A novel combination of suicide gene therapy and histone deacetylase inhibitor for treatment of malignant melanoma

One major problem associated with application of gene therapy to treatment of tumors is poor transgene expression. Although suicide gene therapy with the herpes simplex virus-thymidine kinase gene (HSV-tk) followed by administration of ganciclovir (GCV) was effective in the treatment of melanoma, it was still difficult to induce complete remission to cancer. A novel histone deacetylase inhibitor drug FR901229 was found to enhance transgene expression in tumor cells both in vitro and in vivo. Combination therapy with HSV-tklGCV and FR901228 by direct injection into tumor enhanced antimelanoma effects. The number of apoptotic cells in melanoma tumors was increased significantly (P<.05) after combined suicide gene therapy and FR901228. Six times injection of HSV-tk/GCV and FR901228 prolonged mice survival compared to that of HSV-tk/GCV injection alone (P=.021). In total, 56% (10 of 18) of the mice survived 120 days after combined suicide gene therapy and FR901228 treatment, and no new tumors appeared in the surviving mice. However, only 19% (3 of 16) of the mice survived when treated with suicide gene therapy alone. This novel strategy may be applicable as a therapeutic regimen for the treatment of aggressive types of cancers.     

Enhanced efficacy of radiation-induced gene therapy in mice bearing lung adenocarcinoma xenografts using hypoxia responsive elements

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the hypoxia responsive element (HRE) could be used to enhance suicide gene (HSV-tk) expression and tumoricidal activity in radiation-controlled gene therapy of human lung adenocarcinoma xenografts. A chimeric promoter, HRE-Egr, was generated by directly linking a 0.3-kb fragment of HRE to a 0.6-kb human Egr-1 promoter. Retroviral vectors containing luciferase or the HSV-tk gene driven by Egr-1 or HRE-Egr were constructed. A human adenocarcinoma cell line (A549) was stably transfected with the above vectors using the lipofectamine method. The sensitivity of transfected cells to prodrug ganciclovir (GCV) and cell survival rates were analyzed after exposure to a dose of 2 Gy radiation and hypoxia (1%). In vivo, tumor xenografts in BALB/c mice were transfected with the constructed retroviruses and irradiated to a total dose of 6 Gy, followed by GCV treatment (20 mg/kg for 14 days). When the HSV-tk gene controlled by the HRE-Egr promoter was introduced into A549 cells by a retroviral vector, the exposure to 1% O(2) and 2 Gy radiation induced significant enhancement of GCV cytotoxicity to the cells. Moreover, in nude mice bearing solid tumor xenografts, only the tumors infected with the hybrid promoter-containing virus gradually disappeared after GCV administration and radiation. These results indicate that HRE can enhance transgene expression and tumoricidal activity in HSV-tk gene therapy controlled by ionizing radiation in hypoxic human lung adenocarcinoma.     

Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 gene delivery enhances antitumor effects of herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase/ganciclovir system in a model of colon cancer

Suicide gene therapy using the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase/ganciclovir (HSV-tk/GCV) system is a well-characterized tool for cancer gene therapy; however, it does not yet exhibit sufficient efficacy to cure patients of malignancies. We have reported that adenovirally delivered monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 augmented the antitumor effects of the HSV-tk/GCV system in an athymic nude mouse model. The current study, which uses an immunocompetent mouse model of colon cancer, was designed to evaluate the antitumor effects of MCP-1 gene delivery in conjunction with this suicide gene therapy system. Subcutaneous tumor foci were directly transduced with both recombinant adenoviruses (rAds) expressing an HSV-tk gene and either of the MCP-1, CD80 and LacZ genes, followed by GCV administration. The growth of tumors was markedly suppressed by codelivery of HSV-tk and MCP-1 genes, which was exclusively associated with the recruitment of monocytes/macrophages, T helper 1 (Th1) cytokine gene expression and cytotoxic activity of the splenocytes. Furthermore, the antitumor effects were more efficient than that obtained by the combination of HSV-tk and CD80 genes. These results suggest an immunomodulatory effect of MCP-1 in the context of suicide gene therapy of colon cancer via orchestration of innate and acquired immune responses.     

