| 1. |
- Carlsson, Björn, et al.
(författare)
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Simultaneous generation of cytomegalovirus-specific CD8+ and CD4+ T lymphocytes by use of dendritic cells comodified with pp65 mRNA and pp65 protein
- 2005
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Ingår i: Journal of Infectious Diseases. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0022-1899 .- 1537-6613. ; 192:11, s. 1912-20
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease remains a severe complication in patients who have undergone transplantation. Viremia can be prevented and treated by the adoptive transfer of donor-derived CMV-directed T cells. To ensure long-term protection against CMV disease, it is important to transfer CMV antigen-specific T cells that represent both the CD8+ and the CD4+ subsets. In the present study, we used as stimulators dendritic cells (DCs) that were electroporated with in vitro-transcribed 5'-capped polyadenylated messenger RNA (mRNA) that encoded the CMV pp65 protein (i.e., pp65 mRNA). These DCs could efficiently activate CMV-directed CD8+ T cells, as assayed by tetramer staining, interferon- gamma production, and cytolytic activity. We also used DCs that were pulsed with a recombinant pp65 protein to activate CMV-directed CD4+ T cells. When DCs were comodified with pp65 mRNA and pp65 protein, large numbers of CMV-directed CD8+ and CD4+ T cells were generated simultaneously. The approach outlined in the present study can be adapted for a clinical protocol that circumvents potential virus-related biohazards and is available to all patients independently of their human leukocyte antigen haplotype.
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| 2. |
- Cheng, Wing-Shing, et al.
(författare)
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Characterization of the androgen-regulated prostate-specific T cellreceptor gamma-chain alternate reading frame protein (TARP) promoter.
- 2003
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Ingår i: Endocrinology. ; 144:8, s. 3433-40
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- TARP (T cell receptor gamma-chain alternate reading frame protein) is uniquely expressed in males in prostate epithelial cells and prostate cancer cells. Here we demonstrate that TARP expression is regulated by testosterone at the transcriptional level through specific binding of androgen receptor to an androgen response element in the proximal TARP promoter. We further demonstrate that the promoter specifically initiates reporter gene expression in TARP-positive prostate cancer cell lines. To develop a regulatory sequence for prostate-specific gene expression, we constructed a chimeric sequence consisting of the TARP promoter and the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) enhancer. We found that in the prostatic adenocarcinoma cell line LNCaP, the transcriptional activity of the regulatory sequence consisting of a TARP promoter and PSA enhancer is 20 times higher than the activity of a regulatory sequence consisting of the PSA promoter and PSA enhancer. Thus, our studies define a regulatory sequence that may be used to restrict expression of therapeutic genes to prostate cancer cells and may therefore play a role in prostate cancer gene therapy.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Essand, Magnus, et al.
(författare)
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Identification and characterization of a novel splicing variant of vesicular monoamine transporter 1
- 2005
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Ingår i: Journal of Molecular Endocrinology. - : Bioscientifica. - 0952-5041 .- 1479-6813. ; 35:3, s. 489-501
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Vesicular monoamine transporter 1 (VMAT1) is an integral protein in the membrane of secretory vesicles of neuroendocrine and endocrine cells that allows the transport of biogenic monoamines, such as serotonin, from the cytoplasm into the secretory vesicles. The full-length VMAT1 transcript is produced from 16 exons. We have identified and characterized an alternatively spliced form of VMAT1 that lacks exon 15, the next to last exon of VMAT1. The new form was therefore denoted VMAT1Delta15. Exon 15 does not contain an even multiple of three nucleotides. As a consequence, there is a shift of reading frame, and exon 16 is translated in an alternative reading frame, yielding a novel protein with a shorter and unrelated C-terminus compared with the native VMAT1 protein. VMAT1 and VMAT1Delta15 mRNAs are simultaneously expressed in normal and neoplastic neuroendocrine cells of the GI tract. However, VMAT1 expression is always higher than VMAT1Delta15 expression. We prove that VMAT1Delta15 is not localized in large, dense core vesicles as the native form but in the endoplasmic reticulum. Furthermore, while VMAT1 can take up serotonin, VMAT1Delta15 cannot, indicating different functions for the two forms of VMAT1.
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| 5. |
- Essand, Magnus, et al.
