adenoviridae/genetics , Animals , Colorectal Neoplasms/genetics , Colorectal Neoplasms/pathology , Colorectal Neoplasms/therapy , Cytosine Deaminase , Genetic Vectors/administration & dosage , Humans , Liver Neoplasms/pathology , Luciferases/genetics , Luminescent Measurements , Mice , Mice, Nude , Models, Animal , Neoplasm Transplantation , Tumor Cells, Cultured
5.
Exp Dermatol ; 10(3): 193-203, 2001 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-11380615

ABSTRACT

Specific proteolysis plays an important role in the terminal differentiation of keratinocytes in the epidermis and several types of proteases have been implicated in this process. The proprotein convertases (PCs) are a family of Ca2+-dependent serine proteases involved in processing and activation of several types of substrates. In this study we examined the expression and some potential substrates of PCs in epidermis. Four PCs are expressed in epidermis: furin, PACE4, PC5/6 and PC7/8. Furin is detected in two forms, either with or without the transmembrane domain, suggesting occurrence of post-translational cleavage to produce a soluble enzyme. In addition the furin active site has differential accessibility in the granular layer of the epidermis relative to the basal layer, whereas antibodies to the transmembrane domain stain both layers. These findings suggest that furin has access to different types of substrates in granular cells as opposed to basal cells. PC7/8, in contrast, is detected throughout the epidermis with antibodies to both the transmembrane and active site and no soluble form observed. A peptide PC inhibitor (dec-RVKR-CMK) inhibits cleavage of Notch-1, a receptor important in cell fate determination that is found throughout the epidermis. Profilaggrin, found in the granular layer, is specifically cleaved by furin and PACE4 in vitro at a site between the amino terminus and the first filaggrin repeat. This work suggests that the PCs play multiple roles during epidermal differentiation.


Subject(s)
Enzyme Precursors/metabolism , Epidermis/enzymology , Receptors, Cell Surface , Subtilisins/metabolism , Transcription Factors , Cells, Cultured , Enzyme Precursors/antagonists & inhibitors , Enzyme Precursors/genetics , Epidermal Cells , Filaggrin Proteins , Furin , Humans , Intermediate Filament Proteins/chemistry , Intermediate Filament Proteins/drug effects , Keratinocytes/enzymology , Membrane Proteins/antagonists & inhibitors , Proprotein Convertases , Protein Precursors/chemistry , Protein Precursors/drug effects , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , Receptor, Notch1 , Serine Endopeptidases/pharmacology , Substrate Specificity , Subtilisins/antagonists & inhibitors , Subtilisins/genetics , Subtilisins/pharmacology , Tissue Distribution
6.
Oncogene ; 20(2): 167-77, 2001 Jan 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-11313941

ABSTRACT

The ability to modulate the sensitivity of mammalian cells to ionizing radiation (IR) (e.g. using chemotherapeutics) is dependent on our understanding of the primary target and biochemical pathway that leads to IR-induced apoptosis. We demonstrate using a cell free assay that irradiation of mitochondria is a primary event that initiates IR-induced apoptosis. IR results in loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, opening of the permeability transition pore (PTP) and the release of cytochrome c (cyto c). Apaf-1 and ATP were required to initiate apoptosis upon release of cyto c from mitochondria. The importance of mitochondrial events in the initiation of IR-induced apoptosis was also supported by the observation that inhibition of caspase-9 by the over-expression of dominant negative mutants resulted in the inhibition of IR-induced apoptosis. In contrast, inhibition of caspase-8 had only a minor impact on IR-induced apoptosis. Over-expression of Bcl-X(L) inhibited the initiation of IR-induced apoptosis due to its ability to prevent the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, PTP opening and cytochrome c release. In a cell free assay for apoptosis, mitochondria as well as cytosol derived from Bcl-X(L) over-expressing cells were less efficient at supporting apoptosis in response to IR suggesting multiple roles for Bcl-X(L) in the regulation of apoptosis.


