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Prodrug activator gene therapy mediated by murine leukemia virus (MLV)-based retroviral replicating vectors (RRV) was previously shown to be highly effective in killing glioma cells both in culture and in vivo. To avoid receptor interference and enable dual vector co-infection with MLV-RRV, we have developed another RRV based on gibbon ape leukemia virus (GALV) that also shows robust replicative spread in a wide variety of tumor cells. We evaluated the potential of GALV-based RRV as a cancer therapeutic agent by incorporating yeast cytosine deaminase (CD) and E. coli nitroreductase (NTR) prodrug activator genes into the vector. The expression of CD and NTR genes from GALV-RRV achieved highly efficient delivery of these prodrug activator genes to RG-2 glioma cells, resulting in enhanced cytotoxicity after administering their respective prodrugs 5-fluorocytosine and CB1954 in vitro. In an immune-competent intracerebral RG-2 glioma model, GALV-mediated CD and NTR gene therapy both significantly suppressed tumor growth with CB1954 administration after a single injection of vector supernatant. However, NTR showed greater potency than CD, with control animals receiving GALV-NTR vector alone (i.e., without CB1954 prodrug) showing extensive tumor growth with a median survival time of 17.5 days, while animals receiving GALV-NTR and CB1954 showed significantly prolonged survival with a median survival time of 30 days. In conclusion, GALV-RRV enabled high-efficiency gene transfer and persistent expression of NTR, resulting in efficient cell killing, suppression of tumor growth, and prolonged survival upon CB1954 administration. This validates the use of therapeutic strategies employing this prodrug activator gene to arm GALV-RRV, and opens the door to the possibility of future combination gene therapy with CD-armed MLV-RRV, as the latter vector is currently being evaluated in clinical trials.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate functions of APOBEC3F gene in biological process of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and anti-tumor mechanisms of bufalin., Methods: Effect of APOBEC3F and bufalin on cell proliferation and migration abilities were evaluated by CCK-8, wounding healing tests and transwell assays in SK-Hep1 and Bel-7404 cells. Bioinformatic analysis were also used to compare APOBEC3F expression levels, detect coexpressed genes and enrichment of pathways., Results: APOBEC3F was overexpressed in tumor tissues compared to adjacent tissues in HCC patients. And, APOBEC3F promotes cell proliferation and migration in SK-Hep1 and Bel-7404 cells. Bufalin inhibits cell proliferation and migration and reduces APOBEC3F expression. GO and KEGG enrichment of APOBEC3F-coexpressed genes revealed that APOBEC3F might active intestinal immune network for IgA production signaling pathway, leading to malignant biological behaviors of HCC cells. Additionally, siAPOBEC3F could decrease pIgR, CCR9, CCR10 and CXCR4 protein levels. And, bufalin inhibits the pIgR, CCR9, CCR10 and CXCR4 protein expressions., Conclusions: Bufalin inhibits cell proliferation and migration of HCC cells via APOBEC3F induced intestinal immune network for IgA production signaling pathway., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Toca 511, a retroviral replicating vector (RRV) encoding the yeast cytosine deaminase (yCD) prodrug activator gene, which mediates conversion of the prodrug 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) to the anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), is currently being evaluated in Phase II/III clinical trials for glioma, and showing highly promising evidence of therapeutic activity. Here we evaluated RRV-mediated prodrug activator gene therapy as a new therapeutic approach for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). RRV spread rapidly and conferred significant cytotoxicity with prodrug in a panel of PDAC cells. Efficient intratumoral replication and complete inhibition of tumor growth upon 5-FC administration were observed in both immunodeficient and immunocompetent subcutaneous PDAC models. Biodistribution of RRV was highly restricted in normal tissues, especially in immunocompetent hosts. Tumor growth inhibition by Toca 511 followed by 5-FC was also confirmed in the orthotopic PDAC model. This study provides the first proof-of-concept for application of Toca 511 and Toca FC (extended release 5-FC) to the treatment of human PDAC, and provided support for inclusion of PDAC in a Phase I study evaluating Toca 511 in various systemic malignancies, (NCT02576665), which has recently been initiated.

Recent reports on various cancer models demonstrate a great potential of cytosine deaminase/5-fluorocytosine suicide system in cancer therapy. However, this approach has limited success and its application to patients has not reached the desirable clinical significance. Accordingly, the improvement of this suicide system is an actively developing trend in gene therapy. The purpose of this study was to explore the cytotoxic effect observed after co-expression of hepatitis A virus 3C protease (3C) and yeast cytosine deaminase/uracil phosphoribosyltransferase fusion protein (FCU1) in a bicistronic vector. A set of mono- and bicistronic plasmid constructs was generated to provide individual or combined expression of 3C and FCU1. The constructs were introduced into HEK293 and HeLa cells, and target protein synthesis as well as the effect of 5-fluorocytosine on cell death and the time course of the cytotoxic effect was studied. The obtained vectors provide for the synthesis of target proteins in human cells. The expression of the genes in a bicistronic construct provide for the cytotoxic effect comparable to that observed after the expression of genes in monocistronic constructs. At the same time, co-expression of FCU1 and 3C recapitulated their cytotoxic effects. The combined effect of the killer and suicide genes was studied for the first time on human cells in vitro. The integration of different gene therapy systems inducing cell death (FCU1 and 3C genes) in a bicistronic construct allowed us to demonstrate that it does not interfere with the cytotoxic effect of each of them. A combination of cytotoxic genes in multicistronic vectors can be used to develop pluripotent gene therapy agents.

Glycine betaine (GB), a compatible solute, effectively stabilizes the structure and function of macromolecules and enhances abiotic stress tolerance in plants. We generated transgenic poplar plants (Populus alba × Populus glandulosa) expressing a bacterial choline oxidase (codA) gene under the control of the oxidative stress-inducible SWPA2 promoter (referred to as SC plants). Among the 13 SC plants generated, three lines (SC4, SC14 and SC21) were established based on codA transcript levels, tolerance to methyl viologen-mediated oxidative stress and Southern blot analysis. Growth was better in SC plants than in non-transgenic (NT) plants, which was related to elevated transcript levels of auxin-response genes. SC plants accumulated higher levels of GB under oxidative stress compared to the NT plants. In addition, SC plants exhibited increased tolerance to drought and salt stress, which was associated with increased efficiency of photosystem II activity. Finally, SC plants maintained lower levels of ion leakage and reactive oxygen species under cold stress compared to the NT plants. These observations suggest that SC plants might be useful for reforestation on global marginal lands, including desertification and reclaimed areas., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

As an approach to improve treatment of breast cancer metastasis to the brain, we employed genetically engineered stem cells (GESTECs, HB1.F3 cells) consisting of neural stem cells (NSCs) expressing cytosine deaminase and the interferon-beta genes, HB1.F3.CD and HB1.F3.CD.IFN-β. In this model, MDA-MB-231/Luc breast cancer cells were implanted in the right hemisphere of the mouse brain, while pre-stained GESTECs with redfluorescence were implanted in the contralateral brain. Two days after stem cells injection, 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) was administrated via intraperitoneal injection. Histological analysis of extracted brain confirmed the therapeutic efficacy of GESTECs in the presence of 5-FC based on reductions in density and aggressive tendency of breast cancer cells, as well as pyknosis, karyorrhexis, and karyolysis relative to a negative control. Additionally, expression of PCNA decreased in the stem cells treated group. Treatment of breast cancer cells with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) increased the expression of pro-apoptotic and anti-proliferative factor, BAX and p21 protein through phosphorylation of p53 and p38. Moreover, analysis of stem cell migratory ability revealed that MDA-MB-231 cells endogenously secreted VEGF, and stem cells expressed their receptor (VEGFR2). To confirm the role of VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling in tumor tropism of stem cells, samples were treated with the VEGFR2 inhibitor, KRN633. The number of migrated stem cells decreased significantly in response to KRN633 due to Erk1/2 activation and PI3K/Akt inhibition. Taken together, these results indicate that treatment with GESTECs, particularly HB1.F3.CD.IFN-β co-expressing CD.IFN-β, may be a useful strategy for treating breast cancer metastasis to the brain in the presence of a prodrug.

