Infectivity enhanced, cyclooxygenase-2 promoter-based conditionally replicative adenovirus for pancreatic cancer

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive human malignancies. Conditionally replicative adenoviruses (CRAds) have shown some promise in the treatment of cancers. However, to date, their application for pancreatic cancer has met several obstacles: one is lack of a good control element to regulate replication, and the other is relatively low adenoviral infectivity. Thus, we constructed infectivity enhanced cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 promoter-based CRAds to develop a safe and effective therapeutic modality. METHODS: The CRAds were designed to achieve COX-2 promoter-controlled E1 expression for regulated replication (COX-2 CRAds). The infectivity-enhanced CRAds also have an RGD-4C motif in the adenoviral fiber-knob region. The selectivity and efficacy of these constructs were analyzed with cell lines in vitro. The in vivo therapeutic effect and viral replication were analyzed with a xenograft model. Pathology of the major organs and E1 RNA levels in the liver were also studied after systemic administration. RESULTS: The COX-2 CRAds showed a selective cytocidal effect in vitro in COX-2-positive cells and killed most of the pancreatic cancer cells. In vivo, intratumoral administration of the infectivity-enhanced COX-2 CRAds (10(9) particles) showed a strong antitumor effect comparable to wild-type virus, whereas the COX-2 CRAds without infectivity enhancement showed a limited effect. Viral replication was confirmed in the xenograft tumors. Systemic administration did not cause any detectable toxicity; the E1 RNA level in the liver after COX-2 CRAd administration was minimal. CONCLUSIONS: Infectivity-enhanced COX-2 CRAd is a promising agent for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.     

Gene therapy and virotherapy of gastric cancer: preclinical results and clinical developments

Despite advances in current treatment modalities, the clinical outcome of gastric cancer remains dismal. New treatment modalities are urgently required to improve the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer. Cancer gene therapy and virotherapy comprise a potential category of new therapeutics and will be discussed in this review. To date, various gene therapy strategies have been developed, but first clinical trials reported only limited therapeutic efficacy as a result of limited gene transfer efficiency. Consequently, targeted viral vectors for enhanced delivery of transgenes to tumor cells and replicative viral systems designed to replicate selectively in malignant tissue were developed. Replication-selective oncolytic viral vectors have the advantage over non-replicative systems to cause pronounced bystander effect via self-perpetuating infection of adjacent cells after cytolysis of primary targeted cells. So far, clinical studies on virotherapy showed encouraging results; especially promising are combinations of virotherapy with current modes of treatment like chemo- and radiotherapy, or insertion of therapeutic genes in the viral genome such as combination with enzyme-prodrug therapy. Further research aiming to enhance anti-tumor efficacy and to improve selectivity of infection and replication, will eventually lead to full realization of the therapeutic potential of (replicating) viral vector systems for gastric cancer.     

Serotype chimeric human adenoviruses for cancer gene therapy

Cancer gene therapy consists of numerous approaches where the common denominator is utilization of vectors for achieving therapeutic effect. A particularly potent embodiment of the approach is virotherapy, in which the replication potential of an oncolytic virus is directed towards tumor cells to cause lysis, while normal cells are spared. Importantly, the therapeutic effect of the initial viral load is amplified through viral replication cycles and production of progeny virions. All cancer gene therapy approaches rely on a sufficient level of delivery of the anticancer agent into target cells. Thus, enhancement of delivery to target cells, and reduction of delivery to non-target cells, in an approach called transductional targeting, is attractive. Both genetic and non-genetic retargeting strategies have been utilized. However, in the context of oncolytic viruses, it is beneficial to have the specific modification included in progeny virions and hence genetic modification may be preferable. Serotype chimerism utilizes serotype specific differences in receptor usage, liver tropism and seroprevalence in order to gain enhanced infection of target tissue. This review will focus on serotype chimeric adenoviruses for cancer gene therapy applications.     

