Cooperation of Ras- and c-Myc-dependent pathways in regulating the growth and invasiveness of synovial fibroblasts in rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To study the specific contribution of MAP kinase activator c-Raf-1 and one of its downstream transcription factors, c-Myc, to the growth and invasive behavior of rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts (RASFs). METHODS: RASFs were transduced with retroviral constructs expressing dominant-negative mutants of c-Raf-1 or c-Myc (DN c-Raf-1 or DN c-Myc, respectively) or with the mock vector. The expression of wild-type and mutant proteins was confirmed by Western blotting. Growth curves of RASFs were recorded, and apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry. Invasiveness of RASFs was assessed in the SCID mouse model of RA. Immunohistochemistry was used to study the effects of DN c-Raf-1 on phosphorylated c-Jun and matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP-1) in RASFs implanted into SCID mice. The phosphorylation of ERK and JNK in DN c-Raf-1- and mock-transduced RASFs was determined in vitro by Western blotting. The levels of MMPs in these cells were measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: Neither DN c-Raf-1 alone nor DN c-Myc alone significantly altered proliferation or apoptosis of RASFs, but both mutants together rapidly induced apoptosis. Inhibition of c-Raf-1 or c-Myc significantly reduced the invasiveness of RASFs in the SCID mouse model. DN c-Raf-1 decreased the phosphorylation of ERK and JNK in vitro and reduced the in vivo expression of phosphorylated c-Jun as well as the expression of disease-relevant MMPs. As determined by quantitative PCR, the inhibition was most pronounced for MMP-1 and MMP-3. CONCLUSION: The data demonstrate that Ras- and c-Myc-dependent signaling events cooperate to regulate the growth and invasiveness of RASFs. Targeting of both c-Raf-1 and c-Myc may constitute an interesting therapeutic approach in RA.

Immunotherapy for murine K1735 melanoma: combinatorial use of recombinant adenovirus expressing CD40L and other immunomodulators.

We have constructed and tested five recombinant adenoviruses (Ads) that express a variety of immunomodulators, including CD40 ligand (CD40L), a potent costimulator of several components of the immune system. We demonstrate that CD40L expressed from Ad in K1735 mouse melanoma cells leads to a strong reduction in tumorigenicity and to efficient protective immunity in a vaccination setting. Subsequently, using a therapeutic approach, we found that local, intratumoral coinjection of CD40L- and IL-2-expressing Ads was superior to any other agents tested and resulted in an at least 1.9-fold increase in mean survival time, in contrast to systemic application of recombinant CD40L or GM-CSF proteins, which had no significant effects. When using vaccination as a therapeutic approach, the combinations of CD40L plus IL-2 or GM-CSF plus IL-2 from Ad gave rise to an extended (2.8-fold) increase in mean survival time. A detailed analysis of immune cells present within regressing tumors indicated that mainly CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, and to a lesser extent dendritic cells, infiltrated the tumor mass, but not NK cells, macrophages, or granulocytes. These results propose that a combination of CD40L plus IL-2 has an improved efficacy over the use of single agents when applied for direct in situ therapy or vaccination therapy.