Subject(s)
Apoptosis/physiology , Apoptosis/radiation effects , Caspases/metabolism , Mitochondria/radiation effects , Adenosine Triphosphate/metabolism , Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones/pharmacology , Apoptosis/drug effects , Apoptotic Protease-Activating Factor 1 , Biological Transport , Caspase 8 , Caspase 9 , Caspase Inhibitors , Caspases/genetics , Cell Extracts/pharmacology , Cell Membrane/radiation effects , Cell Nucleus/drug effects , Cell Nucleus/radiation effects , Cell-Free System , Cyclosporine/pharmacology , Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors/pharmacology , Cytochrome c Group/metabolism , Cytosol/radiation effects , Electrons , Humans , Jurkat Cells/drug effects , Proteins/metabolism , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/genetics , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/metabolism , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/radiation effects , Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism , bcl-X Protein
7.
Clin Cancer Res ; 7(2): 314-9, 2001 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-11234886

ABSTRACT

The nucleoside analogue Gemcitabine [2',2'-difluoro-2'-deoxycytidine (dFdCyd)] is active against a wide variety of solid tumors and is a potent radiation sensitizer. Because apoptosis has been shown to be an important mechanism of cell death for many cancers, we wished to investigate the role of apoptosis in dFdCyd-mediated radiosensitization. We evaluated HT29 colon cancer cells, UMSCC-6 head and neck cancer cells, and A549 lung cancer cells, which differ substantially in the ability to undergo radiation-induced apoptosis. We hypothesized that if dFdCyd produced radiosensitization by potentiating preexisting death pathways, then only the apoptotic-prone HT29 cells would show a substantial increase in apoptosis when treated with the combination of dFdCyd and radiation and that UMSCC-6 cells and A549 cells would be radiosensitized through nonapoptotic mechanisms. We found that the radiosensitization of HT29 cells (enhancement ratio, 1.81 +/- 0.16) was accompanied by an increase in apoptosis and by caspase activation and that inhibition of this activation by the caspase inhibitor Z-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp-fluoromethylketone (DEVD) significantly decreased radiosensitization (to 1.36 +/- 0.24; P < 0.05). In contrast, UMSCC-6 cells and A549 cells were modestly radiosensitized (enhancement ratio, 1.47 +/- 0.24 and 1.31 +/- 0.04, respectively) via a nonapoptotic mechanism. These findings suggest that although apoptosis can contribute significantly to dFdCyd-mediated radiosensitization, the role of apoptosis in dFdCyd-mediated radiosensitization depends on the cell line rather than representing a general property of the drug.


Subject(s)
Apoptosis/radiation effects , Colonic Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Deoxycytidine/pharmacology , Head and Neck Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Lung Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Radiation-Sensitizing Agents/pharmacology , Caspase 3 , Caspase Inhibitors , Caspases/metabolism , Cell Survival/radiation effects , Cobalt Radioisotopes , Colonic Neoplasms/enzymology , Colonic Neoplasms/pathology , Coumarins/pharmacology , DNA Damage , DNA, Neoplasm/radiation effects , Deoxycytidine/analogs & derivatives , Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation , Electrophoresis, Gel, Pulsed-Field , Enzyme Activation/drug effects , Head and Neck Neoplasms/enzymology , Head and Neck Neoplasms/pathology , Humans , Lung Neoplasms/enzymology , Lung Neoplasms/pathology , Oligopeptides/pharmacology , Tumor Cells, Cultured/radiation effects , Gemcitabine
8.
J Biol Chem ; 276(6): 4205-10, 2001 Feb 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-11044452

ABSTRACT

We have shown previously that Bcl-XS causes acute cell death in 3T3 cells without activating caspases (Fridman, J. S., Benedict, M. A., and Maybaum, J. (1999) Cancer Res. 59, 5999-6004). In this study, we determined that the explanation for lack of caspase activation is the cellular depletion of cytochrome c. Electron microscopy revealed gross structural changes in the mitochondria of Bcl-XS-expressing cells; however, cytochrome c was not detected in cytosolic fractions from these cells. Surprisingly, it was determined that cellular cytochrome c levels decreased as Bcl-XS expression levels increased. Experiments performed to eliminate other possible explanations for the lack of caspase activation showed that these 3T3 cells have a functional cytoplasmic apoptosome, a complex of proteins that form a functional trigger capable of activating the proximal caspase in an apoptotic pathway Chinnaiyan, A. M. (1999) Neoplasia 1, 5-15, as cytosolic extracts from these cells were capable of cleaving pro-caspase-9. These cells were also able to release cytochrome c from their mitochondria after appropriate stimulation, other than Bcl-XS expression (i.e. withdrawal from serum for 24 h), and initiate a cell death that is inhibited by a dominant negative caspase-9. We conclude that lack of caspase activation is due to a Bcl-XS-induced depletion of active cytochrome c, a phenomenon that represents an alternative cell death effector pathway and/or a novel mechanism for regulating caspase activation.