Adenoviral producer cells

Adenovirus (Ad) vectors, in particular those of the serotype 5, are highly attractive for a wide range of gene therapy, vaccine and virotherapy applications (as discussed in further detail in this issue). Wild type Ad5 virus can replicate in numerous tissue types but to use Ad vectors for therapeutic purposes the viral genome requires modification. In particular, if the viral genome is modified in such a way that the viral life cycle is interfered with, a specific producer cell line is required to provide trans-complementation to overcome the modification and allow viral production. This can occur in two ways; use of a producer cell line that contains specific adenoviral sequences incorporated into the cell genome to trans-complement, or use of a producer cell line that naturally complements for the modified Ad vector genome. This review concentrates on producer cell lines that complement non-replicating adenoviral vectors, starting with the historical HEK293 cell line developed in 1977 for first generation Ad vectors. In addition the problem of replication-competent adenovirus (RCA) contamination in viral preparations from HEK293 cells is addressed leading to the development of alternate cell lines. Furthermore novel cell lines for more complex Ad vectors and alternate serotype Ad vectors are discussed.     

DR4和DR5在人胃癌细胞系中的表达及其启动子区甲基化水平

目的探讨DR4和DR5在胃癌发病中的作用及分子机制,为胃癌治疗提供新思路。方法分别采用RT-PCR、Western blot和甲基化特异性-PCR（MS-PCR）检测四种胃癌细胞株（AGS、SGC7901、MKN28、MGC803）内DR4和DR5 mRNA表达水平、蛋白表达水平及启动子区甲基化水平,同时以自胃溃疡患者切除胃黏膜分离的细胞为对照。结果除MGC803细胞DR5外,余胃癌细胞中DR4、DR5 mRNA及蛋白表达水平均显著低于胃溃疡细胞（P均〈0.05）,且其启动子区有高甲基化现象。结论 DR4和DR5表达水平降低在胃癌发病中具有重要作用,其分子机制可能为启动子区高甲基化。     

Immunohistochemical analysis of cyclooxygenase-2 expression in pancreatic tumors

Summary Background A considerable amount of evidence collected from several experimental systems and clinical studies with nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) indicates that Cox-2 may play a major role in colorectal tumorigenesis, but little information about Cox-2 expression in pancreatic tumors is available. In this study, we investigated Cox-2 expression by means of both immunohistochemical analysis and immunoblot analysis in pancreatic tumors. Methods Fifty invasive ductal adenocarcinomas and 26 intraductal papillary-mucinous tumors (IPMTs) were used for immunohistochemical analysis, and five pancreatic cancer tissues and five pancreatic cancer cell lines for immunoblot analysis. Results Cox-2 was expressed in 72% of the invasive ductal adenocarcinomas, 31% of intraductal papillary-mucinous adenocarcinomas, and none of intraductal papillary-mucinous adenomas. The expression rate of Cox-2 in intraductal papillary-mucinous adenocarcinomas was significantly higher than that in intraductal papillary-mucinous adenomas, and that in invasive ductal adenocarcinomas was significantly higher than that in intraductal papillary-mucinous carcinomas. However, there was no significant correlation between Cox-2 expression and the prognosis and clinicopathological factors. Immunoblot analysis identified Cox-2 in all of pancreatic cancer tissues and 60% of cell lines. Conclusion The biological role of cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) in carcinoma cells should be investigated with reference to the cancer progression of the pancreas.     

Immunohistochemical analysis of cyclooxygenase-2 expression in pancreatic tumors.

BACKGROUND: A considerable amount of evidence collected from several experimental systems and clinical studies with nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) indicates that Cox-2 may play a major role in colorectal tumorigenesis, but little information about Cox-2 expression in pancreatic tumors is available. In this study, we investigated Cox-2 expression by means of both immunohistochemical analysis and immunoblot analysis in pancreatic tumors. METHODS: Fifty invasive ductal adenocarcinomas and 26 intraductal papillary-mucinous tumors (IPMTs) were used for immunohistochemical analysis, and five pancreatic cancer tissues and five pancreatic cancer cell lines for immunoblot analysis. RESULTS: Cox-2 was expressed in 72% of the invasive ductal adenocarcinomas, 31% of intraductal papillary-mucinous adenocarcinomas, and none of intraductal papillary-mucinous adenomas. The expression rate of Cox-2 in intraductal papillary-mucinous adenocarcinomas was significantly higher than that in intraductal papillary-mucinous adenomas, and that in invasive ductal adenocarcinomas was significantly higher than that in intraductal papillary-mucinous carcinomas. However, there was no significant correlation between Cox-2 expression and the prognosis and clinicopathological factors. Immunoblot analysis identified Cox-2 in all of pancreatic cancer tissues and 60% of cell lines. CONCLUSION: The biological role of cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) in carcinoma cells should be investigated with reference to the cancer progression of the pancreas.     