Artificial devices such as the synthetic riboswitch have shown potential to introduce unnatural phenotypic perturbation because its synthetic traits are distinct from that of innate metabolism. In this study, a riboswitch, a small regulatory element found in RNAs, was employed to reprogram microorganisms to produce valuable metabolites. A self-cleaving ribozyme glmS, found in gram-positive bacteria, cleaves its own transcript in response to the intracellular glucosamine 6-phosphate (GlcN6P) concentration. The glmS ribozyme was integrated into the 3'-untranslated region of FCY1, which encodes cytosine deaminase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae to construct a suicide riboswitch for evolutionary engineering. Growth of the strain harboring the suicide riboswitch was hampered by the addition of fluorocytosine, and was recovered as metabolite level increased. By using this riboswitch, we isolated a N-acetyl glucosamine (GlcNAc) producer strain by screening an efficient glutamine-fructose-6-phosphate transaminase (Gfa1p) and haloacid dehalogenase-like phosphatases (HAD phosphatases) originated from Escherichia coli. The suicide riboswitch was also applied to different metabolite by using artificial allosteric ribozyme. Since the mechanisms used in this work are universal in microorganisms, our synthetic suicide riboswitch can be applied to a wide range of organisms and can be exploited to the efficient and high-throughput screening of inconspicuous phenotypes., (Copyright © 2015 International Metabolic Engineering Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Suicide gene therapy is a process by which cells are administered a gene that encodes a protein capable of converting a nontoxic prodrug into an active toxin. Cytosine deaminase (CD) has been widely investigated as a means of suicide gene therapy owing to the enzyme's ability to convert the prodrug 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) into the toxic compound 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). However, the extent of gene transfer is a limiting factor in predicting therapeutic outcome. The ability to monitor gene transfer, non-invasively, would strengthen the efficiency of therapy. In this regard, we have constructed and evaluated a replication-deficient adenovirus (Ad) containing the human somatostatin receptor subtype 2 (SSTR2) fused with a C-terminal yeast CD gene for the non-invasive monitoring of gene transfer and therapy. The resulting Ad (AdSSTR2-yCD) was evaluated in vitro in breast cancer cells to determine the function of the fusion protein. These studies demonstrated that both the SSTR2 and yCD were functional in binding assays, conversion assays and cytotoxicity assays. In vivo studies similarly demonstrated the functionality using conversion assays, biodistribution studies and small animal positron-emission tomography (PET) imaging studies. In conclusion, the fusion protein has been validated as useful for the non-invasive imaging of yCD expression and will be evaluated in the future for monitoring yCD-based therapy.

Given the growing evidence for a role of interleukin-32 (IL-32) in the immune response to HIV-1 infection and its interplay with type I and III interferons (IFNs), we studied the gene expression of IL-32 isoforms (α and nonα) in untreated chronically HIV-1-infected patients and in gender- and age-matched healthy individuals. To further characterize both the anti-HIV properties of IL-32 and the cytokine's relationship with host antiviral innate immune responses, we evaluated whether IL-32 can induce ex vivo the expression of antiviral IFN-induced genes (ISGs), namely myxovirus resistance A (MxA), and apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme catalytic (APOBEC)3G and APOBEC3F. We also investigated whether in vivo IL-32 (α and nonα) mRNA levels were correlated with those of MxA and APOBEC3G/3F. Results indicated that IL-32 (α and nonα) mRNA levels were significantly higher in HIV-1-infected patients than in healthy individuals. Furthermore, IL-32 (α and nonα) mRNA levels correlated negatively with HIV RNA levels, but not with the CD4(+) T-cell count. Our ex vivo studies disclosed that ISGs mRNA levels were increased after IL-32γ treatment of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Interestingly, significant positive correlations were found between transcript levels of both IL-32α and IL-32nonα and those of MxA and APOBEC3G/3F in untreated chronically HIV-1-infected patients. Overall, our results demonstrated that IL-32 isoforms are highly expressed during chronic HIV-1 infection and that IL-32 could have a central role in the antiviral immune response against HIV-1.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of using human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUCB-MSCs) as gene delivery vectors in the treatment of ovarian cancer. Lentivectors overexpressing cytosine deaminase (CD) and herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) (pGC-FU-CD-TK) were constructed, and confirmed by enzyme digestion, DNA sequence and western blotting. Quantitative PCR (PCR) was used to verify the overexpression of the fusion gene (CD and HSV-tk). SKOV3 cells were co-cultured with MSCs/tk+CD+ at a 1:1 ratio, and were then treated with the prodrugs (GCV) and/or 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) at different concentrations, and the cytotoxic effects were evaluated using MTT assay and flow cytometry. DNA sequencing demonstrated that the sequence of HSV-tk and CD genes were consistent with the objective sequence and western blotting verified that the constructed lentivector could produce the HSV-tk/CD gene. The packed titer was 2.00e+8 TU/ml. The pGC-FU-CD-TK could be stably transferred to hUCB‑MSCs, and the infection efficiency was almost 80%. RT-PCR demonstrated that the expression levels of the HSV-tk/CD fusion gene in MSCs/tk+CD+ group was 75 times that in the negative control (P<0.05). Compared with GCV or 5-FC alone, the growth inhibition rate (GIR) was significantly higher in the combined treatment (F=85.35, P<0.05). The reconstructed MSCs/tk+CD+ vectors were capable of slowing down the growth of human SKOV3 cells in the presence of prodrugs in vitro. The use of combination chemotherapy exhibited a more significant inhibitory effect than using a single prodrug.

Toca 511 (vocimagene amiretrorepvec), an amphotropic retroviral replicating vector (RRV), can successfully and safely deliver a functional, optimized cytosine deaminase (CD) gene to tumors in orthotopic glioma models. This agent, in conjunction with subsequent oral extended-release 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) (Toca FC), is currently under investigation in patients with recurrent high-grade glioma . Temozolomide (TMZ) with radiation is the most frequently used first-line treatment for patients with glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive form of primary brain cancer in adults. However, subsets of patients with certain genetic alterations do not respond well to TMZ treatment and the overall median survival for patients who respond remains modest, suggesting that combinatorial approaches may be necessary to significantly improve outcomes. We show that in vitro TMZ delays but does not prevent RRV spread, nor interfere with Toca 511+5-FC-mediated cell killing in glioma tumor cells, and in vivo there is no significant hematologic effect from the combination of 5-FC and the clinically relevant dose of TMZ. A synergistic long-term survival advantage is observed in mice bearing an orthotopic TMZ-sensitive glioma after Toca 511 administration followed by coadministration of TMZ and 5-FC. These results provide support for the investigation of this novel combination treatment strategy in patients with newly diagnosed malignant glioma.

Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy among men. Prostate cancer-related deaths are largely attributable to the development of hormone resistance in the tumor. No effective chemotherapy has yet been developed for advanced prostate cancer. It is desirable if a drug can be delivered directly and specifically to prostate cancer cells. Stem cells have selective migration ability toward cancer cells and therapeutic genes can be easily transduced into stem cells. In one form of gene therapy for cancer, the stem cells carry a gene encoding an enzyme that transforms an inert prodrug into a toxic product. Cytosine deaminase (CD) transforms the pro-drug 5-fluorocytosine into highly cytotoxic 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). The migration of the genetically modified stem cells was monitored by molecular magnetic resonance imaging, after labeling the stem cells with fluorescent magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). Human neural stem cells encoding CD (HB1.F3.CD) were prepared and labeled with MNP. In tumor-bearing C57B mice, systemically transplanted HB1.F3.CD stem cells migrated toward the tumor and in combination with prodrug 5-FC, the volume of tumor implant was significantly reduced. These findings may contribute to development of a new selective chemotherapeutic strategy against prostate cancer., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

APOBEC3G (A3G) and APOBEC3F (A3F) reduce Vif-negative HIV-1 provirus formation and cause disabling provirus G-to-A hypermutation in vitro. However, evidence conflicts about whether they negatively impact Vif-positive HIV-1, or only enhance virus genetic diversity, in vivo. We studied peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 19 antiretroviral-naïve, HIV-infected adults: 12 long-term non-progressors (LTNP) and 7 non-controllers (NC). Cells from LTNP had higher A3G and A3F mRNA levels, lower provirus burden, and more A3G-hypermutated positions in provirus sequence than cells from NC. A3G mRNA level was directly associated with its Hypermutation Index (HI) and inversely associated with provirus burden. Plasma HIV-1 RNA levels were inversely associated with A3G expression levels and with HI only among subjects who had HI>1. A3G HI was not associated with provirus burden. These results indicate that A3G deaminase-dependent activity above a threshold level, and its deaminase-independent functions, contribute to decreasing Vif-positive virus replication in vivo., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Gene therapy mediated by murine leukemia virus (MLV)-based replicating retrovirus vector (RRV) was previously proven to be highly effective in tumor cell killing, resulting in significant suppression of tumor growth in vivo. Recently, we developed a different form of RRV which is derived from another retrovirus, gibbon ape leukemia virus (GALV), as a cancer therapeutic agent. We compared the gene delivery efficiency and antitumor effects in the two types of RRV in experimental hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Our results show that both RRVs can efficiently spread throughout entire HCC cell populations in vitro and achieve high transduction efficiency in HCC xenografts in vivo, while GALV RRV, in general, exhibited more rapid replication kinetics in the tumors. In vitro, substantial HCC cell killing was achieved even when initially only 1% of the HCC cells were producing RRVs that express the yeast cytosine deaminase suicide gene, indicating that the high efficiency of gene transfer by replicative spread of RRVs greatly increased suicide gene toxicity. In vivo, GALV RRV-mediated suicide gene therapy efficiently suppressed HCC tumor growth and no detectable RRV signals were observed in extratumoral tissues, showing promise in using GALV RRV as a cancer therapeutic agent.

As human amniotic fluid-derived stem cells (hAFSCs) are capable of multiple lineage differentiation, extensive self-renewal and tumor targeting, they may be valuable for clinical anticancer therapies. In this study, we used hAFSCs as vehicles for targeted delivery of therapeutic suicide genes to breast cancer cells. hAFSCs were engineered to produce AF2.CD-TK cells in order to express two suicide genes encoding bacterial cytosine deaminase (CD) and herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-TK) that convert non-toxic prodrugs, 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) and mono-phosphorylate ganciclovir (GCV-MP), into cytotoxic metabolites, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and triphosphate ganciclovir (GCV-TP), respectively. In cell viability test in vitro, AF2.CD-TK cells inhibited the growth of MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells in the presence of the 5-FC or GCV prodrugs, or a combination of these two reagents. When the mixture of 5-FC and GCV was treated together, an additive cytotoxic effect was observed in the cell viability. In animal experiments using female BALB/c nude mouse xenografts, which developed by injecting MDA-MB-231 cells, treatment with AF2.CD-TK cells in the presence of 5-FC and GCV significantly reduced tumor volume and weight to the same extent seen in the mice treated with 5-FU. Histopathological and fluorescent staining assays further showed that AF2.CD-TK cells were located exactly at the site of tumor formation. Furthermore, breast tissues treated with AF2.CD-TK cells and two prodrugs maintained their normal structures (for example, the epidermis and reticular layers) while breast tissue structures in 5-FU-treated mice were almost destroyed by the potent cytotoxicity of the drug. Taken together, these results indicate that AF2.CD-TK cells can serve as excellent vehicles in a novel therapeutic cell-based gene-directed prodrug system to selectively target breast malignancies.

Although mortality related with primary tumors is approximately 10%, metastasis leads to 90% of cancer-associated death. The majority of brain metastases result from lung cancer, but the metastatic mechanism remains unclear. In general, chemotherapy for treating brain diseases is disrupted by the brain blood barrier (BBB). As an approach to improve treatment of lung cancer metastasis to the brain, we employed genetically engineered stem cells (GESTECs), consisting of neural stem cells (NSCs) expressing a suicide gene. Cytosine deaminase (CD), one of the suicide genes, originating from bacterial (bCD) or yeast (yCD), which can convert the non-toxic prodrug, 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC), into 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), can inhibit cancer cell growth. We examined the therapeutic efficacy and migratory properties of GESTECs expressing yCD, designated as HB1.F3.yCD, in a xenograft mouse model of lung cancer metastasis to the brain. In this model, A549 lung cancer cells were implanted in the right hemisphere of the mouse brain, while CM-DiI pre-stained HB1.F3.yCD cells were implanted in the contralateral brain. Two days after the injection of stem cells, 5-FC was administered via intraperitoneal injection. The tumor-tropic effect of HB1.F3.yCD was evident by fluorescent analysis, in which red-colored stem cells migrated to the lung tumor mass of the contralateral brain. By histological analysis of extracted brain, the therapeutic efficacy of HB1.F3.yCD in the presence of 5-FC was confirmed by the reduction in density and aggressive tendency of lung cancer cells following treatment with 5-FC, compared to a negative control or HB1.F3.yCD injection without 5-FC. Taken together, these results indicate that HB1.F3.yCD expressing a suicide gene may be a new therapeutic strategy for lung cancer metastases to the brain in the presence of a prodrug.

Genetically engineered stem cells (GESTECs) producing suicide enzymes and immunotherapeutic cytokines have therapeutic effects on tumors, and may possibly reduce the side effects of toxic drugs used for treatments. Suicide enzymes can convert non-toxic pro-drugs to toxic metabolites that can reduce tumor growth. Cytosine deaminase (CD) is a suicide enzyme that metabolizes a non-toxic pro-drug, 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC), into the cytotoxic agent, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). As an immunotherapeutic agent, human interferon-β (IFN-β) has anticancer effects. In this study, we used modified human neural stem cells (HB1.F3) expressing the Escherichia coli (E. coli) CD gene (HB1.F3.CD) or both the CD and human IFN-β genes (HB1.F3.CD.IFN-β) and evaluated their effectiveness on gastric carcinoma cells (AGS); migration of GESTECs to AGS was analyzed as well as formation of 5-FU and IFN-β. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to confirm the expression of CD and IFN-β genes in GESTECs along with confirming the production of chemoattractant molecules such as stem cell factor (SCF), CXCR4, c-Kit, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2). In addition, by co-culturing GESTECs with AGS in the presence of 5-FC, we were able to confirm that cancer growth was inhibited, along with a synergistic effect when the CD and IFN-β genes (HB1.F3.CD.IFN-β) were co-expressed. Indeed a marked anticancer effect was demonstrated when the CD and IFN-β genes were expressed together compared to expression of the CD gene alone (HB1.F3.CD). According to a modified transwell migration assay, the migration of GESTECs toward AGS was confirmed. In conclusion, these data suggest potential application of GESTECs to gastric cancer therapy, due to a remarkable synergistic effect of CD and IFN-β genes in the presence of 5-FC. Additionally, the tumor-selective migration capability in vitro suggests that GESTECs are a potential anticancer therapy candidate that may result in minimal side effects compared to the conventional chemotherapy.

