Treatment of spontaneously arising retinoblastoma tumors in transgenic mice with an attenuated herpes simplex virus mutant.

The use of viruses to treat tumors has received renewed interest with the availability of genetically defined attenuated mutants. Herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1 in particular has been shown to be effective for tumors of neuronal origin. However, the model systems used for these studies rely on the use of explanted tumor cells in immunodeficient animals. We have used a recently developed transgenic mouse model, wherein mice spontaneously develop retinoblastomas, to determine if a mutant HSV has a therapeutic effect against an endogenously arising tumor in an immunocompetent host. The injection of 1 x 10(6) PFU of the neuroattenuated HSV-1/HSV-2 recombinant RE6 into the vitreous of transgenic mice resulted in a significant inhibition of tumor growth compared to injection of medium alone (P = 0.0063). Immunohistochemical analysis of viral antigen showed that viral replication was restricted to focal areas of the tumors and the retinal pigment epithelium. Viral growth was not significantly different in the eyes of transgene-positive and transgene-negative mice, suggesting that enhanced replication in tumor cells may not explain the effects. Tumor cells in the treated eyes were significantly less differentiated than those in the untreated eyes (P = 0.04), suggesting that the virus may replicate better in certain cell types in the tumors. Although the injection of RE6 resulted in a difference in tumor size, the treatment did not result in the elimination of tumors in any of the mice improvements in the efficacy of tumor control are needed if this therapy is to be of use.

The herpes simplex virus type 1 ribonucleotide reductase is required for acute retinal disease.

We have used a herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) ribonucleotide reductase (RR) null mutant (ICP6 delta) to determine if the HSV-1 RR is required for acute retinal disease. Injection of the ICP6 delta mutant into the vitreous induced mild transient signs of infection (vitreal infiltrate, retinal inflammation, and changes in retinal cytology). In contrast, the parental KOS and a revertant virus (ICP6 delta + 3.1) in which the RR gene had been restored, caused severe retinitis. Injection of media alone also induced mild transient signs of disease. Two months after infection, ICP6 delta injected eyes could not be distinguished from normal eyes. Repeated injection of ICP6 delta (3 times, 2 weeks apart) resulted in vitreal infiltrate near the site of injection but the retina did not appear damaged. The mutant, ICP6 delta, grew to peak titers 1 x 10(3) to 1 x 10(5)-fold lower and cleared faster than KOS or ICP6 delta + 3.1 in the injected eyes suggesting that the reduced virulence was due to reduced ability of the virus to grow. These results show that the viral RR is required for acute retinal disease.

Transcriptional up-regulation of gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase gene expression in melphalan-resistant human prostate carcinoma cells.

Tumor cell resistance to many chemotherapeutic agents, including alkylating agents, cisplatin, and doxorubicin, is frequently associated with increased intracellular levels of the nonprotein sulfhydryl glutathione (GSH). Recent evidence has demonstrated that increased GSH levels can be accompanied by an increase in the activity of gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (GCS), which catalyzes the rate-limiting step in de novo synthesis of GSH, and by an increase in the steady state level of mRNA for the catalytic subunit of GCS. Using melphalan-resistant DU 145/M4.5 human prostate carcinoma cells, which express elevated GSH levels, GCS enzyme activity, and GCS mRNA levels, we sought to determine the mechanism(s) responsible for the increased GCS mRNA expression. As determined by Northern analyses and RNase protection assays, the steady state level of GCS message in the resistant cells was increased 10-20-fold, in comparison with the drug-sensitive parent DU 145 cells. No significant difference in gene copy number or evidence of rearrangement was detected in the resistant cell line by Southern analyses. The GCS-specific mRNA isolated from the resistant cells was less stable than that isolated from the drug-sensitive cells (half-lives of 6 hr and 9 hr, respectively), indicating that this difference does not contribute to the increased steady state levels in the resistant cells. Nuclear run-on experiments revealed that the GCS transcription rate in the DU 145/M4.5 cells was increased approximately 12-fold, in comparison with that detected in the DU 145 cells. This difference in transcription rate was comparable in magnitude to the difference in steady state mRNA levels detectable in the two cell populations. Similar correlations between steady state GCS mRNA levels and transcription rates were also observed in other DU 145 lines expressing intermediate degrees of resistance to melphalan and correspondingly intermediate GCS mRNA elevations. These data suggest that GCS expression is transcriptionally regulated in these melphalan-resistant tumor cells.

Transforming growth factor-alpha production and autoinduction in a colorectal carcinoma cell line (DiFi) with an amplified epidermal growth factor receptor gene.