Subject(s)
Cytochrome c Group/metabolism , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/metabolism , 3T3 Cells , Animals , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid , Mice , Microscopy, Electron , bcl-X Protein
9.
J Natl Cancer Inst ; 92(24): 2029-36, 2000 Dec 20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-11121466

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: A surrogate marker for treatment response that can be observed earlier than comparison of sequential magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, which depends on relatively slow changes in tumor volume, may improve survival of brain tumor patients by providing more time for secondary therapeutic interventions. Previous studies in animals with the use of diffusion MRI revealed rapid changes in tumor water diffusion values after successful therapeutic intervention. METHODS: The present study examined the sensitivity of diffusion MRI measurements in orthotopic rat brain tumors derived from implanted rat 9L glioma cells. The effectiveness of therapy for individual brain cancer patients was evaluated by measuring changes in tumor volume on neuroimaging studies conducted 6--8 weeks after the conclusion of a treatment cycle. RESULTS: Diffusion MRI could detect water diffusion changes in orthotopic 9L gliomas after doses of 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU or carmustine) that resulted in as little as 0.2 log cell kill, a measure of tumor cell death. Mean apparent diffusion coefficients in tumors were found to be correlated with and highly sensitive to changes in tumor cellularity (r =.78; two-sided P =.041). The feasibility of serial diffusion MRI in the clinical management of primary brain tumor patients was also demonstrated. Increased diffusion values could be detected in human brain tumors shortly after treatment initiation. The magnitude of the diffusion changes corresponded with clinical outcome. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that diffusion MRI will provide an early surrogate marker for quantification of treatment response in patients with brain tumors.


Subject(s)
Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism , Brain Neoplasms/pathology , Glioma/pathology , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Water/metabolism , Adolescent , Adult , Animals , Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating/administration & dosage , Brain Neoplasms/drug therapy , Brain Neoplasms/metabolism , Carmustine/administration & dosage , Diffusion , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Feasibility Studies , Female , Glioma/drug therapy , Glioma/metabolism , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods , Male , Rats , Sensitivity and Specificity , Time Factors , Treatment Outcome
10.
Cancer Res ; 60(23): 6649-55, 2000 Dec 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-11118048

ABSTRACT

The efficacy of cancer gene therapy using bacterial cytosine deaminase (bCD)/5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) enzyme/prodrug strategy is limited by the inefficiency of cytosine deaminase (CD)-catalyzed conversion of 5-FC into 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). We have shown previously that yeast CD (yCD) is more efficient at the conversion of 5-FC than bCD. In the current study, we hypothesized that the increased production of 5-FU by yCD would enhance the efficacy of the CD/5-FC treatment strategy by increasing the bystander effect as well as the efficacy of radiotherapy because of the radiosensitizing capacity of 5-FU. To test this hypothesis, we generated stable HT29 human colon cancer cell lines expressing either bCD (HT29/bCD) or yCD (HT29/yCD). The amount of 5-FU produced in HT29/yCD tumors after a single injection of 5-FC (1000 mg/kg, i.p.) was 15-fold higher than that produced in HT29/bCD tumors. In tumor-bearing nude mice, the average minimum relative tumor size (compared with pretreatment values) of HT29/bCD tumors treated with 5-FC and radiation (500 mg/kg i.p. and 3 Gy, 5 days a week for 2 weeks) was 0.55+/-0.1, compared with 0.01+/-0.01 in HT29/yCD tumors (P = 0.002). Moreover, an increased cytotoxic and radiosensitizing effect of 5-FC on bystander cells was observed in vitro and in vivo when yCD was expressed in HT29 cells instead of bCD. In mice bearing HT29 tumors containing 10% HT29/yCD cells, the combined treatment resulted in a minimum tumor size of 0.20+/-0.07 compared with 0.60+/-0.1 in 10% HT29/bCD cells (P < 0.001). These results demonstrate that the use of yCD in the CD/5-FC strategy has a high potential to improve the therapeutic outcome of combined gene therapy and radiotherapy in cancer patients.


