A novel recombinant immunocasp-6 fusion gene specifically and efficiently suppresses HER2-overexpressing osteosarcoma

Oncol Rep. 2013 Jan;29(1):276-82. doi: 10.3892/or.2012.2122. Epub 2012 Nov 5.

Abstract

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant tumor of bone for adolescent or children. The poor prognosis of patients, due to its remote metastasis, has led to the exploration of more effective and less toxic treatments. Immunotherapy is a promising strategy for the treatment of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-overexpressing tumors. Herein, we describe experiments conducted with a fusion gene, immunocasp-6, which was generated by fusing a HER2-specific single-chain Ab, a single-chain Pseudomonas exotoxin A and an active caspase-6 which can directly cleave lamin A leading to nucleus damage inducing programmed cell death. We demonstrated that immunocasp-6 can specifically and efficiently recognize and induce apoptosis in HER2-overexpressing osteosarcoma cells in vitro. The immunocasp-6 was transferred into BALB/c athymic mice bearing human osteosarcoma by i.m. injection of liposome-encapsulated pCMV-immunocap-6. Expression of immunocasp-6 not only strongly inhibited tumor growth and significantly prolonged animal survival, but also greatly prevented tumor metastasis. Our data showed that the immuno-casp-6 can specifically recognize HER2-overexpressing osteosarcoma cells, can also promptly attack their nucleus and induce apoptotic death, suggesting the potential of this strategy for the treatment of human HER2-overexpressing tumors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • ADP Ribose Transferases / genetics
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis
  • Bacterial Toxins / genetics
  • Blotting, Western
  • Bone Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Bone Neoplasms / pathology
  • Bone Neoplasms / prevention & control*
  • Caspase 6 / genetics
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Exotoxins / genetics
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Humans
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Lung Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Lung Neoplasms / prevention & control*
  • Lung Neoplasms / secondary
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Osteosarcoma / metabolism
  • Osteosarcoma / pathology
  • Osteosarcoma / prevention & control*
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa Exotoxin A
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / genetics
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / immunology
  • Receptor, ErbB-2 / metabolism*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / therapeutic use*
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Virulence Factors / genetics
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Bacterial Toxins
  • Exotoxins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Virulence Factors
  • immunocasp-6
  • ADP Ribose Transferases
  • Receptor, ErbB-2
  • Caspase 6