Folate-linked nanoparticle-mediated suicide gene therapy in human prostate cancer and nasopharyngeal cancer with herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase

For targeted gene delivery to human prostate cancer LNCaP and PC-3 cells and nasopharyngeal cancer KB cells, we developed a folate-linked nanoparticle (NP-F), and evaluated the potential of NP-F-mediated suicide gene therapy in the cells and xenografts with herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) and connexin 43 (Cx43). An NP-F-plasmid DNA complex (NP-F nanoplex) showed high DNA transfection efficiency in KB, LNCaP and PC-3 cells. Cell growth inhibition in the presence of ganciclovir (GCV) was enhanced with HSV-tk and Cx43 genes in LNCaP cells. In suicide gene therapy, the tumor growths of KB and LNCaP xenografts were significantly inhibited when an NP-F nanoplex of the HSV-tk gene, and HSV-tk and Cx43 genes, respectively, was injected intratumorally and GCV was administered intraperitoneally. These findings suggested that the NP-F is a potential target vector in prostate and nasopharyngeal cancer for suicide gene therapy.     

壳聚糖纳米粒介导的HSV-tk基因对前列腺癌的体外杀伤作用

目的：考察壳聚糖纳米粒作为自杀基因载体进行前列腺自杀基因治疗的可行性，为前列腺癌的基因治疗寻找新的基因载体。方法：将壳聚糖纳米粒包裹的含报告基因的质粒pEGFP—C1分别转染前列腺癌细胞PC-3和22Rvl，并观察EGFP的表达情况。随后将含HSV-tk自杀基因的真核高效表达质粒pcDNA3-tk经壳聚糖纳米粒包裹后转染上述2种前列腺癌细胞，转染48h后，以RT-PCR检测HSV-tk基因的表达情况。最后对转染的2种细胞给予不同浓度的前体药更昔洛韦（ganci—clovir，GCV）作用24h后，采用MTT比色法测定药物对细胞增殖的影响，并进行统计学分析。结果：壳聚糖纳米粒能够将质粒pEGFP-C1转入2种前列腺癌细胞，并表达EGFP，在PC-3细胞中壳聚糖纳米介导的转染效率高于脂质体。采用壳聚糖纳米粒转染pcDNA3-tk于2种前列腺癌细胞后，RT-PCR证明在癌细胞中有HSV-tk基因的表达。给予前体药物GCV后，实验组细胞生长抑制率与只给壳聚糖或裸质粒的对照组相比明显增高，说明HSV-tk自杀基因纳米粒在细胞中表达，从而使HSV-tk／GCV自杀基因系统发挥杀伤细胞的作用。结论：壳聚糖纳米粒能将质粒基因pcDNA3-tk转入前列腺癌细胞并表达胸苷激酶发挥作用，可做为前列腺癌自杀基因治疗的基因载体。     

Enhanced anti-tumor effects of herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase/ganciclovir system by codelivering monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in hepatocellular carcinoma.

The therapeutic efficacy of herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase/ganciclovir (HSV-tk/GCV) system in many types of tumors is unsatisfactory due to the insufficient spread of gene transfer and insufficient cell killing. In the current study, we investigated whether adenovirally delivered monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 potentiates the antitumor effects of the HSV-tk/GCV system in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. Subcutaneous tumor foci of the human HCC cell line, HuH7, established in athymic mice were directly transduced with a recombinant adenovirus (rAd) harboring an HSV-tk gene driven by a human alpha-fetoprotein promoter, followed by GCV administration. Subsequently, another rAd expressing MCP-1 under the universal CAG promoter was injected. The growth of tumors was markedly suppressed by codelivering HSV-tk and MCP-1 genes compared to that by either HSV-tk/GCV or MCP-1 delivery. In the tumor tissues, monocyte/macrophage infiltration was detected immunohistochemically. The antitumor effects of the rAd expressing MCP-1 were markedly reduced by the administration of carrageenan, a compound known to inactivate macrophage. These results indicate that adenovirally delivered MCP-1 enhanced the antitumor effects of the HSV-tk/GCV system synergistically by recruitment/activation of macrophages in tumor tissues, suggesting an effective immunotherapy for HCC and other lineages of tumors when used adjuvantly with a suicide gene.     

Adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of enhanced Herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase mutants improves prodrug-mediated tumor cell killing

The Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV) thymidine kinase (tk) suicide gene together with ganciclovir (GCV) have been successfully used for the in vivo treatment of various solid tumors and for the ablation of unwanted transfused stem cells in recent clinical trials. With the aim of improving this therapeutic system, we compared the potential efficacy of adenoviral (Ad) vectors expressing enhanced tk mutants in vitro and in vivo. The previously created HSV-tk mutants dm30 and sr39, created by random sequence mutagenesis, were inserted into a standard Ad.RSV E1(-)E3(-) backbone using homologous recombination. GCV killing of Ad.HSV-tk, Ad.dm30-tk and Ad.sr39-tk was assessed in various tumor cell lines with a cell proliferation assay. Cells expressing the two TK mutants were two-to-five-fold more sensitive to GCV when compared with Ad.HSV-tk transduced cells in all cell lines tested (five human mesotheliomas, one human lung cancer, a human cervical carcinoma, a mouse fibrosarcoma, and a rat glioma line) at equal TK expression levels. Flank tumor models, including cell-mixing studies, assessed the in vivo efficacy of the engineered viruses in BALB/C and SCID mice. In all animal studies, Ad.dm30-tk and Ad.sr39-tk showed more tumor growth inhibition than Ad.HSV-tk when GCV was administered. The use of adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of both tk mutants dm30-tk and sr39-tk for cancer suicide gene therapy should provide a more effective and safer alternative to wild-type HSV-tk.     

Sequential Histopathological Changes in vivo after Suicide Gene Therapy of Gastric Cancer Induced by N-Methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine in Rats

Gastrointestinal cancer is the most important clinical target of gene therapy. Suicide gene therapy, such as with the herpes simplex virus type 1 thymidine kinase ( HSV-TK ) gene, has been shown to exert antitumor efficacy in various cancer models in vitro. We previously reported in situ gene transfer and gene therapy for gastric cancer induced by N -ethyl-. N '-nitro-. N -nitrosoguanidine (ENNG) in dogs. Here, we describe the sequential histopathological changes after suicide gene therapy of N -methyl-. N '-nitro-. N nitrosoguanidine (MNNG)-induced gastric cancer in rats. Gastric tumors were induced by MNNG in 38/73 (52%) of Wistar strain rats. The suicide gene therapy group (14 rats) was subjected to in situ gene transfer with a recombinant adenovirus vector carrying the HSV-TK gene driven by CAG promoter (Ad.CAGHSV-TK) in gastric tumor, followed by the antiviral drug ganciclovir (GCV). To observe the histopathological changes at various tunes after HSV-TK/GCV gene therapy, groups of animals were sacrificed at 3, 8, and 30 days after gene transfer. Apoptosis in the gastric tumors was detected by the TUNEL method to assess the efficacy of HSV-TK/GCV gene therapy, and it was marked in the 8- and 30-day treatment groups compared to the sham operation controls ( P <0.001). Various histopathological changes, degeneration of cancer tissue and fibrosis after necrosis and apoptosis were significantly greater in the 30-day treatment group. The HSV-TK gene was detectable in peripheral blood by PCR until 30 days after gene transfer. These results may be useful in devising a method of suicide gene therapy for humans.     

Sequential histopathological changes in vivo after suicide gene therapy of gastric cancer induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine in rats.

Gastrointestinal cancer is the most important clinical target of gene therapy. Suicide gene therapy, such as with the herpes simplex virus type 1 thymidine kinase (HSV-TK) gene, has been shown to exert antitumor efficacy in various cancer models in vitro. We previously reported in situ gene transfer and gene therapy for gastric cancer induced by N-ethyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (ENNG) in dogs. Here, we describe the sequential histopathological changes after suicide gene therapy of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG)-induced gastric cancer in rats. Gastric tumors were induced by MNNG in 38 / 73 (52%) of Wistar strain rats. The suicide gene therapy group (14 rats) was subjected to in situ gene transfer with a recombinant adenovirus vector carrying the HSV-TK gene driven by CAG promoter (Ad.CAGHSV-TK) in gastric tumor, followed by the antiviral drug ganciclovir (GCV). To observe the histopathological changes at various times after HSV-TK / GCV gene therapy, groups of animals were sacrificed at 3, 8, and 30 days after gene transfer. Apoptosis in the gastric tumors was detected by the TUNEL method to assess the efficacy of HSV-TK / GCV gene therapy, and it was marked in the 8- and 30-day treatment groups compared to the sham operation controls (P < 0.001). Various histopathological changes, degeneration of cancer tissue and fibrosis after necrosis and apoptosis were significantly greater in the 30-day treatment group. The HSV-TK gene was detectable in peripheral blood by PCR until 30 days after gene transfer. These results may be useful in devising a method of suicide gene therapy for humans.     