Subject(s)
Flucytosine/pharmacology , HT29 Cells/drug effects , HT29 Cells/radiation effects , Nucleoside Deaminases/metabolism , Radiation-Sensitizing Agents/pharmacology , Animals , Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic/pharmacokinetics , Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic/pharmacology , Bacteria/enzymology , Biotransformation , Cytosine Deaminase , Female , Flucytosine/pharmacokinetics , Fluorouracil/pharmacokinetics , Fluorouracil/pharmacology , Genetic Therapy , HT29 Cells/enzymology , Humans , Mice , Mice, Nude , Nucleoside Deaminases/genetics , Prodrugs/pharmacokinetics , Radiation-Sensitizing Agents/pharmacokinetics , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/enzymology , Transduction, Genetic , Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
11.
Breast Cancer Res ; 2(4): 311-20, 2000.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-11056689

ABSTRACT

The fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR)2 gene has been shown to be amplified in 5-10% of breast cancer patients. A breast cancer cell line developed in our laboratory, SUM-52PE, was shown to have a 12-fold amplification of the FGFR2 gene, and FGFR2 message was found to be overexpressed 40-fold in SUM-52PE cells as compared with normal human mammary epithelial (HME) cells. Both human breast cancer (HBC) cell lines and HME cells expressed two FGFR2 isoforms, whereas SUM-52PE cells overexpressed those two isoforms, as well as several unique FGFR2 polypeptides. SUM-52PE cells expressed exclusively FGFR2-IIIb isoforms, which are high-affinity receptors for fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-1 and FGF-7. Differences were identified in the expression of the extracellular Ig-like domains, acid box and carboxyl termini, and several variants not previously reported were isolated from these cells.


Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/pathology , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic , Neoplasm Proteins/biosynthesis , Protein Isoforms/biosynthesis , Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/biosynthesis , Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor/biosynthesis , Tumor Cells, Cultured/metabolism , Alternative Splicing , Breast Neoplasms/genetics , Breast Neoplasms/metabolism , Cell Line , Cloning, Molecular , Exons/genetics , Female , Fibroblast Growth Factor 1 , Fibroblast Growth Factor 2/metabolism , Fibroblast Growth Factor 7 , Fibroblast Growth Factors/metabolism , Gene Amplification , Humans , Neoplasm Proteins/genetics , Protein Isoforms/genetics , RNA, Messenger/genetics , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , RNA, Neoplasm/genetics , RNA, Neoplasm/metabolism , Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/genetics , Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 2 , Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor/genetics , Recombinant Fusion Proteins/biosynthesis , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction , Substrate Specificity , Transfection
12.
Neoplasia ; 2(4): 346-56, 2000.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-11005569

ABSTRACT

The prolonged use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) has been shown to exert a chemopreventive effect in esophageal and other gastrointestinal tumors. The precise mechanism by which this occurs, however, is unknown. While the inhibition of COX-2 as a potential explanation for this chemopreventive effect has gained a great deal of support, there also exists evidence supporting the presence of cyclooxygenase-independent pathways through which NSAIDs may exert their effects. In this study, immunohistochemical analysis of 29 Barrett's epithelial samples and 60 esophageal adenocarcinomas demonstrated abundant expression of the COX-2 protein in Barrett's epithelium, but marked heterogeneity of expression in esophageal adenocarcinomas. The three esophageal adenocarcinoma cell lines, Flo-1, Bic-1, and Seg-1, also demonstrated varying expression patterns for COX-1 and COX-2. Indomethacin induced apoptosis in all three cell lines, however, in both a time- and dose-dependent manner. In Flo-1 cells, which expressed almost undetectable levels of COX-1 and COX-2, and in Seg-1, which expressed significant levels of COX-1 and COX-2, indomethacin caused upregulation of the pro-apoptotic protein Bax. The upregulation of Bax was accompanied by the translocation of mitochondrial cytochrome c to the cytoplasm, and activation of caspase 9. Pre-treatment of both cell lines with the specific caspase 9 inhibitor, z-LEHD-FMK, as well as the broad-spectrum caspase inhibitor, z-VAD-FMK, blocked the effect of indomethacin-induced apoptosis. These data demonstrate that induction of apoptosis by indomethacin in esophageal adenocarcinoma cells is associated with the upregulation of Bax expression and mitochondrial cytochrome c translocation, and does not correlate with the expression of COX-2. This may have important implications for identifying new therapeutic targets in this deadly disease.