核糖体蛋白L5在胃癌中的表达及功能

目的:探讨核糖体蛋白L5(ribosomal protein L5,RPL5) 在胃癌细胞中的表达及对胃癌细胞生长的影响．方法:Western blot检测RPL5在胃癌细胞系中的表达, 构建RPL5特异性siRNA载体,转染细胞,Western blot进行鉴定,MTT方法和流式细胞术检测转染细胞的生长变化．结果:RPL5在胃癌细胞系AGS、MKN45、SGC7901、 MGC803中的表达均明显强于在GES-1和正常胃黏膜上皮中的表达．成功构建RPL5特异siRNA载体U6- RPL5A和U6-RPL5B,转染AGS细胞,进行稳定筛选,发现U6-RPL5A能显著抑制RPL5的表达,其相应的细胞系AGS-U6-RPL5A的生长速度减慢．细胞周期检测结果显示AGS-U6-RPL5A细胞中处于增殖期的细胞减少了约5％．结论:对RPL5功能的进一步深入研究可能会有助于胃癌的诊断和治疗．     

Chimeric tick-borne encephalitis/dengue virus is attenuated in Ixodes scapularis ticks and Aedes aegypti mosquitoes

In an effort to derive an efficacious live attenuated vaccine against tick-borne encephalitis, we generated a chimeric virus bearing the structural protein genes of a Far Eastern subtype of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) on the genetic background of recombinant dengue 4 (DEN4) virus. Introduction of attenuating mutations into the TBEV envelope protein gene, as well as the DEN4 NS5 protein gene and 3' noncoding region in the chimeric genome, results in decreased neurovirulence and neuroinvasiveness in mice, and restricted replication in mouse brain. Since TBEV and DEN4 viruses are transmitted in nature by ticks and mosquitoes, respectively, it was of interest to investigate the infectivity of the chimeric virus for both arthropod vectors. Therefore, parental and chimeric viruses were tested for growth in mosquito and tick cells and for oral infection in vivo. Although all chimeric viruses demonstrated moderate levels of replication in C6/36 mosquito cells, they were unable to replicate in ISE6 tick cells. Further, the chimeric viruses were unable to infect or replicate in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and Ixodes scapularis tick larvae. The poor infectivity for both potential vectors reinforces the safety of chimeric virus-based vaccine candidates for the environment and for use in humans.     

Improving adenovirus based gene transfer: strategies to accomplish immune evasion

Adenovirus (Ad) based gene transfer vectors continue to be the platform of choice for an increasing number of clinical trials worldwide. In fact, within the last five years, the number of clinical trials that utilize Ad based vectors has doubled, indicating growing enthusiasm for the numerous positive characteristics of this gene transfer platform. For example, Ad vectors can be easily and relatively inexpensively produced to high titers in a cGMP compliant manner, can be stably stored and transported, and have a broad applicability for a wide range of clinical conditions, including both gene therapy and vaccine applications. Ad vector based gene transfer will become more useful as strategies to counteract innate and/or pre-existing adaptive immune responses to Ads are developed and confirmed to be efficacious. The approaches attempting to overcome these limitations can be divided into two broad categories: pre-emptive immune modulation of the host, and selective modification of the Ad vector itself. The first category of methods includes the use of immunosuppressive drugs or specific compounds to block important immune pathways, which are known to be induced by Ads. The second category comprises several innovative strategies inclusive of: (1) Ad-capsid-display of specific inhibitors or ligands; (2) covalent modifications of the entire Ad vector capsid moiety; (3) the use of tissue specific promoters and local administration routes; (4) the use of genome modified Ads; and (5) the development of chimeric or alternative serotype Ads. This review article will focus on both the promise and the limitations of each of these immune evasion strategies, and in the process delineate future directions in developing safer and more efficacious Ad-based gene transfer strategies.     

