Steady-state protein levels are determined by the balance between protein synthesis and degradation. Protein half-lives are determined primarily by degradation, and the major degradation pathways involve either lysosomal destruction or an ATP-dependent process involving ubiquitination to target proteins to the proteosome. Studies have shown that multiple tumor-suppressor proteins are ubiquitinated and degraded by the 26S proteasome. In the present study, we investigated whether the tumor suppressor/cytokine melanoma differentiation-associated gene-7/interleukin-24 gene (MDA-7/IL-24) protein is ubiquitinated and its degradation controlled by the proteasome. Treatment of ovarian (2008) and lung (H1299) tumor cells with adenoviral delivery of mda-7 (Ad-mda7) or Ad-mda7 plus the proteosome inhibitor MG132 showed that MDA-7 protein expression was dependent upon proteosome activity. Western blot and immunoprecipitation analyses verified that the MDA-7 protein was ubiquitinated and that ubiquitinated-MDA-7 levels were increased in MG132-treated cells. These results were confirmed using small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knockdown of ubiquitin. Furthermore, ubiquitinated MDA-7 protein was degraded by the 26S proteasome, as MDA-7 accumulation was observed only when cells were treated with MG132 but not with lysosome or protease inhibitors. Inhibition of the catalytic beta-5 subunit of the 20S proteasome using siRNA resulted in MDA-7 protein accumulation. Finally, treatment of tumor cells with Ad-mda7 plus the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib resulted in increased tumor cell killing. Our results show that MDA-7/IL-24 is ubiquitinated and degraded by the 26S proteasome. Furthermore, inhibition of MDA-7 degradation results in enhanced tumor killing, identifying a novel anticancer strategy.

10098 Background: HuR is a nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling protein that specifically binds to mRNA that has AU rich (ARE) sites at the 3’end and transports the RNA to the cytoplasm for protein translation. In addition to mRNA transportation, HuR plays a role in mRNA stabilization and protein translation. Preclinical studies have shown mRNA’s of several growth factors, cell-cycle regulators, and transcription-regulating proteins have ARE’s at the 3’end and bound by HuR. However, there has been reported no clinical data on HuR expression in NSCLC. Thus, in the present study, we assessed clinical significance of HuR expression in NSCLC. Patients and Methods: A total of 236 patients with completely resected p-stage I-IIIA, NSCLC, were reviewed, and HuR expression was evaluated immunohistochemically. Results (Table): HuR expression was seen in the nucleus and cytoplasm of tumor cells. Cytoplasmic HuR expression was positively correlated with tumor progression (p-stage, P<0.01), especially nodal metastasis, microvessel density (MVD), and COX-2 expression. Enhanced nuclear HuR expression was also correlated with tumor progression and COX-2 expression, but not with MVD. Positive cytoplasmic HuR expression was a significant factor to predict a poor prognosis in all patients (5-year survival rates: 85% for HuR-negative and 43% for HuR-positive patients; P<0.01) and in any p-stage/histology subset patients. Nuclear HuR expression status was also a significant prognostic factor in all patients, but not in all subsets. A multivariate analysis confirmed that cytoplasmic HuR status was an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio [95% CI], 4.261 [2.109–8.609]; P<0.001). Conclusions: Cytoplasmic HuR expression was correlated with tumor progression, and was a significant and independent prognostic factor in correlation with enhanced COX-2 expression and increased tumor angiogenesis. [Table: see text] No significant financial relationships to disclose.

The ability of an adenoviral vector expressing the melanoma differentiation-associated gene-7 (Ad-mda7) to mediate inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has recently been reported. However, the molecular mechanism by which Ad-mda7 inhibits VEGF is unknown. In an attempt to elucidate this mechanism, we studied the effects of Ad-mda7 on VEGF expression using human prostate cancer cells as a model. We found that Ad-mda7 treatment of prostate cancer cells (LNCaP and DU145) in vitro resulted in a significant (P < 0.05) inhibition of VEGF expression. Analysis of the VEGF signaling pathway showed that Ad-mda7 inhibited c-Src kinase activity and abrogated STAT-3 binding to the VEGF promoter. Correlating with these observations were reductions in VEGF mRNA and protein levels in Ad-mda7-treated cells. Furthermore, Ad-mda7 inhibited VEGF in Src(+/+) but not in Src(-/-) mouse embryo fibroblasts. These results showed that Ad-mda7 inhibited VEGF by inhibiting the Src signaling pathway. Finally, conditioned medium from Ad-mda7-treated tumor cells containing reduced VEGF inhibited VEGF receptor signaling, resulting in reduced endothelial cell proliferation and apoptosis. Our results provide evidence for the mechanism by which Ad-mda7 inhibits VEGF in tumor cells and of the effects of this VEGF inhibition on endothelial cell proliferation, a requirement for angiogenesis. Our findings demonstrate that MDA-7 protein, in addition to inhibiting tumor angiogenesis directly, inhibits angiogenesis indirectly by inhibiting VEGF production by tumor cells.