The DiFi colorectal carcinoma cell line, derived from a patient with familial adenomatous polyposis, was examined for gene expression and production of the autocrine growth factor transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha) and for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene expression and gene copy number. DiFi cells expressed TGF-alpha transcripts as identified on Northern (RNA) blots. Addition of TGF-alpha (10 ng/ml) or EGF (10 ng/ml) to DiFi cell cultures (lacking EGF or serum) up-regulated DiFi cell basal TGF-alpha mRNA levels, suggesting that autoinduction of TGF-alpha occurs in these cells. DiFi cell cultures in log phase growth secreted measurable amounts of TGF-alpha (347 pg/10(6) cells/24 h) into their culture medium, as determined by radioimmunoassay. DiFi cells showed strong overexpression of the EGFR gene on Northern blots relative to three other colon cancer cell lines examined. Immunoperoxidase staining showed enhanced EGFR expression in a cell subpopulation among the original (uncultured) ascitic fluid cells from which the DiFi cell line was established. This cell subpopulation was observed to expand dramatically between passages 1 and 25. Immune complex kinase assay of DiFi cells showed that EGFR were functional as determined by their ability to autophosphorylate. The EGFR gene in these cells was not found to be rearranged or genetically altered using Southern blot analysis. Dot blot analysis of DiFi cell DNA revealed EGFR gene amplification in the range of 60-80 copies/cell, which is approximately twice the copy number seen in A-431 epidermoid carcinoma cells. To our knowledge DiFi cells represent the first example of EGFR gene amplification in a colorectal adenocarcinoma. Because DiFi colorectal cancer cells uniquely show production and auto-induction of TGF-alpha in addition to amplification and overexpression of the EGFR gene, these cells represent a valuable tool for studying the role(s) of the EGFR in the regulation of tumor cell growth.

Characterization of the DiFi rectal carcinoma cell line derived from a familial adenomatous polyposis patient.

The DiFi human colorectal cancer cell line was recently established from a familial adenomatous polyposis patient with extracolonic features characteristic of the Gardner syndrome. These cells have now been propagated for 150 passages in standard culture media and vessels without feeder layers or collagen coatings. They retain features of colonic epithelial cells such as surface microvilli, secretory vesicles, and desmosomes. Cytosol of DiFi cells contains a high level (502 U/mg protein) of the mucin CA 19-9. In addition, DiFi cells produce carcinoembryonic antigen, and induce tumors in athymic mice. Cytoskeleton analysis of DiFi cells by fluorescence microscopy showed a pronounced disorganization of actin cable structure. The isozyme genetic signature of DiFi cells is unique (0.01 probability of finding the same genetic signature in a different cell line), differs from that of HeLa cells, and has expressional features seen in other colorectal cell lines. The DiFi cell karyotype is tetraploid, contains many marker chromosomes, and shows numerous episomal particles. Two copies of chromosome 18 were absent, and only a single normal chromosome 17 was found. This parallels detection of allelic losses from DiFi cell DNA at loci on chromosomes 17p and 18 using molecular (cDNA) probes. DiFi cells clearly express transcripts for the c-myc proto-oncogene, the c-myb proto-oncogene, and the p53 tumor suppressor gene. Transforming growth factor beta inhibits DiFi cell growth in soft agar and suppresses c-myc expression in these cells. The value of this cell line in the study of genetic alterations in colorectal cancer is discussed.

Activity of the human metallothionein promoter (hMT-IIA) in cell populations isolated from varying depths in multicell spheroids following exposure to cadmium.

In order to evaluate whether tumor microenvironment might influence the response of the metallothionein promoter to heavy-metal exposure, we transfected HT-29 colon carcinoma cells with the vector phMTIIA-CAT-neo, containing a fusion gene consisting of 426 bp of the human metallothionein-IIa (hMT-IIA) promoter immediately upstream of the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) gene. We grew one of the stable transfectants (clone 20) as three-dimensional multicell tumor spheroids, exposed them to CdCl2 and measured CAT expression in cells isolated from various depths into the spheroids. Cellular populations were isolated by flow cytometry on the basis of Hoescht 33342 fluorescence intensity, taking advantage of the dye's diffusion gradient to isolate cells from inner (dim) and outer (bright) regions of stained spheroids. When intact spheroids were incubated for 18 h in the presence of 5 microM CdCl2, CAT activity was induced in all cell fractions isolated from the spheroids, but induction was 10-fold greater in cells in the outermost fraction (fraction 10) than inner fraction (fraction 2). When spheroids were dissociated, sorted into individual fractions and then incubated with cadmium, CAT expression was maximized in all fractions. Exposure of intact spheroids to 30 microM CdCl2 resulted in increased CAT induction in cells isolated from the internal fractions of the spheroids. The data suggest that limited diffusion of cadmium through cells organized in a tissue-like arrangement may account for the lower levels of hMT-IIA promoter activity observed in cells collected from increasing depths into the spheroids.

Oncogene expression in adenocarcinomas of the colon and in colon tumor-derived cell lines.

Six colon cancer cell lines, 13 colon tumors and ten normal colon tissues were analyzed for RNA expression using probes for c-myc, c-k-ras, c-myb, and c-fos and for the p53, TGF-alpha, and EGF receptor genes. No aberrant transcripts were detected. Levels of expression in tumors ranged from two-fold below that of normal tissue when the v-fos probe was used to 10 fold above the normal level when the c-myc probe was used. Enhanced c-myc expression was also observed in the cell lines. Southern and DNA dot blot analyses revealed c-myc amplification in three of the six cell lines.