Gene delivery to breast cancer by incorporated EpCAM targeted DARPins into AAV2.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate an AAV vector that can selectively target breast cancer cells and to investigate its specificity and anti-tumor effects on breast cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo, offering a new therapeutic approach for the treatment of EpCAM-positive breast cancer. METHODS: In this study, a modified AAV2 viral vector was used, in which EpCAM-specific DARPin EC1 was fused to the VP2 protein of AAV2, creating a viral vector that can target breast cancer cells. The targeting ability and anti-tumor effects of this viral vector were evaluated through in vitro and in vivo experiments. RESULTS: The experimental results showed that the AAV2MEC1 virus could specifically infect EpCAM-positive breast cancer cells and accurately deliver the suicide gene HSV-TK to tumor tissue in mice, significantly inhibiting tumor growth. Compared to the traditional AAV2 viral vector, the AAV2MEC1 virus exhibited reduced accumulation in liver tissue and had no impact on tumor growth. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that AAV2MEC1 is a gene delivery vector capable of targeting breast cancer cells and achieving selective targeting in mice. The findings offer a potential gene delivery system and strategies for gene therapy targeting EpCAM-positive breast cancer and other tumor types.

Generation of the human induced pluripotent stem cell line PUMCi005-A from a patient with Perrault syndrome.

We generated PUMCi005-A, an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line, from dermal fibroblasts of a 32-year-old female Perrault syndrome patient with double heterozygous (794 G > A and 1181 G > A) mutations in the TWNK gene using Sendai viral delivery of OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, and c-MYC. The PUMCi005-A iPSC line carried the TWNK mutations, displayed typical iPSC morphology, expressed pluripotent stem cell markers, did not have integration of Sendai virus, and exhibited a normal karyotype and differentiation into three germ layers.

Generation and characterization of iPS cell line (CTGUi001-A) from skin fibroblasts of a patient with Fabry disease.

We have generated an iPSCs line (CTGUi001-A) from dermal fibroblasts of a 16-year-old male Fabry disease patient with a novel GLA gene mutation (c.156C > A) using Sendai virus encoding the four Yamanaka factors OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, and c-MYC. The CTGUi001-A iPSC line displayed typical embryonic stem cell-like morphology, carried the GLA gene mutation, expressed several pluripotent stem cell makers, retained normal karyotype (46, XY) and was capable of forming teratomas containing three germ layers.

Production and characterization of human induced pluripotent stem cell line (PUMCi002-A) from a Krabbe patient related control to study disease mechanisms associated with GALC mutation.

A KD-control human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) line (PUMCi002-A) was generated from dermal fibroblasts of a Krabbe patient's father with a c.461C>A mutation in Galactocerebrosidase (GALC) gene. The pluripotency, in vitro differentiation potential and karyotype stability of generated iPSC line were analyzed and confirmed. This cell line can be exploited as a control iPSC line to better understand the mechanisms involved in GALC-associated Krabbe disease and provide plausible new therapeutic directions.

Generation of a human induced pluripotent stem cell line PUMCi001-A from a patient with Krabbe disease.

We have generated PUMCi001-A, an induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) line from dermal fibroblasts of a 13-year-old male Krabbe disease patient with two hemizygous (461C > A and 1244G > A) mutations in Galactocerebrosidase (GALC) gene using a Sendai viral delivery of OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, and c-MYC. The PUMCi001-A iPSC line carried the GALC mutations, displayed typical iPSC morphology, expressed pluripotent stem cell makers, exhibited a normal karyotype and differentiation capacity into three germ layers.

Apoptotic Melanoma B16-F1 Cells Induced by Lidamycin Could Initiate the Antitumor Immune Response in BABL/c Mice.

In the process of tumor cell apoptosis induced by specific regents, calreticulin (CRT) was transferred from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) onto the cell membrane. These tumor cells, when used as the cellular vaccine to immunize experimental animals, could initiate effective antitumor immunoresponse against homologous tumor cells. This is referred to as immunogenic cell death. Lidamycin (LDM) is an enediyne antibiotic, which has extremely potent cytotoxicity to cancer cells. In this study, the mouse melanoma B16-F1 cancer cells were used to investigate the ability of LDM in promoting immunogenic cell death. Our data showed that LDM could induce apoptosis of B16-F1 cancer cells, accompanied by CRT translocation onto the cell membrane. These LDM-treated B16-F1 cells could be recognized and phagocytosed more efficiently by macrophage and dendritic cells. When the LDM-treated apoptotic B16-F1 cells were used as a whole-cell tumor vaccine to immune mice, the mice obtained resistance against rechallenged B16-F1 living cells. At the same time, the specific antitumor immune response was observed in these vaccinated mice. The splenocytes from the mice vaccinated with LDM-treated B16-F1 cells showed significantly enhanced NK lymphocyte activities and also faster growth rate and increased secretion of IFN-γ when encountering the cellular antigens from B16-F1 cells. All these results suggested that LDM could promote immunogenic cell death in B16-F1 cells, and these LDM-treated B16-F1 cells could be used as a sort of cell vaccine to initiate effective antitumor immunoresponse in mice.