Enhancement of the cytocidal effects of hypotonic solution using a chloride channel blocker in pancreatic cancer cells

BackgroundTumor cells exfoliated during surgery for pancreatic cancer can cause peritoneal recurrence. Peritoneal lavage with distilled water has been performed during surgery, but there have been no systematic studies for its efficacy and no experimental data demonstrating the cytocidal effects of distilled water on pancreatic cancer cells. This study investigated the cytocidal effects of hypotonic shock and enhancement using chloride channel blocker in pancreatic cancer cells.MethodsThree human pancreatic cancer cell lines, KP4-1, PK-1, and PK45-H, were exposed to distilled water, and the resultant morphological changes were observed under a differential interference contrast microscope connected to a high-speed video camera. Analysis of cell volume changes was performed using a high-resolution flow cytometer. To investigate the cytocidal effects of water, re-incubation of cells was performed after exposure to hypotonic solution. Additionally, the effects of 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)-benzoic acid (NPPB), a Cl^? channel blocker, on cells during exposure to hypotonic solution were analyzed.ResultsVideo recordings demonstrated that hypotonic shock induced cell swelling followed by cell rupture. Measurement of cell volume changes indicated that severe hypotonicity increased broken fragments of cancer cells within 5 min. Re-incubation experiments demonstrated the cytocidal effects of hypotonic shock. In all cell lines, treatment with NPPB increased cell volume by inhibiting regulatory volume decreases, which are observed during hypotonic shock, and enhanced the cytocidal effects of hypotonic solution.ConclusionsThese findings support the efficacy of peritoneal lavage with distilled water for pancreatic cancer and suggest that regulation of Cl^? transport enhances the cytocidal effects of hypotonic shock.     

甲酰四氢叶酸钙调变5-氟脲嘧啶对胃癌原代细胞株增殖抑制效应

探讨甲酰四氢叶酸钙(CF)调变5-氟脲嘧啶(5-FU)对不同胃癌原代细胞株的增殖抑制效应。方法：采用原代细胞培养和四唑氮蓝(MTT)药物敏感试验，观察大剂量CF(相当于临床用药300mg／d)和5-FU(相当于临床用药750mg／d)单剂和联合应用对胃癌原代细胞的体外抑制作用。结果：体外对胃癌原代细胞株直接抑制作用，单剂CF为11．82％．单剂5．FU为42．25％：两者联台应用为44．54％．仅43％的胃癌原代细胞株显示CF对5．FU有一定的增效作用。结论：单剂CF对胃癌原代细胞仅有轻度抑制作用，联合应用大剂量CF和5-FU仅显示CF对部分细胞株5-FU的抑制作用有一定的增强效应，个体差异性较大，为确保CF的生化调节作用，避免其大剂量使用时毒副作用．建议用药前行MTT法药敏试验，以指导临床制订合理联台应用CF和5-FU的化疗方案。     

尼美舒利和5-氟尿嘧啶联用对胃癌细胞的协同抑制作用及机制

目的 体外研究选择性环氧合酶-2（COX-2）抑制剂尼美舒利和5-氯尿嘧啶（5-FU）对胃癌细胞的抑制作用及机制。方法 以胃癌细胞株MKN45、MKN28为研究对象．观察尼美舒利和5-FU单独或联合应用对细胞增殖、凋亡和细胞周期的影响。应用MTT法检测细胞增殖，流式细胞仪检测细胞凋亡（FITC-Annexin-V/PI双标记）和细胞剧期，RT-PCR观察朋药前后COX-2 mRNA在两株细胞中的表达，Western免疫印迹法观察经两种药物单独和联合作用48h后细胞内凋亡相关蛋白Bax和Bcl-2的表达。结果 在MKN45和MKN28细胞中均可观察到不同水平的COX-2 mRNA表达，尼美舒利和5FU联合应用可明显抑制COX-2 mRNA表达。尼美舒利可抑制两株细胞的增殖并诱导凋亡。尼美舒利和5-FU具有协同抑制细胞增殖及诱导凋亡的作用，该作用与两种药物作用顺序无关，但在联用时作用最强。两药协同抑制增殖的作用主要通过协同杀伤和诱导凋亡而实现。5-FU增强了凋亡诱导蛋白Bax的表达，而尼美舒利则减少凋亡抑制蛋白Bcl-2的表达。两药联用可明显抑制胃癌细胞株生长。结论 选择性环氧合酶-2抑制剂尼美舒利和5-FU通过抑制COX-2 mRNA的表达硬增强Bax／Bcl-2的表达比率诱导胃癌细胞凋亡．从而对胃癌细胞起到协同抑制增殖的作用。     