Use of gastrin-releasing peptide promoter for specific expression of thymidine kinase gene in small-cell lung carcinoma cells

For specific transduction of herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) into human small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) cells, we explored the 5'-flanking region (-1.1 kb) of the gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) gene as a lung cancer-specific promoter. RT-PCR analysis demonstrated expression of GRP mRNA in the SBC5 human SCLC cell line but not in the RERF human SCLC cell line, the A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cell line or the HeLa human uterine cervix epithelioid carcinoma cell line. A reporting vector containing the GRP promoter (pGL2-GRP) exhibited higher luciferase activity in SBC5 than in the other 3 cell lines. After transfecting an expression vector containing the GRP promoter-bound HSV-tk gene (pGRP-TK) into the cells, we measured their sensitivity to ganciclovir (GCV). In SBC5, pGRP-tk-transfected cells became about 100 times more sensitive to GCV than parental cells in vitro. In nude mice, tumors of pGRP-tk-transfected SBC5 regressed completely after i.p. administration of GCV. GRP promoter might be a good tool for tumor-specific transduction of suicide genes in GRP-expressing SCLC cells.     

人MUC4启动子驱动HSV-TK腺病毒靶向杀伤胃癌细胞的研究

目的：构建人MUC4启动子驱动下的HSV-TK重组腺病毒,研究其对胃癌细胞的靶向杀伤作用。方法：免疫荧光法检测MUC4在胃癌细胞系中的表达。克隆MUC4启动子区625bp活性序列,利用重组荧光素酶检测系统检测其在SGC-7901胃腺癌细胞及NUGC4胃印戒细胞癌细胞中的转录活性。以AdEasyTM腺病毒系统为载体,构建MUC4启动子驱动下的HSV-TK重组腺病毒,与前体药物GCV联合,检测其对上述两种胃癌细胞的细胞毒作用。结果：MUC4蛋白在两种胃癌细胞的胞浆和胞膜均有表达,而在成纤维细胞中无表达。克隆的MUC4启动子片段在SGC-7901和NUGC4细胞中具有强转录活性,转录活性高于强启动子SV40,而NIH3T3成纤维细胞系中几乎无转录活性。MUC4启动子驱动下的HSV-TK重组腺病毒与GCV联合能够诱导SGC-7901和NUGC4胃癌细胞凋亡,产生特异性靶向细胞毒作用。结论：人MUC4启动子驱动下的HSV-TK重组腺病毒联合GCV对SGC-7901和NUGC4胃癌细胞具有靶向杀伤作用,MUC4启动子可以作为胃癌靶向基因治疗的工具。     

人MUC4启动子驱动的HSV-TK重组腺病毒靶向杀伤SGC-7901胃癌细胞的实验研究

目的:构建人粘蛋白( MUC4)启动子驱动下的单纯疱疹胸苷激酶基因(HSV-TK)重组腺病毒,研究其对SGC-7901胃癌细胞的靶向杀伤作用.方法:克隆MUC4启动子区625 bp活性序列,构建重组荧光素酶报告基因载体pGL3-MUC4,检测其在SGC-7901胃癌细胞及NIH3T3成纤维细胞中的转录活性.以AdEasyTM腺病毒系统为载体,构建MUC4启动子驱动下的HSV-TK重组腺病毒rAdeno-MUC4-TK,感染SGC-7901及NIH3T3,经更昔洛韦(GCV)处理,MTT法检测细胞活力,TUNEL法检测细胞凋亡.结果:成功扩增出大小为625 bp的MUC4启动子序列.pGL3-MUC4在SGC-7901细胞中具有强转录活性,转录活性高于强启动子SV40 6.6倍,而NIH3T3成纤维细胞系中几乎无转录活性.构建重组腺病毒rAdeno-MUC4-TK,MTT法和TUNEL检测结果显示,其与GCV联合能够诱导SGC-7901细胞凋亡,产生靶向细胞毒作用.结论:人MUC4启动子驱动下的HSV-TK重组腺病毒联合GCV对SGC-7901胃癌细胞具有靶向杀伤作用,MUC4启动子可以作为胃癌靶向基因治疗的工具.     