Several studies have shown antitumor activities of the melanoma differentiation-associated gene 7 (mda-7) and the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug sulindac when used as a monotherapies against a wide variety of human cancers. However, the combined effects of mda-7 and sulindac have not previously been tested. Therefore, we tested the antitumor activity of an adenoviral vector expressing mda-7 (Ad-mda7) in combination with sulindac against non-small cell lung cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. When treated with Ad-mda7 in combination with sulindac, human lung cancer cells (A549 and H1299) underwent growth suppression resulting in apoptosis. The growth inhibition induced by Ad-mda7 in combination with sulindac was significantly greater than that observed with Ad-mda7 or sulindac alone. Furthermore, the degree of growth inhibition induced using this combination was dose-dependent for sulindac. Treatment with Ad-mda7 in combination with sulindac had no growth inhibitory effects on human normal lung (CCD-16) fibroblasts. We then investigated the mechanism by which sulindac enhances Ad-mda7-mediated apoptosis. Sulindac increased expression of ectopic MDA-7 protein in tumor cells, thereby increasing the expression of downstream effectors RNA-dependent protein kinase, p38MAPK, caspase-9, and caspase-3 and enhancing apoptosis of non-small cell lung cancer cells. Pulse-chase experiments showed that the increased expression of MDA-7 protein in sulindac-treated cells was due to increased half-life of the MDA-7 protein. Finally, treatment of human lung tumor xenografts in nude mice with Ad-mda7 plus sulindac significantly suppressed growth (P = 0.001) compared with Ad-mda7 or sulindac alone. Our results show for the first time that combined treatment with Ad-mda7 plus sulindac enhances growth inhibition and apoptosis of human lung cancer cells. The increased antitumor activity observed with the combination treatment is a result of increased half-life of MDA-7 protein. Regulation of protein turnover is a heretofore-unrecognized mechanism of this nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug.

Studies conducted in non-tumor-bearing, immunocompetent mice have shown that intravenous administration of liposome–DNA complex elicits an inflammatory response that results in a failure to sustain adequate transgene expression. In the present study, however, we investigated the effects of a cationic liposomal DOTAP:cholesterol (DOTAP:Chol)–DNA complex on cytokine production and transgene expression in both experimental lung tumor-bearing (TB) mice and non-tumor-bearing (NTB) syngeneic mice and nude mice. Intravenous injection of DOTAP:Chol–luciferase (luc) DNA complex resulted in tumor necrosis factor-α levels that were 50% lower and interleukin-10 levels that were 50–60% higher in TB mice than in NTB mice. Furthermore, a significant increase in luc expression (P = 0.001) that persisted for 7 days was observed in TB mice. In contrast, luc expression decreased significantly from day 1 to day 2 in NTB mice. Also, luc expression was two- to threefold higher in TB mice that were given multiple injections of DOTAP:Chol-luc complex than in mice who received a single injection. In contrast, luc expression was significantly suppressed following multiple injections in NTB mice (P = 0.01). Further analysis revealed IL-10 protein expression by the tumor cells in TB mice. Injection of anti-IL-10 antibody in TB mice resulted in a significant decrease in luc expression (P = 0.01) compared with that in mice injected with a control antibody. Based on these findings, we conclude that transgene expression persists in TB mice and is partly mediated by IL-10. Additionally, multiple injections of liposome–DNA complex can increase transgene expression in TB mice. These findings have clinical applications in the treatment of cancer.