(författare)
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Oncolytic Viruses for the Treatment of Neuroendocrine Tumors
- 2011
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Ingår i: Hormone and Metabolic Research. - : Georg Thieme Verlag KG. - 0018-5043 .- 1439-4286. ; 43:12, s. 877-883
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Oncolytic viruses are emerging as anticancer agents, and they have also shown great promise for use against neuroendocrine tumors. Many viruses have a natural tropism for replication in tumor cells. Others can be genetically engineered to selectively kill tumor cells. Viruses have some advantages as therapeutic agents over current cytotoxic drugs and small molecules. They replicate in tumor cells and thereby increase in number over time leading to increased dosage. They are immunogenic and can alter the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and activate immune effector cells. They have also been shown to be able to kill drug-resistant cancer stem cells. This article reviews the recent literature on oncolytic viruses used so far for neuroendocrine tumors and indicates important issues to focus on in the future.
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| 6. |
- Giandomenico, Valeria, et al.
(författare)
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Other Novel Therapies : Biomarkers, microRNAs and microRNA Inhibitors, DNA Methylation, Epigenetics, Immunotherapy and Virotherapy
- 2015
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Ingår i: Neuroendocrine Tumors. - : S. Karger. - 9783318027730 - 9783318027723 ; , s. 248-262
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) consist of heterogeneous neoplasms. The neuroendocrine cells of the human body are confined to certain organs, such as the thyroid, pancreas and adrenals, or they are dispersed throughout the body in the respiratory tract and in the intestinal mucosa. The cells belong to the diffuse endocrine cell system, share a neuroendocrine phenotype, and accumulate precursor molecules which are then processed into hormones, peptides or amines. The tightly controlled release on stimulation is either to the blood stream or adjacent cells or neurons. Neuroendocrine cells regulate various processes in the human body, such as gastrointestinal secretion, blood pressure and response to stress. NETs present a wide spectrum of malignant diseases from rather benign to very malignant and lethal variants. NETs may occur in any organ, but are mainly detected in the gastroenteropancreatic system and in the lungs. The understanding of NET biology and treatments has changed dramatically during the last decade. Today, the main problems that clinicians and translational scientists face in overcoming these malignancies relate to various aspects within the molecular pathogenesis of NETs. This chapter focuses on the importance of novel biomarkers: microRNA and microRNA inhibitors; DNA methylation and epigenetics, and immunotherapy and virotherapy to develop novel treatments for NETs.
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| 7. |
- Leja, Justyna, et al.
(författare)
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A novel chromogranin-A promoter-driven oncolytic adenovirus for midgut carcinoid therapy
- 2007
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Ingår i: Clinical Cancer Research. - 1078-0432 .- 1557-3265. ; 13:8, s. 2455-2462
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: The use of replication-selective oncolytic adenoviruses is an emerging therapeutic approach for cancer, which thus far has not been employed for carcinoids. We therefore constructed Ad[CgA-E1A], a novel replication-selective oncolytic adenovirus, where the chromogranin A (CgA) promoter controls expression of the adenoviral E1A gene. Experimental Design: The Ad[CgA-E1A] virus was evaluated for E1A protein expression, replication ability, and cytolytic activity in various cell lines. It was also evaluated for treatment of xenografted human carcinoid tumors in nude mice. To use Ad[CgA-E1A] for the treatment of carcinoid liver metastases, it is important that normal hepatocytes do not support virus replication to minimize hepatotoxicity. We therefore evaluated CgA protein expression in normal hepatocytes. We also evaluated CgA gene expression in normal hepatocytes and microdissected tumor cells from carcinoid metastases. Results: We found that Ad[CgA-E1A] replicates similarly to wild-type virus in tumor cells with neuroendocrine features, including the BON carcinoid cell line and the SH-SY-5Y neuroblastoma cell lines, whereas it is attenuated in other cell types. Thus, cells where the CgA promoter is active are selectively killed. We also found that Ad[CgA-E1A] is able to suppress fast-growing human BON carcinoid tumors in nude mice. Furthermore, CgA is highly expressed in microdissected cells from carcinoid metastases, whereas it is not expressed in normal hepatocytes. Conclusion: Ad[CgA-E1A] is an interesting agent for the treatment of carcinoid liver metastases in conjunction with standard therapy for these malignancies.
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| 8. |
- Leja, Justyna, et al.