Cancer gene therapy with HSV-tk/GCV system depends on T-cell-mediated immune responses and causes apoptotic death of tumor cells in vivo.

To examine the immunological mechanisms involved in cancer gene therapy using the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) gene and ganciclovir (GCV), murine hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells, BNL1ME A.7R.1, were transduced retrovirally with the HSV-tk gene. HSV-tk-transduced cells exhibited a more than 2,000-fold higher sensitivity to GCV compared with untransduced parental cells. When HSV-tk-transduced HCC cells were mixed with parental cells at a 50% ratio and implanted subcutaneously into immunocompetent syngeneic mice, complete inhibition of tumor formation was achieved by GCV treatment. Conversely, no significant inhibitory effects on tumor formation were observed in athymic nude mice. When established solid tumors in immunocompetent mice containing HSV-tk-transduced cells at an only 5% ratio were treated with GCV, marked infiltration by lymphocytes including CD4(+) and CD8(+) ones, and apoptotic death of tumor cells were induced, and significant reduction or even complete regression of tumors was achieved. Furthermore, such cured mice rejected rechallenge with parental HCC cells into the contraflank regions. Our results indicate that cancer gene therapy with the HSV-tk/GCV system can indeed induce efficient antitumor effects and protective immunity in immunocompetent mice but not in nude mice, indicating that T-cell-mediated immune responses may be a critical factor for achieving successful gene therapy against cancer using the HSV-tk/GCV system.     

EB病毒LMP1通过NF-kB介导的HSV-tk/GCV治疗EBV相关肿瘤的研究

目的:研究EB病毒潜伏膜蛋白1(EBV-LMP1)通过活化NF-kB反式激活HIV-LTR进而启动自杀基困HSV-tk在EBV相关肿瘤治疗中的作用,为进一步开展肿瘤治疗提供科学的实验依据。方法:以鼻咽癌细胞为实验模型,将HSV-tk基因置于HIV-LTR调控序列之下,构建LMP1调控且依赖于NF-kB的HSV-tk/GCV系统,采用同位素方法检测tk活性来研究LMP1通过NF-kB调控HSV-tk转录的靶向性和表达特征,MTT方法检测在GCV处理下肿瘤细胞的生长状况。结果:成功构建受LMP1调控且依赖于NF-kB的HSV-tk表达质粒,发现其在GCV处理下,表达LMP1的肿瘤细胞的生长有显著的抑制。结论;携带有LMP1-HSV-tk的细胞对GCV治疗高度敏感,显示这一肿瘤治疗系统在EBV相关肿瘤中具有一定的应用前景。     

Combination gene therapy using multidrug resistance (MDR1) gene shRNA and herpes simplex virus-thymidine kinase

The current study was designed to evaluate the anti-tumor effects of MDR1 shRNA in combination with herpes simplex virus-thymidine kinase/ganciclovir (HSV-tk/GCV) suicide gene therapy system. Introduction of an MDR1-targeted small hairpin RNA (shMDR) markedly enhanced the intracellular accumulation of and increased sensitivity to drugs transported by P-glycoprotein. Functional TK-eGFP fusion protein expression was confirmed by Western blot analysis and ganciclovir uptake assay. Compared with GCV or doxorubicin alone, the combination of anti-cancer drug chemotherapy with GCV administration displays additive cytotoxicity in shMDR1-TK-eGFP expressing cells. These results for the first time suggest the potential of combination gene therapy using suicide gene therapy and RNAi-based gene therapy in vitro.     