Subject(s)
Adenocarcinoma/pathology , Apoptosis/physiology , Cytochrome c Group/metabolism , Esophageal Neoplasms/pathology , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects , Indomethacin/pharmacology , Mitochondria/metabolism , Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases/genetics , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 , Proto-Oncogene Proteins/genetics , Adenocarcinoma/genetics , Adenocarcinoma/metabolism , Apoptosis/drug effects , Barrett Esophagus/genetics , Barrett Esophagus/pathology , Cyclooxygenase 2 , Esophageal Neoplasms/genetics , Esophageal Neoplasms/metabolism , Esophagus , Humans , Isoenzymes/genetics , Kinetics , Membrane Proteins , Mitochondria/drug effects , Mucous Membrane/metabolism , Mucous Membrane/pathology , Protein Transport/drug effects , Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction , bcl-2-Associated X Protein
13.
Thromb Res ; 99(3): 267-76, 2000 Aug 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-10942793

ABSTRACT

Protease nexin-2/amyloid beta-protein precursor (PN-2/AbetaPP) and its Kunitz protease inhibitory (KPI) domain were characterized as inhibitors of factor VIIa (FVIIa) and factor VIIa-tissue factor complex (FVIIa-TF). PN-2/AbetaPP and KPI domain inhibited FVIIa with an apparent K(i) of 1.1+/-0.2x 10(-7) M and 1.5+/-0.1x10(-7) M, respectively. When soluble tissue factor (TF(1-219)) was present, there was increased FVIIa inhibition by PN-2/AbetaPP or KPI domain (K(i)=7.8+/-0.3x10(-8) M and 6.8+/-0.6x10(-8) M, respectively). When relipidated tissue factor (TF(1-243)) was present, the K(i) of FVIIa inhibition by PN-2/AbetaPP increased 4.7-fold further. PN-2/AbetaPP complexed with FVIIa, as shown on gel filtration and solid phase binding assay. The apparent second-order rate constant of inhibition of FVIIa by PN-2/AbetaPP in the absence of TF(1-219) was less than that of the FVIIa-TF(1-219) complex. Antithrombin in the absence of TF(1-219) also had a lower apparent second-order rate constant of inhibition than in its presence. In a mixture that included FVIIa, relipidated TF(1-243) and factor X, PN-2/AbetaPP or KPI domain had an IC(50) at 65 and 250 nM, respectively; antithrombin and heparin (1 U/mL) had an IC(50) of 12.8 nM. These data indicate that tissue factor promoted the inhibition of FVIIa by PN-2/AbetaPP or KPI domain, but antithrombin was a better inhibitor of soluble FVIIa-TF in extrinsic tenase.


Subject(s)
Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor/pharmacology , Carrier Proteins/pharmacology , Factor VIIa/antagonists & inhibitors , Thromboplastin/metabolism , Anticoagulants/pharmacology , Antithrombin III/pharmacology , Chromatography, Gel , Factor VIIa/metabolism , Factor X/metabolism , Heparin/pharmacology , Humans , Kinetics , Macromolecular Substances , Protease Nexins , Protein Structure, Tertiary , Receptors, Cell Surface , Solubility , Structure-Activity Relationship
14.
Gene Ther ; 7(12): 1005-10, 2000 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-10871748

ABSTRACT

Detection of a therapeutic response early in the course of cancer treatment, before tumor growth delay or regression, is not currently possible in experimental models or clinical medicine. New interim measures of therapeutic response would be particularly useful in the development of cancer chemosensitization gene therapy by facilitating optimization of gene transfer protocols and prodrug dosing schedules. Diffusion MRI is a sensitive technique producing quantitative and noninvasive images of the apparent mobility of water within a tissue. We investigated the utility of diffusion MRI for detecting early changes associated with a refined cytosine deaminase (CD)/5-fluorocytosine (5FC) chemosensitization gene therapy paradigm in orthotopic 9L gliomas stably expressing the recently cloned S. cerevisiae CD gene. Mean tumor diffusion increased 31% within 8 days of initiating 5-FC treatment, preceding tumor growth arrest and regression. Complete regression of the intracranial tumor was observed in four of five treated animals, and recurrent tumor in the remaining animal exhibited water diffusion behavior similar to primary, untreated tumors. These results demonstrate the efficacy of the yCD/5FC strategy for glioma and suggest that increased tumor water diffusion is an indicator of active therapeutic intervention.