The application of gene therapy in cancer treatment is limited by non-specific targeting. In the present study, we constructed a recombinant plasmid, containing a carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) promoter and double suicide genes thymidine kinase (TK) and cytosine deaminase (CD), henceforth referred to as pCEA-TK/CD. Our results showed that the CEA promoter can specifically drive target gene expression in CEA-positive lung cancer cells. In the presence of prodrugs 5-flucytosine and ganciclovir, pCEA-TK/CD transfection decreased inhibitory concentration 50 and increased apoptosis and cyclomorphosis. Our result suggests that gene therapy using pCEA-TK/CD may be a promising new approach for treating lung cancer., (Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Yeast cytosine deaminase (yCD) is a well-characterized prodrug/enzyme system that converts 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and has been combined with oncolytic viruses. However, in vivo studies of the interactions between 5-FC bioactivation and viral replication have not been previously reported, nor have the kinetics of transgene expression and the pharmacokinetics of 5-FC and 5-FU. We constructed a replication-conditional Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) expressing yCD and examined cytotoxicity when 5-FC was initiated at different times after viral infection, and observed that earlier 5-FC administration led to greater cytotoxicity than later 5-FC administration in vitro and in vivo. In animal models, 12 days of 5-FC administration was superior to 6 days, but dosing beyond 12 days did not further enhance efficacy. Consistent with the dosing-schedule results, both viral genomic DNA copy number and viral titers were observed to peak on Day 3 after viral injection and gradually decrease thereafter. The virus is replication-conditional and was detected in tumors for as long as 2 weeks after viral injection. The maximum relative extent of yCD conversion of 5-FC to 5-FU in tumors was observed on Day 6 after viral injection and it decreased progressively thereafter. The observation that 5-FU generation within tumors did not lead to appreciable levels of systemic 5-FU (<10 ng ml⁻¹) is important and has not been previously reported. The approaches used in these studies of the relationship between the viral replication kinetics, transgene expression, prodrug administration and anti-tumor efficacy are useful in the design of clinical trials of armed, oncolytic viruses.

First-line treatment of recurrent and/or refractory head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is based on platinum, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and the monoclonal antiEGFR antibody cetuximab. However, in most cases this chemoimmunotherapy does not cure the disease, and more than 50% of HNSCC patients are dying because of local recurrence of the tumors. In the majority of cases, HNSCC overexpress the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and its presence is associated with a poor outcome. In this study, we engineered an EGFR-targeted oncolytic measles virus (MV), armed with the bifunctional enzyme cytosine deaminase/uracil phosphoribosyltransferase (CD/UPRT). CD/UPRT converts 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) into the chemotherapeutic 5-FU, a mainstay of HNSCC chemotherapy. This virus efficiently replicates in and lyses primary HNSCC cells in vitro. Arming with CD/UPRT mediates efficient prodrug activation with high bystander killing of non-infected tumor cells. In mice bearing primary HNSCC xenografts, intratumoral administration of MV-antiEGFR resulted in statistically significant tumor growth delay and prolongation of survival. Importantly, combination with 5-FC is superior to virus-only treatment leading to significant tumor growth inhibition. Thus, chemovirotherapy with EGFR-targeted and CD/UPRT-armed MV is highly efficacious in preclinical settings with direct translational implications for a planned Phase I clinical trial of MV for locoregional treatment of HNSCC.

Objective: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been recognized as promising delivery vehicles for gene therapy of gliomas. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antitumor effect of cytosine deaminase (CD)-expressing MSCs in a rat C6 glioma model., Methods: Lentiviral vectors expressing cytosine deaminase (CD) or enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) were constructed and transduced into rat MSCs to generate MSC-CD/eGFP cells. By intracranially injecting C6 glioma cells (1 × 10(6)) alone or in combination with parental MSCs (1 × 10(6) or 2 × 10(6)) or MSC-CD/eGFP cells (1 × 10(6) or 2 × 10(6)) into rats, we examined the effect of engineered MSCs on tumor growth, tumor cell apoptosis, and rat survival in the presence of 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC)., Results: MSC-CD/eGFP cells were largely localized at the junction of the tumor with normal tissue. The mean survival time of rats co-injected with C6 glioma cells and MSC-CD/eGFP cells was significantly extended (C6 + MSC-CD/eGFP (1:1), 32.3 days; C6 + MSC-CD/eGFP (1:2), 45.9 days) when compared with rats injected with C6 glioma cells alone (15.3 days) or those co-injected with C6 glioma cells and parental cells (C6 + MSCs (1:1), 16.0 days; C6 + MSCs (1:2), 16.6 days). MSC-CD/eGFP-mediated gene therapy significantly reduced the tumor volume in C6 glioma-bearing rats. On day 14 after cell injection, the reduction in the mean tumor volume in rats co-injected with C6 + MSC-CD/eGFP cells (1:1 and 1:2) was 77.24 and 83.28%, respectively. In addition, MSC-CD/eGFP-mediated gene therapy promoted tumor cell apoptosis in rat C6 gliomas., Conclusion: Genetically engineered MSCs have good therapeutic efficacy against experimental gliomas in rats.

In our work, we have evaluated efficiency of gene-directed enzyme/prodrug therapy (GDEPT) based on combination of fusion yeast cytosine deaminase (yCD) and 5-fluorocytosine (5FC) on model human medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) cell line TT. We determined the efficiency of this GDEPT approach in suicide and bystander cytotoxicity induction. We have shown significant bystander effect in vitro and 5FC administration resulted in potent antitumor effect in vivo. Furthermore, we have unraveled high efficiency of cell-mediated GDEPT, when human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) were used as delivery vehicles in direct cocultures in vitro. Nevertheless, effector MSC exhibited inhibitory effect on TT cell proliferation and abrogated TT xenotransplant growth in vivo. We suggest that yCD/5FC combination represents another experimental treatment modality to be tested in MTC and our data further support the exploration of MSC antitumor potential for future use in metastatic MTC therapy., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Recent studies have shown that genetically engineered stem cells (GESTECs) produce suicide enzymes that convert non-toxic pro-drugs to toxic metabolites which selectively migrate toward tumor sites and reduce tumor growth. In the present study, we evaluated whether these GESTECs are capable of migrating to lung cancer cells and examined the potential therapeutic efficacy of gene-directed enzyme pro-drug therapy against lung cancer cells in vitro. A modified transwell migration assay was performed to determine the migratory capacity of GESTECs to lung cancer cells. GESTECs [i.e., HB1.F3.CD or HB1.F3.CD.interferon-β (IFN-β)] engineered to express a suicide gene, cytosine deaminase (CD), selectively migrated toward lung cancer cells. Treatment of a human non-small cell lung carcinoma cell line (A549, a lung carcinoma derived from human lung epithelial cells) with the pro-drug 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) in the presence of HB1.F3.CD or HB1.F3.CD.IFN-β cells resulted in the inhibition of lung cancer cell growth. Based on the data presented herein, we suggest that GESTECs expressing CD may have a potent advantage for selective treatment of lung cancers. Furthermore, GESTECs expressing fusion genes (i.e., CD and IFN-β) may have a synergic antitumor effect on lung cancer cells.

IFNα, a cytokine with multiple functions in innate and adaptive immunity and a potent inhibitor of HIV, exerts antiviral activity, in part, by enhancing apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme-catalytic polypeptide-like 3 (APOBEC3) family members. Although IFNα therapy is associated with reduced viral burden, this cytokine also mediates immune dysfunction and toxicities. Through detailed mapping of IFNα receptor binding sites, we generated IFNα hybrids and mutants and determined that structural changes in the C-helix alter the ability of IFN to limit retroviral activity. Selective IFNα constructs differentially block HIV replication and their directional magnitude of inhibition correlates with APOBEC3 levels. Importantly, certain mutants exhibited reduced toxicity as reflected by induced indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), suggesting discreet and shared intracellular signaling pathways. Defining IFN structure and function relative to APOBEC and other antiviral genes may enable design of novel IFN-related molecules preserving beneficial antiviral roles while minimizing negative effects.