Exogenous wt-p53 enhances the antitumor effect of HSV-TK/GCV on C6 glioma cells

Objective To study on the antitumor effect of combining wt-p53 gene with suicide gene therapy (HSV-tk+GCV) for malignant gliomas. Methods AdCMV-p53 was transfected into C6 glioma cells at MOI of (Multiplicity of infection) 0(G100), 10(TPG1), 100(TPG2), then AdCMV-tk was transducted to C6 glioma cells of G100, TPG1 and TPG2, respectively, at MOI of 100. The C6 glioma cells tranfected with both AdCMV-p53 and AdCMV-tk were exposed to various concentration of GCV. The cell survival rate was measured by MTT assay in vitro. Rat glioma model was established by injecting 5 × 10⁵ C6 glioma cells into right caudate nucleus of SD rats. AdCMV-p53 and AdCMV-tk were injected into glioma on day 5 and 6, respectively. On day 7, ganciclovir (GCV) was administrated intraperitoneally at 15 mg/kg/day for 14 days. The survival time of all rats was observed. The growth of intracerebral tumors was monitored dynamically by enhanced MRI. Cell apoptosis was evaluated by TUNEL method. Expression of HSV-tk gene was identified by in situ hybridization and expression of exogenous p53 gene was detected with Western blotting. Results In vitro, wt-p53 significantly enhanced antitumor effect of HSV-tk/GCV. The concentration of GCV for ID50 of TPG2 cells (0.001 μg/ml GCV) was 10 times lower than that for the cells of tk-GCV group (MOI = 100), while the concentration of GCV for ID100 of TPG2 (0.01 μg/ml GCV) and TPG1(0.1 μg/ml GCV) was 100 and 10 times lower than that for the cells of tk-GCV group (MOI = 100), respectively. Apoptosis of C6 glioma cells also could be induced by transfection with wt-p53 gene slightly. For in vivo study, the survival time of tumor-bearing rats treated with HSV-TK/GCV or wt-p53 combined with HSV-TK/GCV was significantly prolonged and the intracerebral tumors were regressed and disappeared earlier in the combined gene therapy group than those in the HSV-TK/GCV therapy group as shown in enhanced MRI. However, only half dose of GCV for the rats treated with both wt-p53 and HSV-TK/GCV was needed to obtain the same efficacy as those rats treated with HSV-TK/GCV alone. These results indicate that the transfection of wt-p53 potentiates the effect of HSV-TK/GCV therapy. Conclusions The combination of HSV-tk/GCV system with wt-p53 gene transduction is optimal for clinical therapeutic trials of suicide gene therapy for malignant gliomas.     

Herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene transduction enhances tumor growth rate and cyclooxygenase-2 expression in murine colon cancer cells

Transduction of tumor cells with herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) gene and subsequent treatment with the prodrug ganciclovir (GCV) is the most common system utilized to date for "suicide" gene therapy of cancer. In the current report, we show that HSV-tk gene transduction enhances tumor growth rate of murine colon cancer cells, that are implanted subcutaneously in syngeneic mice, and enhances cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein expression and prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) release in vitro and in vivo. It is further shown that the observed phenomenon is related to the presence of the HSV-tk sequence insert in the retroviral vector used for HSV-tk gene delivery. Transduction of murine colon cancer cells with control vector, carrying the neomycin-resistance gene alone, failed to increase tumor growth rate and COX-2 protein expression or PGE(2) production. On the contrary, it even decreased tumor growth, COX-2 protein expression and PGE(2.) The growth rate of HSV-tk-transduced murine tumors was significantly reduced by treatment with the selective COX-2 inhibitor nimesulide. Additionally, we demonstrate herein that both enhanced growth rate of HSV-tk-transduced murine tumors and increased levels of PGE(2) in HSV-tk-transduced cells persist upon the development of GCV resistance. Taken together, these results provide a better understanding of the direct effect of HSV-tk gene transduction on tumor cell biology and target tumor development.     

Suicide gene therapy for chemically induced rat bladder tumor entailing instillation of adenoviral vectors.

The efficacy of an in vivo gene therapy protocol making use of an adenoviral vector in the treatment of bladder cancer was examined. Bladder tumors were induced in rats by oral administration of BBN (N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine). Histologically, such tumors resemble those seen in human bladder cancer, and the cells can be selectively transduced using adenoviral vectors. The therapeutic protocol thus entailed instillation of an adenoviral vector containing the HSV-tk suicide gene into rat bladder followed by a regimen of intraperitoneal ganciclovir (GCV) injections. Histological examination after a short-term GCV regimen (3 days) revealed marked vacuolization of the tumor cells. Moreover, TUNEL assays showed that the cytotoxic reaction was mediated by apoptosis. Following a long-term GCV regimen (14 days), tumor growth was significantly inhibited and glandular metaplasia was observed. This is the first report demonstrating the efficacy of in vivo suicide gene therapy in a chemically induced transitional cell carcinoma like that seen in most human bladder cancer. Intravesical instillation is already a well established clinical technique. Our findings indicate that now there is a strong potential for its incorporation into new and useful gene therapies aimed at the treatment of human bladder cancer.