The human melanoma differentiation associated gene-7 (mda-7), also known as interleukin-24 (IL-24), is a novel gene with tumor suppressor, antiangiogenic, and cytokine properties. In vitro adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of the human mda-7/IL-24 gene (Ad-mda-7) results in ubiquitous growth suppression of human cancer cells with minimal toxicity to normal cells. Intratumoral administration of Ad-mda-7 to lung tumor xenografts results in growth suppression via induction of apoptosis and antiangiogenic mechanisms. Although these results are encouraging, one limitation of this approach is that its locoregional clinical application-systemic delivery of adenoviruses for treatment of disseminated cancer is not feasible at the present time. An alternative approach that is suitable for systemic application is non-viral gene delivery. We recently demonstrated that DOTAP:cholesterol (DOTAP:Chol) nanoparticles effectively deliver tumor suppressor genes to primary and disseminated lung tumors. In the present study, therefore, we evaluated nanoparticle-mediated delivery of the human mda-7/IL-24 gene to primary and disseminated lung tumors in vivo. We demonstrate that DOTAP:Chol efficiently delivers the mda-7/IL-24 gene to human lung tumor xenografts, resulting in suppression of tumor growth. Growth-inhibitory effects were observed in both primary (P=0.001) and metastatic lung tumors (P=0.02). Furthermore, tumor vascularization was reduced in mda-7/IL-24-treated tumors. Finally, growth was also inhibited in murine syngenic tumors treated with DOTAP:Chol-mda-7 nanoparticles (P=0.01). This is the first report demonstrating (1) systemic therapeutic effects of mda-7/IL-24 in lung cancer, and (2) antitumor effects of human mda-7 in syngeneic cancer models. Our findings are important for the development of mda-7/IL-24 treatments for primary and disseminated cancers.

Cancer gene therapy for the treatment of lung cancer has shown promise in the laboratory and in Phase I/II clinical trials. However, it is currently limited to treating localized tumors due to host-immunity against the gene delivery vector and the transgene. Therefore, there is a tremendous effort to develop and test alternate gene delivery vectors that are efficient, non-immunogenic, and applicable for systemic therapy. One such gene delivery vehicle is the non-viral vector, DOTAP: cholesterol (DOTAP:Chol) nanoparticle. Preclinical studies from our laboratory has shown that DOTAP:Chol. nanoparticles are effective systemic gene delivery vectors that efficiently deliver tumor-suppressor genes to disseminated lung tumors. Based on our findings we have recently initiated a Phase-I trial for systemic treatment of lung cancer using a novel tumor suppressor gene, FUS1. Although DOTAP:Chol. nanoparticles complexed to DNA (DNA-nanoparticles) are efficient vectors for systemic therapy, induction of an inflammatory response in a dose-dependent fashion has also been observed thereby limiting its use. A better understanding of the underlying mechanism for DNA-nanoparticles-mediated inflammatory response will allow us to develop strategies to suppress inflammation and expand the therapeutic window in treating human cancer. In the present study we conducted experiments examining the mechanism of nanoparticle-mediated inflammatory response in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrate that systemic administration of DNA-nanoparticles induced multiple signaling molecules both in vitro and in vivo that are associated with inflammation. Use of small molecule inhibitors against the signaling molecules resulted in their suppression and thereby reduced inflammation without affecting transgene expression. Our results provide a rationale to use small molecule inhibitors to suppress nanoparticle-mediated inflammation when administered systemically. Further development and testing will allow us to incorporate this strategy into future clinical trials that is based on systemic non-viral vector gene therapy.

The tumor-suppressor gene PTEN encodes a multifunctional phosphatase that is mutated in a variety of human cancers. PTEN inhibits the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway and downstream functions, including activation of Akt/protein kinase B (PKB), cell survival, and cell proliferation in tumor cells carrying mutant- or deletion-type PTEN. In such tumor cells, enforced expression of PTEN decreases cell proliferation through cell-cycle arrest at G1 phase accompanied, in some cases, by induction of apoptosis. More recently, the tumor-suppressive effect of PTEN has been reported in ovarian and thyroid tumors that are wild type for PTEN. In the present study, we examined the tumor-suppressive effect of PTEN in human colorectal cancer cells that are wild type for PTEN. Adenoviral-mediated transfer of PTEN (Ad-PTEN) suppressed cell growth and induced apoptosis significantly in colorectal cancer cells (DLD-1, HT29, and SW480) carrying wtPTEN than in normal colon fibroblast cells (CCD-18Co) carrying wtPTEN. This suppression was induced through downregulation of the Akt/PKB pathway, dephosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and cell-cycle arrest at the G2/M phase, but not the G1 phase. Furthermore, treatment of human colorectal tumor xenografts (HT-29, and SW480) with Ad-PTEN resulted in significant (P=0.01) suppression of tumor growth. These results indicate that Ad-PTEN exerts its tumor-suppressive effect on colorectal cancer cells through inhibition of cell-cycle progression and induction of cell death. Thus Ad-PTEN may be a potential therapeutic for treatment of colorectal cancers.