Viruses, including retroviruses like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV), are transmitted from mother to infants through milk. Lymphoid cells and antibodies are thought to provide mammary gland and milk-borne immunity. In contrast, little is known about the role of mammary epithelial cells (MECs). The APOBEC3 family of retroviral restriction factors is highly expressed in macrophages and lymphoid and dendritic cells. We now show that APOBEC3 proteins are also expressed in mouse and human MECs. Lymphoid cell-expressed APOBEC3 restricts in vivo spread of MMTV to lymphoid and mammary tissue. In contrast, mammary gland-expressed APOBEC3 is packaged into MMTV virions and decreases the infectivity of milk-borne viruses. Moreover, APOBEC3G and other APOBEC3 genes are expressed in human mammary cells and have the potential to restrict viruses produced in this cell type. These data point to a role for APOBEC3 proteins in limiting infectivity of milk-transmitted viruses., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Entamoeba histolytica is the causative agent of amebiasis and infects up to 10% of the world's population. The molecular techniques that have enabled the up- and down-regulation of gene expression rely on the transfection of stably maintained plasmids. While these have increased our understanding of Entamoeba virulence factors, the capacity to integrate exogenous DNA into genome, which would allow reverse genetics experiments, would be a significant advantage in the study of this parasite. The challenges presented by this organism include inability to select for homologous recombination events and difficulty to cure episomal plasmid DNA from transfected trophozoites. The later results in a high background of exogenous DNA, a major problem in the identification of trophozoites in which a bona fide genomic integration event has occurred. We report the development of a negative selection system based upon transgenic expression of a yeast cytosine deaminase and uracil phosphoribosyl transferase chimera (FCU1) and selection with prodrug 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC). The FCU1 enzyme converts non-toxic 5-FC into toxic 5-fluorouracil and 5-fluorouridine-5'-monophosphate. E. histolytica lines expressing FCU1 were found to be 30 fold more sensitive to the prodrug compared to the control strain.

Objective: To determine if prodrug conversion of fluorocytosine to fluorouracil by an engineered herpes virus, OncoVEX(GALV/CD), enhances oncolytic therapy of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma., Design: We assessed the ability of OncoVEX(GALV/CD) and OncoVEX(GFP) to infect, replicate within, and lyse 4 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma lines in vitro. The effects of adding fluorocytosine with OncoVEX(GALV/CD) were evaluated., Results: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma was permissive to green fluorescent protein expression in100% of cells by OncoVEX(GFP) at a multiplicity of infection of 1 after 48 hours and supported logarithmic viral replication. Virus caused more than 60% cell death 6 days after exposure to virus at a multiplicity of infection of 0.1 in 3 of the 4 cell lines. Fluorocytosine did not enhance cytotoxicity induced by OncoVEX(GALV/CD) at a multiplicity of infection of 0.1. However, for the least-sensitive SCC25 cell line, virus at a multiplicity of infection of 0.01 was cytotoxic to only 4% of cells after 6 days but was cytotoxic to 35% of cells with fluorocytosine., Conclusions: OncoVEX(GALV/CD) efficiently infects, replicates within, and lyses head and neck squamous cell carcinoma at relatively low viral doses. Prodrug conversion by cytosine deaminase did not enhance therapy at viral doses that cause efficient cytotoxicity but may have beneficial effects in less-sensitive cell lines at low viral doses.

Objective: To study the selective killing effect of adenovirus (Ad)-mediated double suicide gene system driven by the KDR promoter (KDR-CDglyTK) on human colon adneocarcinoma SW480 cells., Methods: KDR-expressing SW480 cells and LS174T cells that did not express KDR were infected by KDR-CDglyTK, and the infection efficiency and the expression of CDglyTK in the cells were detected by RT-PCR. The infected cells were treated with the prodrugs 5-FC and GCV at different concentrations, and the cell-killing effects and bystander effects were evaluated by MTT method. DNA content and the cell cycle changes in SW480 cells were detected by flow cytometry., Results: The expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) was observed in 95% of the infected SW480 and LS174T cells with a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 100. RT- PCR demonstrated that the product of CD/TK gene existed in SW480 cells infected by Ad- KDR- CD/TK, but not in infected LS174 cells. The infected SW480 cells exhibited high sensitivity to the prodrugs, but the infected LS174T cells did not (P<0.01). Bystander effects of the double suicide gene system were observed in the coculture of the infected and non-infected SW480 cells. At the MOI of 100, treatment of the infected cells with the prodrugs resulted in increased cell percentage in G(0)-G(1) phase and decreased percentage in S phase and the prodrug-treated cells showed an apoptotic peak in flow cytometry., Conclusion: CDglyTK fusion gene system driven by the KDR promoter selectively kills and induces the apoptosis of the KDR-CDglyTK SW480 cells.

Objective: To study the inhibitory effect of adenovirus-mediated fusion gene system driven by KDR promoter on the proliferation of human gastric adneocarcinoma SCG7901 cells and observe the bystander effect in vitro., Methods: SCG7901, ECV304 and HepG2 cells were infected with Ad-KDR-CDglyTK and Ad-CMV-CDglyTK at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 100, and the infection efficiency and the mRNA expressions of the transferred fusion gene were investigated. GCV and/or 5-FC at different concentrations were added into the culture medium of the infected cells to observe the targeted antitumor effect and bystander effect of CDglyTK suicide gene driven by KDR promoter., Results: With the MOI of the adenovirus of 100, the fluorescence emitted by green fluorescent protein (GFP) was observed in 95% of the infected SCG7901, ECV304 and HepG2 cells. All the cells infected by Ad-CMV-CDglyTK and SCG7901 and ECV304 cells infected by Ad-KDR-CDglyTK were highly sensitive to the prodrugs. In comparison, HepG2 cells infected with Ad-KDR-CDglyTK did not show much sensitivity to the two prodrugs. Following treatment with the prodrugs at the same concentration, the infected SCG7901 and ECV304 cells exhibited gradually lowered survival rates as the culture time was prolonged, whereas the transgenic HepG2 cells showed no such time-dependent changes. When the non-infected cells were cocultured with the transgenic cells, the bystander effect of CDglyTK gene was observed, which increased with the ratio of the transgenic cells. In these mixed cell culture systems, GCV and 5-FC showed obvious synergetic effect in suppressing the cell survival., Conclusion: The CDglyTK fusion gene system driven by KDR promoter can inhibit the proliferation of SCG7901 and ECV304 cells with obvious bystander effect in vitro. The combination of the prodrugs produces obvious synergetic effect against the cell survival.

Objective: To study the selective cytotoxic effect of lentivirus-mediated double suicide gene (CD/TK) against human gastric carcinoma cells SGC-7901 in vitro., Methods: SGC-7901 cells were infected with FGW-KDRP-CD/TK vector and the infection efficiency was observed under a fluorescence microscope. The morphological changes of the infected cells were observed by Giemsa staining. Flow cytometry (FCM) was employed for cell cycle analysis, and the expression of CD/TK was detected by RT-PCR. The infected cells were then treated with the prodrugs ganciclovir (GCV) and/or 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) at different concentrations, and the cytotoxic effects were evaluated using MTT method., Results: The infection efficiency of the lentiviral vector in SGC-7901 cells increased with the titer of the virus, which produced no significant effect on the cancer cell morphology in vitro or on the percentages of G0-G1, G2-M and S phase cells (P>0.05). RT-PCR demonstrated the expression of CD/TK gene in SGC-7901 cells infected by FGW-KDRP-CD/TK. The infected cells were highly sensitive to the prodrugs with a dose-dependent cytotoxic effect within a specific concentration range of the drugs, whereas the non-infected cells were not sensitive to the prodrugs. Combined use of the two prodrugs produced an obviously stronger inhibitory effect than either of the them (P<0.05). When combined, GCV and 5-FC at the concentration of 0.1+40, 1+80, 10+160, and 100+320 mg/L demonstrated a synergetic effect with a CDI<1., Conclusion: Lentivirus-mediated CD/TK fusion gene system can selectively kill gastric cancer cells, and the two prodrugs show a synergistic cytotoxic effect.