(författare)
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Double-detargeted oncolytic adenovirus shows replication arrest in liver cells and retains neuroendocrine cell killing ability
- 2010
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Ingår i: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203. ; 5:1, s. e8916-
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND:We have previously developed an oncolytic serotype 5 adenovirus (Ad5) with chromogranin-A (CgA) promoter-controlled E1A expression, Ad[CgA-E1A], with the intention to treat neuroendocrine tumors, including carcinoids. Since carcinoids tend to metastasize to the liver it is important to fully repress viral replication in hepatocytes to avoid adenovirus-related liver toxicity. Herein, we explore miRNA-based regulation of E1A expression as a complementary mechanism to promoter-based transcriptional control.METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Ad[CgA-E1A-miR122], where E1A expression is further controlled by six tandem repeats of the target sequence for the liver-specific miR122, was constructed and compared to Ad[CgA-E1A]. We observed E1A suppression and replication arrest of the miR122-detargeted adenovirus in normal hepatocytes, while the two viruses killed carcinoid cells to the same degree. Repeated intravenous injections of Ad[CgA-E1A] induced liver toxicity in mice while Ad[CgA-E1A-miR122] injections did not. Furthermore, a miR122-detargeted adenovirus with the wild-type E1A promoter showed reduced replication in hepatic cells compared to wild-type Ad5 but not to the same extent as the miR122-detargeted adenovirus with the neuroendocrine-selective CgA promoter.CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:A combination of transcriptional (promoter) and post-transcriptional (miRNA target) regulation to control virus replication may allow for the use of higher doses of adenovirus for efficient tumors treatment without liver toxicity.
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| 9. |
- Leja, Justyna, et al.
(författare)
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Novel markers for enterochromaffin cells and gastrointestinal neuroendocrine carcinomas
- 2009
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Ingår i: Modern Pathology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0893-3952 .- 1530-0285. ; 22:2, s. 261-272
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The gene expression profile of metastasizing serotonin-producing neuroendocrine carcinomas, which arise from enterochromaffin cells in the jejunum and ileum, is still largely unknown. The aim of this study was to identify genes and proteins, which are preferentially expressed by neuroendocrine carcinoma and enterochromaffin cells and therefore potential novel biomarkers and/or therapeutic targets. Six carcinoma specimens and six normal ileal mucosas were profiled by Affymetrix microarrays. Advanced bioinformatics identified differentially and specifically expressed genes, which were validated by quantitative real-time-PCR on tumor cells extracted by laser capture microdissection and normal enterochromaffin cells extracted by immunolaser capture microdissection. We identified six novel marker genes for neuroendocrine carcinoma cells: paraneoplastic antigen Ma2 (PNMA2), testican-1 precursor (SPOCK1), serpin A10 (SERPINA10), glutamate receptor ionotropic AMPA 2 (GRIA2), G protein-coupled receptor 112 (GPR112) and olfactory receptor family 51 subfamily E member 1 (OR51E1). GRIA2 is specifically expressed by neuroendocrine carcinoma cells whereas the others are also expressed by normal enterochromaffin cells. GPR112 and OR51E1 encode proteins associated with the plasma membrane and may therefore become targets for antibody-based diagnosis and therapy. Hierarchical clustering shows high similarity between primary lesions and liver metastases. However, chemokine C-X-C motif ligand 14 (CXCL14) and NK2 transcription factor related locus 3 Drosophila (NKX2-3) are expressed to a lower level in liver metastases than in primary tumors and normal enterochromaffin cells, which implies a role in neuroendocrine carcinoma differentiation. In conclusion, this study provides a list of genes, which possess relatively specific expression to enterochromaffin and neuroendocrine carcinoma cells and genes with differential expression between primary tumors and metastases. We verified six novel marker genes that may be developed as biomarkers and/or therapeutic targets.
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| 10. |
- Leja, Justyna, et al.
(författare)
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Oncolytic adenovirus modified with somatostatin motifs for selective infection of neuroendocrine tumor cells
- 2011
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Ingår i: Gene Therapy. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0969-7128 .- 1476-5462. ; 18:11, s. 1052-1062
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We have previously described the oncolytic adenovirus, Ad(CgA-E1A-miR122), herein denoted Ad5(CgA-E1A-miR122) that selectively replicates in and kills neuroendocrine cells, including freshly isolated midgut carcinoid cells from liver metastases. Ad5(CgA-E1A-miR122) is based on human adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) and infects target cells by binding to the coxsackie-adenovirus receptor (CAR) and integrins on the cell surface. Some neuroendocrine tumor (NET) and neuroblastoma cells express low levels of CAR and are therefore poorly transduced by Ad5. However, they often express high levels of somatostatin receptors (SSTRs). Therefore, we introduced cyclic peptides, which contain four amino acids (FWKT) and mimic the binding site for SSTRs in the virus fiber knob. We show that FWKT-modified Ad5 binds to SSTR2 on NET cells and transduces midgut carcinoid cells from liver metastases about 3-4 times better than non-modified Ad5 while it transduces normal hepatocytes at about 50% of Ad5. Moreover, FWKT-modified Ad5 overcomes neutralization in an ex vivo human blood loop model to greater extent than Ad5, indicating that fiber knob modification may prolong the systematic circulation time. We conclude that modification of adenovirus with the FWKT motif may be beneficial for NET therapy.
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