The melanoma differentiation-associated gene 7 (mda-7), also called interleukin (IL)-24, suppresses the growth of some cancers in vitro and in vivo as a result of the ectopic expression of its protein. However, the function of the secreted form of the protein in cancer has not been previously studied. The purpose of this study was to determine the antiangiogenic function of a secreted form of the MDA-7/IL-24 protein (sMDA-7/IL-24). In vitro, sMDA-7/IL-24 inhibited both endothelial cell differentiation and migration of endothelial cells induced by vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor. The sMDA-7/IL-24-mediated inhibitory effect was 10-50 times more potent than endostatin, IFN-gamma, and IFN-inducible protein 10 in vitro. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect was not mediated by IFN or IFN-inducible protein 10. IL-22 receptor mediated the antiangiogenic activity of sMDA-7/IL-24. Administration of a blocking antibody to IL-22 receptor in conjunction with sMDA-7/IL-24 led to abrogation of inhibition of endothelial differentiation. sMDA-7/IL-24 inhibited vascular endothelial growth factor-induced angiogenesis as evidenced by reduced vascularization and hemoglobin content in in vivo Matrigel plug assays. In vivo, the growth of human lung tumor cells was significantly inhibited, and vascularization was reduced when the cells were mixed with 293 cells stably expressing sMDA-7/IL-24. Systemic administration of sMDA-7/IL-24 inhibited lung tumor growth in a mouse xenograft model. Associated with tumor growth inhibition was decreased tumor microvessel density and hemoglobin content, indicating the presence of antiangiogenic activity. These data demonstrate that sMDA-7/IL-24 is a novel and potent antiangiogenic effector and support the development of MDA-7/IL-24-based therapeutics.

We have investigated the effects of an improved liposomal formulation (extruded DOTAP:cholesterol (DOTAP:Chol)-DNA complex) on transgene expression in tumor cells and normal cells of murine and human origin both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, transgene expression was significantly increased (P = 0.01) in human tumor cells compared to normal human cells. The increased transgene expression was due to increased uptake of the liposome-DNA complex by tumor cell phagocytosis. Furthermore, immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated a greater transgene expression in lung tumors than in surrounding normal tissues. Increased transgene expression due to enhanced uptake of the liposome-DNA complexes by tumor cells in vivo was also demonstrated using fluorescently labeled DOTAP:Chol liposomes. Finally, evaluation of lung tissue explants obtained from patients undergoing pulmonary resection demonstrated significantly higher (P = 0.001) transgene expression in tumor cells than in normal cells. Thus, we demonstrated that intravenous injection of DOTAP:Chol-DNA complex results in increased transgene expression in tumor and is due to increased phagocytosis of the complexes by tumor cells.

Delivery of therapeutic genes to disseminated tumor sites has been a major challenge in the field of cancer gene therapy due to lack of an efficient vector delivery system. Among the various vectors currently available, liposomes have shown promise for the systemic delivery of genes to distant sites with minimal toxicity. In this report, we describe an improved extruded DOTAP:cholesterol (DOTAP:Chol) cationic liposome that efficiently delivers therapeutic tumor suppressor genes p53 and FHIT, which are frequently altered in lung cancer, to localized human primary lung cancers and to experimental disseminated metastases. Transgene expression was observed in 25% of tumor cells per tumor in primary tumors and 10% in disseminated tumors. When treated with DOTAP:Chol-p53 and -FHIT complex, significant suppression was observed in both primary (P < 0.02) and metastatic lung tumor growth (P < 0.007). Furthermore, repeated multiple treatments revealed a 2.5-fold increase in gene expression and increased therapeutic efficacy compared to single treatment. Finally, animal survival experiments revealed prolonged survival (median survival time: 76 days, P < 0.001 for H1299; and 96 days, P = 0.04 for A549) when treated with liposome-p53 DNA complex. Our findings may be of importance in the development of treatments for primary and disseminated human lung cancers.

A simplified method for generating recombinant adenovirus was developed by using liposome-mediated co-transfection and by directly observing for the cytopathic effect caused by recombinant adenovirus in transfected 293 cells. This approach avoided difficulties associated with calcium-phosphate precipitation and agarose overlays for plaque assays. The ease of generating recombinant adenovirus was considerably improved. Analysis by PCR of DNA samples from the supernatant of the cell cultures with the cytopathic effect was also developed, which made identification of any newly generated recombinant virus rapid and specific.