Background and Aim: Stem cell transplantation offers potential gene therapy for brain tumors. However, this approach has received little attention as a treatment for gastrointestinal tumors. In the present study, we explored the possibility of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC) producing cytosine deaminase (CD), followed by systemic 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) administration, showing an antitumor effect on a mouse gastric cancer xenograft., Methods: We first explored the ability of hMSC, coated with fluorescent dye, to migrate to human gastric cancer MKN45 cells in vitro and in vivo. We then used hMSC in which a gene expressed the prodrug-activating enzyme CD, which can convert the prodrug 5-FC into the cytotoxic agent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and further investigated the potential of these cells to deliver the CD gene and to reduce tumor growth in nude mice. The migratory capacity of hMSC was confirmed by an in vitro migration assay, as well as in an in vivo model of nude mice bearing subcutaneous tumors of MKN45 cells when hMSC were injected., Results: The migration ability of hMSC towards MKN45 cells was confirmed by migration assay. Effective conversion of 5-FC to 5-FU by hMSC transfected with the CD gene (CD-hMSC) showed therapeutic anticancer potential in a MKN45 cell co-culture system, as confirmed by thin layer chromatography. Nude mice bearing MKN45 tumors were intravenously injected with CD-hMSC, followed by systemic 5-FC treatment (500 mg/kg/day) for 7 days. Tumor volumes and weights of mice injected with CD-hMSC decreased significantly after treatment with 5-FC. However, the 5-FC-treated group without CD-hMSC injection showed neither a decrease in tumor volume nor bodyweight loss., Conclusion: The CD-hMSC system showed anticancer therapeutic potential, and minimized the side-effects of 5-FU.

The newly identified type III interferon (IFN-lambda) has antiviral activity against a broad spectrum of viruses. We thus examined whether IFN-lambda has the ability to inhibit human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection of blood monocyte-derived macrophages that expressed IFN-lambda receptors. Both IFN-lambda1 and IFN-lambda2, when added to macrophage cultures, inhibited HIV-1 infection and replication. This IFN-lambda-mediated anti-HIV-1 activity is broad, as IFN-lambda could inhibit infection by both laboratory-adapted and clinical strains of HIV-1. Investigations of the mechanism(s) responsible for the IFN-lambda action showed that although IFN-lambda had little effect on HIV-1 entry coreceptor CCR5 expression, IFN-lambda induced the expression of CC chemokines, the ligands for CCR5. In addition, IFN-lambda upregulated intracellular expression of type I IFNs and APOBEC3G/3F, the newly identified anti-HIV-1 cellular factors. These data provide direct and compelling evidence that IFN-lambda, through both extracellular and intracellular antiviral mechanisms, inhibits HIV-1 replication in macrophages. These findings indicate that IFN-lambda may have therapeutic value in the treatment of HIV-1 infection.

Modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) has been used successfully to express various antigens for the development of vaccines. Here we show that MVA can also be used as an efficient vector for the transfer of suicide genes to cancer cells. We have generated a new and highly potent suicide gene, FCU1, which encodes a fusion protein derived from the yeast cytosine deaminase and uracil phosphoribosyltransferase genes. We now describe the therapeutic benefit of using MVA to deliver and express the FCU1 gene in cancer cells. MVA-mediated transfer of the FCU1 gene to various human tumor cells results in the production of a bifunctional intracellular enzyme, such that exposure to the prodrug 5-FC suppresses the growth of the tumor cells both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we report a more potent tumor growth delay at lower doses of 5-FC using MVA-FCU1 in comparison to adenovirus encoding FCU1. Prolonged therapeutic levels of cytotoxic 5-FU were detected in tumors in mice treated with both MVA-FCU1 and 5-FC while no detectable 5-FU was found in the circulation. This original combination between MVA and FCU1 represents a potentially safe and attractive therapeutic option to test in man.

Human cytidine deaminase APOBEC3F (A3F) has broad anti-viral activity against hepatitis B virus and retroviruses including human immunodeficiency virus type 1. However, its regulation in viral natural target cells such CD4+ T lymphocytes, macrophages, and primary liver cells has not been well studied. Here we showed that A3F was up-regulated by interferon (IFN)-alpha in primary hepatocytes and multiple liver cell lines as well as macrophages. Although the IFN-alpha signaling pathway was active in T lymphoid cells and induction of other IFN stimulated genes such as PKR was detected, A3F and APOBEC3G (A3G) were not induced by IFN-alpha in these cells. Thus, additional factors other than known IFN-stimulated genes also regulated IFN-alpha-induced A3F expression distinctly. A3F and A3G expression levels in primary hepatocytes, especially after IFN-alpha stimulation, were comparable to those in CD4+ T lymphocytes in some individuals. Significant variations of A3F and A3G expression in primary hepatocytes from various subjects were observed. Individual variations in A3F and/or A3G regulation and expression might influence the clinical outcomes of hepatitis B infection.

Hypoxia, a hallmark of many solid tumors, is associated with angiogenesis and tumor progression. It activates a signal cascade that culminates in the stabilization of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) transcription factor and activation of genes that possess hypoxia response elements. The loss of tumor suppressors such as p53 has been shown to stabilize HIF-1alpha, which is overexpressed in the majority of human cancers, and its over-expression correlates with poor prognosis and treatment failure. Here we constructed hypoxia-inducible promoters and examined their activities in murine and human cancer cells with variable p53 status. Loss of p53 function in cancer cells resulted in increased HIF-1-dependent transcriptional activity. To investigate the feasibility of exploiting the hypoxic tumor microenvironment for targeted gene therapy of cancer, we constructed retroviral vectors harboring luciferase or Escherichia coli cytosine deaminase (CD) genes under the control of the hypoxia-inducible promoter. Murine Lewis lung carcinoma (LL2) cells carrying defective p53, when retrovirally transduced with the hypoxia-inducible promoter-driven luciferase gene under hypoxic conditions, increased luciferase reporter gene expression in vitro and in vivo. Significant antitumor effects were achieved in mice bearing LL2 tumors that expressed CD driven by a hypoxia-inducible promoter after treatment with 5-fluorocytosine. These results suggest the potential applications of suicide genes, such as the CD gene, under the control of hypoxia-inducible promoters for cancer gene therapy, which may target efficiently to hypoxic regions of tumors with p53 mutations.

Primary and metastatic bone cancers are difficult to eradicate and novel approaches are needed to improve treatment and extend life. As bone cancer grows, osteoclasts, the principal bone-resorbing cells of the body, are recruited to and activated at sites of cancer. In this investigation, we determined if osteoclast lineage cells could function as a cell-based gene delivery system to bone cancers. We used the cytosine deaminase (CD) 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) enzyme/prodrug system and studied bone marrow and bones from transgenic mice expressing a novel CD gene regulated by the osteoclast tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) gene promoter (Tg/NCD). DsRed2-labeled 2472 sarcoma cells were placed in Tg/NCD osteoclastogenic cultures and treated with 5-FC. 5-FC treatment resulted in profound bystander killing (90%; P < 0.05). The effect of 5-FC treatment on osteoclast lineage cells was most dramatic when administered at the beginning of the 7-day cultures, suggesting that mature osteoclasts are less sensitive to 5-FC. Evaluation of osteoclast-directed bystander killing in vivo revealed dramatic killing of bone cancer with only a modest effect on osteoclast number. Specifically, 5-FC treatment of tumor-bearing Tg/NCD mice or Tg/NCD bone marrow transplanted C3H mice (Tg/NCD-C3H) resulted in 92% and 44% reductions in tumor area, respectively (P < 0.05). Eight of ten 5-FC-treated Tg/NCD mice had complete bone tumor killing and five of six 5-FC-treated Tg/NCD-C3H mice had reduced tumor compared with controls. In addition, Tg/NCD osteoclasts were resistant to 5-FC treatment in vivo, a very important feature, as it identifies osteoclasts as an ideal CD gene delivery system.