Subject(s)
Brain Neoplasms/therapy , Genetic Therapy , Glioma/therapy , Nucleoside Deaminases/genetics , Animals , Antifungal Agents/therapeutic use , Brain Neoplasms/pathology , Cytosine Deaminase , Flucytosine/therapeutic use , Glioma/pathology , Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods , Male , Neoplasm Transplantation , Prodrugs/therapeutic use , Rats , Rats, Inbred F344 , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/enzymology , Treatment Outcome , Tumor Cells, Cultured
15.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A ; 97(4): 1754-9, 2000 Feb 15.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-10677530

ABSTRACT

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a potent endogenous activator of the cell death pathway and functions by activating the cell surface death receptors 4 and 5 (DR4 and DR5). TRAIL is nontoxic in vivo and preferentially kills neoplastically transformed cells over normal cells by an undefined mechanism. Radiotherapy is a common treatment for breast cancer as well as many other cancers. Here we demonstrate that ionizing radiation can sensitize breast carcinoma cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis. This synergistic effect is p53-dependent and may be the result of radiation-induced up-regulation of the TRAIL-receptor DR5. Importantly, TRAIL and ionizing radiation have a synergistic effect in the regression of established breast cancer xenografts. Changes in tumor cellularity and extracellular space were monitored in vivo by diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (diffusion MRI), a noninvasive technique to produce quantitative images of the apparent mobility of water within a tissue. Increased water mobility was observed in combined TRAIL- and radiation-treated tumors but not in tumors treated with TRAIL or radiation alone. Histological analysis confirmed the loss of cellularity and increased numbers of apoptotic cells in TRAIL- and radiation-treated tumors. Taken together, our results provide support for combining radiation with TRAIL to improve tumor eradication and suggest that efficacy of apoptosis-inducing cancer therapies may be monitored noninvasively, using diffusion MRI.


Subject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/drug therapy , Breast Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Membrane Glycoproteins/therapeutic use , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/therapeutic use , Animals , Apoptosis/drug effects , Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins , Cell Division/drug effects , Cell Division/radiation effects , DNA Fragmentation/drug effects , DNA Fragmentation/radiation effects , Female , Humans , In Situ Nick-End Labeling , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Membrane Glycoproteins/genetics , Mice , Mice, Inbred Strains , Neoplasm Transplantation , Radiation, Ionizing , Receptors, TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand , Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor/metabolism , Recombinant Proteins , TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand , Tumor Cells, Cultured , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/genetics
16.
Cancer Res ; 60(3): 657-65, 2000 Feb 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-10676650

ABSTRACT

Methotrexate (MTX) is one of the most commonly used agents in the treatment of solid malignancies; however, the toxicities of MTX to bone marrow and gastrointestinal tract complicate this therapy. We, therefore, propose a gene-dependent enzyme prodrug therapy to limit these toxicities by localizing the production of MTX to the site of the tumor. The combination of MTX-alpha-peptide prodrugs, which cannot be internalized by the cellular reduced folate carrier, with carboxypeptidase A (CPA), which can remove the blocking peptide, has been demonstrated previously in vitro using antibody-dependent enzyme prodrug therapy. CPA is normally synthesized as a zymogen that is inactive without proteolytic removal of its propeptide by trypsin. Therefore, to adapt this system to gene-dependent enzyme prodrug therapy, a mutant form of CPA was engineered, CPA(ST3), that does not require trypsin-dependent zymogen cleavage but is instead activated by ubiquitously expressed intracellular propeptidases. Purification, peptide sequencing, and kinetic analysis indicated that mature CPA(ST3) is structurally and functionally similar to the trypsin-activated, wild-type enzyme. In addition, CPA(ST3)-expressing tumors cells were sensitized to MTX prodrugs in a dose- and time-dependent manner. To limit diffusion of CPA, a cell surface localized form was generated by constructing a fusion protein between CPA(ST3) and the phosphatidylinositol linkage domain from decay accelerating factor. SDS-PAGE and flow cytometric analysis of infected tumor cells indicated that CPA(DAF) was cell surface localized. Finally, after retroviral transduction, this enzyme/prodrug strategy exhibited a potent bystander effect, even when <10% of the cells were transduced, because extracellular production of MTX sensitized both transduced and nontransduced cells.


Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology , Carboxypeptidases/physiology , Methotrexate/analogs & derivatives , Phenylalanine/analogs & derivatives , Prodrugs/pharmacology , Carboxypeptidases A , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/enzymology , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Enzyme Activation , Humans , Methotrexate/metabolism , Methotrexate/pharmacology , Phenylalanine/metabolism , Phenylalanine/pharmacology , Time Factors , Trypsin/pharmacology , Tumor Cells, Cultured
17.
Neoplasia ; 2(6): 491-5, 2000.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-11228541

ABSTRACT

Current assessment of orthotopic tumor models in animals utilizes survival as the primary therapeutic end point. In vivo bioluminescence imaging (BLI) is a sensitive imaging modality that is rapid and accessible, and may comprise an ideal tool for evaluating antineoplastic therapies. Using human tumor cell lines constitutively expressing luciferase, the kinetics of tumor growth and response to therapy have been assessed in intraperitoneal, and subcutaneous, and intravascular cancer models. However, use of this approach for evaluating orthotopic tumor models has not been demonstrated. In this report, the ability of BLI to noninvasively quantitate the growth and therapeutic-induced cell kill of orthotopic rat brain tumors derived from 9L gliosarcoma cells genetically engineered to stably express firefly luciferase (9LLuc) was investigated. Intracerebral tumor burden was monitored over time by quantitation of photon emission and tumor volume using a cryogenically cooled CCD camera and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), respectively. There was excellent correlation (r=0.91) between detected photons and tumor volume. A quantitative comparison of tumor cell kill determined from serial MRI volume measurements and BLI photon counts following 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU) treatment revealed that both imaging modalities yielded statistically similar cell kill values (P=.951). These results provide direct validation of BLI imaging as a powerful and quantitative tool for the assessment of antineoplastic therapies in living animals.


Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating/therapeutic use , Brain Neoplasms/drug therapy , Carmustine/therapeutic use , Firefly Luciferin , Gliosarcoma/drug therapy , Luminescent Measurements , Animals , Brain Neoplasms/diagnosis , Brain Neoplasms/genetics , Gene Expression , Gliosarcoma/diagnosis , Gliosarcoma/genetics , Luciferases/genetics , Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods , Male , Rats , Rats, Inbred F344 , Tumor Cells, Cultured
18.
Radiat Res ; 152(5): 499-507, 1999 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-10521927

ABSTRACT

In an effort to improve the therapeutic outcome for squamous cell cancer of the head and neck, we have used the enzyme cytosine deaminase (CD) and the prodrug 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) as a means to deliver the chemotherapeutic agent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in a tumor-specific manner and have evaluated the use of this treatment in combination with external-beam radiation. Infection of SCCVII cells in culture with a CD-expressing retrovirus and treatment with 5-FC was cytotoxic depending on the time of treatment and dose of 5-FC. An orthotopic model of squamous cell cancer of the head and neck was used in vivo to study the CD/5-FC system both alone and with concurrent radiation due to the radiosensitizing properties that 5-FU generates in situ. Treated mice were imaged using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and their survival was evaluated. Neither 5-FU nor radiation either alone or combined provided a survival advantage. In contrast, 5-FC treatment prolonged survival and decreased tumor burden compared to control animals, but the tumors recurred after the treatment ceased. Finally, combined treatment with concurrent administration of 5-FC and radiation resulted in a synergistic decrease in tumor growth and enhanced survival over treatment with 5-FC or radiation alone.


Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/therapy , Flucytosine/therapeutic use , Head and Neck Neoplasms/therapy , Nucleoside Deaminases/therapeutic use , Prodrugs/therapeutic use , Animals , Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic/therapeutic use , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/drug therapy , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/radiotherapy , Cell Division , Combined Modality Therapy , Cytosine Deaminase , Disease Models, Animal , Head and Neck Neoplasms/drug therapy , Head and Neck Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Mice , Retroviridae/genetics , Transduction, Genetic , Tumor Cells, Cultured
19.
Hum Gene Ther ; 10(12): 1993-2003, 1999 Aug 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-10466633

ABSTRACT

The use of cytosine deaminase (CD) in conjunction with 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) has been studied for cancer gene therapy as a means of achieving tumor-specific generation of the toxic metabolite 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Since 5-FC is frequently used as an antifungal agent, and because it has little or no efficacy as an antibacterial agent, we hypothesized that yeast CD (YCD) might be more efficient at utilizing 5-FC as a substrate and hence be a better choice for a CD/5-FC gene therapy strategy than the typically utilized bacterial CD (BCD). To that end Saccharomyces cerevisiae CD was cloned from yeast genomic DNA and expressed in vitro. Functional analysis of BCD and YCD expressed in COS-1 cells indicated that BCD and YCD both utilized cytosine with equal efficacy; however, 5-FC was an extremely poor substrate for BCD, with an apparent catalytic efficiency 280-fold lower than that observed for YCD. Retroviral infection of tumor cell lines in vitro indicated that the IC50 of 5-FC was 30-fold lower in YCD-infected cultures as compared with cultures infected with BCD retrovirus. In addition, when SCCVII murine squamous cell carcinoma cells were infected in vitro at low rates of infection (< or =10%) there was no significant cytotoxicity toward BCD-expressing cells while there was potent cytotoxicity to both YCD-expressing cells and "bystander cells" even at this low level of expression. Finally, stable BCD- or YCD-expressing SCCVII clones were developed and used in an orthotopic immune-competent model of head and neck cancer. Subsequent treatment with 5-FC followed by monitoring of tumor growth by noninvasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and survival of animals indicated a growth delay during the course of 5-FC treatment for BCD-expressing tumors, which quickly regrew at the end of treatment. In contrast, YCD-expressing tumors exhibited not only a growth delay, which was of longer duration, but also in some cases frank tumor regression and complete cures occurred.


Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/therapy , Genetic Therapy/methods , Head and Neck Neoplasms/therapy , Nucleoside Deaminases/genetics , Prodrugs/administration & dosage , Animals , Antifungal Agents/administration & dosage , COS Cells , Cytosine Deaminase , Escherichia coli/enzymology , Flucytosine/administration & dosage , Genetic Vectors , Mice , Retroviridae/genetics , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/enzymology , Tumor Cells, Cultured
20.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A ; 96(17): 9821-6, 1999 Aug 17.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-10449778

ABSTRACT

Analysis of transgene expression in vivo currently requires destructive and invasive molecular assays of tissue specimens. Noninvasive methodology for assessing the location, magnitude, and duration of transgene expression in vivo will facilitate subject-by-subject correlation of therapeutic outcomes with transgene expression and will be useful in vector development. Cytosine deaminase (CD) is a microbial gene undergoing clinical trials in gene-directed enzyme prodrug gene therapy. We hypothesized that in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy could be used to measure CD transgene expression in genetically modified tumors by directly observing the CD-catalyzed conversion of the 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) prodrug to the chemotherapeutic agent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). The feasibility of this approach is demonstrated in subcutaneous human colorectal carcinoma xenografts in nude mice by using yeast CD (yCD). A three-compartment model was used to analyze the metabolic fluxes of 5-FC and its metabolites. The rate constants for yCD-catalyzed prodrug conversion (k(1)(app)), 5-FU efflux from the observable tumor volume (k(2)(app)), and formation of cytotoxic fluorinated nucleotides from 5-FU (k(3)(app)) were 0.49 +/- 0.27 min(-1), 0.766 +/- 0.006 min(-1), and 0.0023 +/- 0.0007 min(-1), respectively. The best fits of the 5-FU concentration data assumed first-order kinetics, suggesting that yCD was not saturated in vivo in the presence of measured intratumoral 5-FC concentrations well above the in vitro K(m). These results demonstrate the feasibility of using magnetic resonance spectroscopy to noninvasively monitor therapeutic transgene expression in tumors. This capability provides an approach for measuring gene expression that will be useful in clinical gene therapy trials.


Subject(s)
Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic , Nucleoside Deaminases/genetics , Transgenes , Animals , Catalysis , Cytosine Deaminase , Flucytosine/metabolism , Fluorouracil/metabolism , Humans , Kinetics , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Mice , Transplantation, Heterologous , Tumor Cells, Cultured
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