Room for improvement in the treatment of pancreatic cancer: Novel opportunities from gene targeted therapy

Pancreatic cancer is one of the highest and in fact, unchanged mortality-associated tumor, with an exceptionally low survival rate due to its challenging diagnostic approach. So far, its treatment is based on a combination of approaches (such as surgical resection with or rarely without chemotherapeutic agents), but with finite limits. Thus, looking for additional space to improve pancreatic tumorigenesis therapeutic approach, research has focused on gene therapy with unexpectedly growing horizons not only for the treatment of inoperable pancreatic disease, but also for its early stages. In vivo gene delivery viral vectors, despite few disadvantages (possible immunogenicity, toxicity, mutagenicity, or high cost), could be one of the most efficient cancer gene therapeutic strategies for clinical application due to their superiority compared with other systems (ex vivo delivery strategies). Their dominance consists of simple preparation, easy operation and a wide range of functions. Adenoviruses are one of the most common used vectors, inducing strong immune as well as inflammatory reactions. Oncolytic virotherapy, using the above mentioned in vivo viral vectors, is one of the most promising non-pathogenic, highly-selective cytotoxic anti-cancer therapy using anti-cancer agents with high anti-tumor potency and strong oncolytic effect. There have been a variety of targeted therapeutic and pre-clinical strategies tested for gene therapy in pancreatic cancer such as gene-editing systems (e.g., clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats-Cas9), RNA interference technology (e.g., microRNAs, short hairpin RNA or small interfering RNA), adoptive immunotherapy and vaccination (e.g., chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy) with encouraging results.     

Additive inhibition of colorectal cancer cell lines by aspirin and bortezomib

Purpose  

To investigate the effect of cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) inhibitor aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid, ASA) and proteasome inhibitor bortezomib in the proliferation and apoptosis of colorectal cancer cell lines.     

TRF2小干扰RNA载体的构建及表达

目的:构建TRF2小干扰RNA载体,观察其在胃癌细胞中的表达．方法:根据pSilencer3．1-H1载体要求设计两对小干扰RNA,退火后连接入载体相应位点．经双酶切及测序鉴定后分别转染多药耐药衍生胃癌细胞SGC7901／ADR和SGC7901/VCR． G418选择培养液培养2 mo选取转染组及对照组细胞克隆．MTT法检测转染对细胞生长增殖速度的影响．细胞用阿霉素和足叶乙甙处理 6h后Western blot法检测TRF2表达．结果:成功构建TRF2小干扰RNA载体,建立稳定转染细胞株,转染后TRF2表达明显降低,对细胞的生长增殖速度无明显影响(P>0．05)．结论:成功构建TRF2小干扰RNA载体及稳定转染细胞株．     

MYO5B Is Epigenetically Silenced and Associated with MET Signaling in Human Gastric Cancer

Background

Our previous study has shown that MYO5B is downregulated in gastric cancer. However, the mechanism by which the expression of MYO5B was inhibited remains unknown.

Methods

Inspection of the human MYO5B locus uncovered a large and dense CpG island within the 5′ region of this gene. Methylation-specific PCR (MSP) and bisulfite sequencing (BSP) were used for determination of MYO5B promoter methylation in gastric cancer cell lines and gastric cancer samples. Involvement of histone H3 methylation in those cell lines were examined by ChIP assay.

Results

The densely methylated MYO5B promoter region was confirmed by MSP and BSP. Enhanced gene expression was detected when the cells were treated with the DNA-demethylating agent 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (DAC) and trichostatin A (TSA), a histone deacetylase inhibitor. Knockdown of MYO5B expression in gastric cancer cells expressing endogenous MYO5B inhibits HGF-stimulated MET degradation, concomitant with sustained c-MET levels and signaling.

Conclusion

The results of our study showed for the first time that MYO5B is epigenetically silenced in gastric cancer cells by aberrant DNA methylation and histone modification. Inactivation of MYO5B expression in gastric cancer cells expressing endogenous MYO5B inhibits HGF-stimulated MET degradation, concomitant with sustained c-MET levels and signaling.