The human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) promoter can selectively drive transgene expression in many telomerase-positive human cancer cells. Here we evaluated combination therapy of adenoviral vector Ad-hTERT-CD encoding E. coli cytosine deaminase (CD) driven by the hTERT promoter and low-dose etoposide (0.1 microg/mL) for treating bladder cancer. Ad-hTERT-CD conferred sensitivity to 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) in bladder cancer cells, which could be enhanced by etoposide treatment, but not in normal cells. Such effect was correlated with up-regulation of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1alpha expression. By contrast, etoposide activated p53 and down-regulated hTERT promoter activity in normal cells. Etoposide also increased adenoviral infection via enhancement of coxsackie-adenovirus receptor expression on bladder cancer and normal cells. Combination index analysis revealed that combined therapy of Ad-hTERT-CD (10(9) plaque-forming units)/5-FC (200 mg/kg) with etoposide (2 mg/kg) synergistically suppressed tumor growth and prolonged survival in mice bearing syngeneic MBT-2 bladder tumors. This combination therapy regimen induced complete tumor regression and generated antitumor immunity in 75% of tumor-bearing mice. Furthermore, increased infiltrating CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells and necrosis within tumors were found in mice receiving combination therapy of Ad-hTERT-CD and etoposide compared with those treated with either treatment alone. Thus, the potential high therapeutic index of the combination therapy may be an appealing therapeutic intervention for bladder cancer. Furthermore, because a majority of human tumors exhibit high telomerase activity, adenovirus-mediated CD gene therapy driven by the hTERT promoter in combination with low-dose etoposide may be applicable to a broad spectrum of cancers.

We assessed primary cutaneous large B-cell lymphoma, leg type (PCLBCL, leg type; n = 13), and primary cutaneous follicle center lymphoma (PCFCL; n = 19) for somatic hypermutation (SHM) of BCL6, and aberrant SHM of MYC, RhoH/TTF, and PAX5. We demonstrate SHM of BCL6 in 8 PCLBCLs (62%), leg type, and 7 PCFCL patients (37%), and aberrant SHM in PAX5, RhoH/TTF, and/or MYC in 7 PCLBCLs (54%), leg type, and 10 PCFCL patients (53%). The majority of mutations consisted of single base-pair substitutions (n = 54) with rare deletions/insertions (n = 4), and displayed molecular features typical of the SHM process. Quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemical stainings for activation-induced cytidine deaminase, which is indispensable for SHM, demonstrated significantly higher expression in PCLBCL, leg type. Our results suggest that (aberrant) SHM may contribute to the pathogenesis of PCLBCL, leg type, and PCFCL and is not restricted to diffuse large B-cell lymphomas with an aggressive clinical behavior.

Background: Painful breast carcinoma metastases in bone are a common manifestation of malignant disease. Eradication of these tumors can be evasive, and as a result, skeletal morbidity increases with disease progression., Experimental Design: The treatment potential of cytosine deaminase (CD) gene therapy combined with radiation treatment was evaluated in vitro and in vivo using a 4T1 murine breast carcinoma model. 4T1 carcinoma cells were transduced with a fusion gene encoding the extracellular and transmembrane domains of the human nerve growth factor receptor and the cytoplasmic portion of the yeast CD gene (NGFR-CD(y))., Results and Conclusions: CD-expressing tumor cells (4TCD(y)) were highly sensitive to treatment by 5-fluorocytosine prodrug (P < 0.0001). 5-Fluorocytosine treatment of 4TCD(y), but not 4T1 cells, enhanced the effects of radiation in vitro (P < 0.0001). 5-Fluorocytosine prodrug treatment also increased the therapeutic potential of radiation in vivo. Mice with 4TCD(y) intrafemoral tumors showed increased effectiveness of radiation based on improved reductions in tumor size, reductions in tumorigenic osteolysis, and a decrease in skeletal fractures (P < 0.01).

We have previously developed an oncolytic herpes simplex virus-1 based on a clinical virus isolate, which was deleted for ICP34.5 to provide tumor selected replication and ICP47 to increase antigen presentation as well as tumor selective virus replication. A phase I/II clinical trial using a version of this virus expressing granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor has shown promising results. The work reported here aimed to develop a version of this virus in which local tumor control was further increased through the combined expression of a highly potent prodrug activating gene [yeast cytosine deaminase/uracil phospho-ribosyltransferase fusion (Fcy::Fur)] and the fusogenic glycoprotein from gibbon ape leukemia virus (GALV), which it was hoped would aid the spread of the activated prodrug through the tumor. Viruses expressing the two genes individually or in combination were constructed and tested, showing (a) GALV and/or Fcy::Fur expression did not affect virus growth; (b) GALV expression causes cell fusion and increases the tumor cell killing at least 30-fold in vitro and tumor shrinkage 5- to 10-fold in vivo; (c) additional expression of Fcy::Fur combined with 5-fluorocytosine administration improves tumor shrinkage further. These results indicate, therefore, that the combined expression of the GALV protein and Fcy::Fur provides a highly potent oncolytic virus with improved capabilities for local tumor control. It is intended to enter the GALV/Fcy::Fur expressing virus into clinical development for the treatment of tumor types, such as pancreatic or lung cancer, where local control would be anticipated to be clinically advantageous.

Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) is a unique cellular enzyme that can trigger point mutations and chromosomal translocations, both of which potentially disturb normal cellular metabolism and affect cancer initiation and progression. The involvement of AID in the progression of leukemia has been suggested by multiple groups on the basis of observations of the statistical correlation between AID expression and a poor prognosis of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia. The fact that ectopic expression of AID in mice results in tumors of the lung and T-lymphocytes suggests an oncogenic role for AID. The inducible nature of AID expression indicates that AID might be induced and cause oncogenic mutations, even in epithelial tissues, where AID expression is absent or very weak under normal conditions. If AID can be induced in epithelial cells by inflammatory signals, as from B-lymphocytes, it may be involved in various pathologic conditions, including inflammation-and infection-associated cancers, for which the molecular mechanism is largely unknown, despite the clinical significance of these diseases.

We constructed a conditionally replication-competent adenoviral vector Ad.Lp-CD-IRES-E1A(control) in which the expression of both the prodrug-activating cytosine deaminase gene and the viral replication E1A gene were driven by the L-plastin tumor-specific promoter. In order to overcome the low infectivity of the adenoviral vectors for breast cancer cells, and to increase the safety and efficacy for cancer gene therapy, this vector was further modified on a transductional level by simultaneously ablating the native tropism of the vector to the primary CAR receptor and inserting a RGD-4C peptide into the HI loop of the fiber, which allows the vector to use the alphavbeta3 and alphavbeta5 receptors as alternative receptors. The resulting vector was named Ad.Lp-CD-IRES-E1A(MRGD). The transduction efficiency of the vector for breast cancer cell lines which have low expression level of CAR was increased both in vitro and in vivo. The Ad.Lp-CD-IRES-E1A(MRGD) vector produces a higher vector particle yield and a greater cytotoxic effect in tumor cells which have a low expression level of CAR, than did the Ad.Lp-CD-IRES-E1A(control) vector. Intratumoral injection of the Ad.Lp-CD-IRES-E1A(MRGD) vector following the intraperitoneal injection of 5FC into xenotransplanted human breast cancer cell lines which have low expression level of CAR led to greater degree of tumor regression in vivo than did the intratumoral injection of control adenoviral vectors not so modified.

The combination of cytosine deaminase (CD) and herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-TK) suicide gene protocols has resulted in enhanced antitumor activity in cultured tumor cells and animal models. In this study, we show that concurrent addition of prodrugs 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) and ganciclovir (GCV) was less efficacious than sequential treatment in human DU145 prostate carcinoma cells infected with an adenovirus containing a CD/HSV-TK fusion gene. If cells were incubated for 24 hours with 5-FC followed by a 24-hour GCV treatment, GCV triphosphate levels were 2-fold higher, incorporation of GCV monophosphate into DNA was 2.5-fold higher, and growth inhibition was increased 4-fold compared with simultaneous treatment. As expected, cellular dTTP levels were reduced during the 5-FC preincubation. However, dGTP pools also declined parallel to the dTTP decrease. Similar results were obtained when 5-fluorouracil or 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine was used instead of CD/5-FC. These data allowed us to propose a novel hypothesis for the synergistic interaction between CD/5-FC and HSV-TK/GCV treatments. We suggest that the CD/5-FC-mediated reduction of dTTP results in a concurrent decrease of dGTP due to allosteric regulation of ribonucleotide reductase. Because dGTP is the endogenous competitor of GCV triphosphate, depleted dGTP at the time of GCV addition results in increased GCV in DNA and cell kill. In fact, addition of deoxyguanosine during the 5-FC incubation reverses the dGTP depletion, reduces the amount of GCV monophosphate incorporated into DNA, and prevents the CD/5-FC-mediated enhancement of HSV-TK/GCV cytotoxicity. Understanding this mechanistic interaction may help recognize better strategies for creating more efficacious clinical protocols.

The cell killing effects and bystander effects of double suicide gene on pulmonary carcinoma cells were explored. Lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549) were transfected with different titers of adenovirus vector and followed with different concentrations of 5-FC after a recombinant adenovirus vector carrying CD/UPRT gene (Ad-CD/UPRT) was constructed. The cell viability was measured by MTT assay 4 days later. The cell viability was dropped to 30.57 %-8.62 % after 10 MOI of Ad-CD/UPRT transfected and 5-FC (10-1000 microg/mL) administration. Furthermore, Ad-CD/UPRT-infected A549 cells showed a profound neighbor cell killing effect in the same methods. These results suggested that Ad-CD/UPRT/5-FC system can effectively suppress growth of lung adenocarcinoma cells, which may provide a novel and powerful candidate for lung cancer gene therapy strategies.

Endostatin, an angiogenesis inhibitor tested in multiple clinical trials, selectively targets neovascular endothelial cells, suppressing tumor growth. To enhance the therapeutic efficacy of endostatin, we fused endostatin with cytosine deaminase, which converts a prodrug 5-flucytosine into a cytotoxic 5-fluorouracil. This therapeutic strategy was developed based on the observation that the endostatin-green fluorescence protein gene and endostatin-luciferase gene selectively target to endothelial cells in vitro and to the tumor site in vivo, respectively. When we used the endostatin-cytosine deaminase fusion protein to treat s.c. grafted tumors or experimental metastasis tumors, our results showed that endostatin-cytosine deaminase treatment provided stronger tumor growth suppression and increased mean survival time of the mice compared with the treatments of endostatin alone, cytosine deaminase alone, or endostatin plus cytosine deaminase. The endostatin-cytosine deaminase protein significantly inhibited the growth of endothelial cells and preferentially induced tumor cell apoptosis. This endostatin-cytosine deaminase fusion approach opens an avenue for cancer-targeting therapy.

It has been speculated that somatic hypermutation of rearranged immunoglobulin variable (V) region genes does not only take place in the germinal center (GC) microenvironment, but also in the marginal zone (MZ) of the spleen, and that human peripheral blood IgM-positive B cells with somatically mutated V region genes may derive from mutating MZ B cells. As somatic hypermutation is strictly dependent on the enzyme activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID), we used an AID-specific monoclonal antibody that is suitable for immunohistochemical staining to analyze human splenic MZ cells for AID expression. Analysis of tissue sections from 29 spleens revealed only very rare MZ cells (approx. 0.05%) showing AID staining, whereas in 25 of the spleen samples strong AID staining of GC B cells was observed. Thus, there are virtually no AID-expressing MZ B cells, indicating that somatic hypermutation does not take place at a significant level in the MZ. Consequently, it appears unlikely that the somatically mutated IgM B cells are generated in the splenic MZ. Moreover, the lack of AID-positive MZ B cells questions the recent speculation that B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemias with mutated V genes are derived from mutating MZ B cells.

Mismatch repair contributes to hypermutation in B lymphocytes, both by increasing the frequency of mutations and by changing the mutational patterns. In this paper, we investigated whether or not mismatch repair influences activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID)-mediated hypermutation in a non-B lymphocyte line. We did so by regulating expression of MutL homologue MLH 1, which is essential in mismatch repair, in a kidney cell line that had been transduced by an AID-containing vector. Whether or not MLH1 was expressed, we found no difference in the mutation rates of an indicator gene. We conclude that in order to contribute to hypermutation, mismatch repair needs additional factors that are present in activated B lymphocytes, but absent in the cell line investigated.

APOBEC3G and 3F (A3G and A3F) cytidine deaminases incorporate into retroviral cores where they lethally hypermutate nascent DNA reverse transcripts. As substantiated here, the viral infectivity factor (Vif) encoded by human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) binds A3G and A3F and induces their degradation, thereby precluding their incorporation into viral progeny. Previous evidence suggested that A3G is expressed in H9 and other nonpermissive cells that contain this antiviral defense but not in several permissive cells, and that overexpression of A3G or A3F makes permissive cells nonpermissive. Using a broader panel of cell lines, we confirmed a correlation between A3G and cellular abilities to inactivate HIV-1(Deltavif). However, there was a quantitative discrepancy because several cells with weak antiviral activities had similar amounts of wild-type A3G mRNA and protein compared to H9 cells. Antiviral activity of H9 cells was also attenuated in some conditions. These quantitative discrepancies could not be explained by the presence of A3F or other A3G paralogs in some of the cell lines. Thus, A3A, A3B, and A3C had weak but significant anti-HIV-1 activities and did not dominantly interfere with A3G or A3F antiviral functions. Control of A3G synthesis by the protein kinase C/mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway was also similar in permissive and nonpermissive cells. A3G in highly permissive cells is degraded by Vif, suggesting that it is not in a sequestered site, and is specifically incorporated in low amounts into HIV-1(Deltavif). Although A3G and/or A3F inactivate HIV-1(Deltavif) and are neutralized by Vif, the antiviral properties of cell lines are also influenced by other cellular and viral factors.

Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) is required for somatic hypermutation and class switch recombination of Ig genes in B cells. Although AID has been shown to deaminate deoxycytidine to deoxyuridine in DNA in vitro, there is no physical evidence for increased uracils in DNA from cells expressing AID in vivo. We used several techniques to detect uracil bases in a gene that was actively transcribed in Escherichia coli cells expressing AID. Plasmid DNA containing the gene was digested with uracil-DNA glycosylase to remove uracil, and apurinic/apryimidinic endonuclease to nick the abasic site. The nicked DNA was first analyzed using alkaline gel electrophoresis, in which there was a 2-fold increase in the linear form of the plasmid after AID induction compared with plasmid from noninduced bacteria. Second, using a quantitative denaturing Southern blot technique, the gene was predominantly nicked in the nontranscribed strand compared with the transcribed strand. Third, using ligation-mediated PCR, the nicks were mapped on the nontranscribed strand and were located primarily at cytosine bases. These data present direct evidence for the presence of uracils in DNA from cells that are induced to express AID, and they are preferentially generated at cytosines in the nontranscribed strand during transcription.