A super gene expression system enhances the anti-glioma effects of adenovirus-mediated REIC/Dkk-3 gene therapy

Sci Rep. 2016 Sep 14:6:33319. doi: 10.1038/srep33319.

Abstract

Reduced expression in immortalized cells/Dickkopf-3 (REIC/Dkk-3) is a tumor suppressor and therapeutic gene in many human cancers. Recently, an adenovirus REIC vector with the super gene expression system (Ad-SGE-REIC) was developed to increase REIC/Dkk-3 expression and enhance therapeutic effects compared with the conventional adenoviral vector (Ad-CAG-REIC). In this study, we investigated the in vitro and in vivo effects of Ad-SGE-REIC on malignant glioma. In U87ΔEGFR and GL261 glioma cells, western blotting confirmed that robust upregulation of REIC/Dkk-3 expression occurred in Ad-SGE-REIC-transduced cells, most notably after transduction at a multiplicity of infection of 10. Cytotoxicity assays showed that Ad-SGE-REIC resulted in a time-dependent and significant reduction in the number of malignant glioma cells attaching to the bottom of culture wells. Xenograft and syngeneic mouse intracranial glioma models treated with Ad-SGE-REIC had significantly longer survival than those treated with the control vector Ad-LacZ or with Ad-CAG-REIC. This study demonstrated the anti-glioma effect of Ad-SGE-REIC, which may represent a promising strategy for the treatment of malignant glioma.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Adenoviridae / genetics
  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / genetics
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Chemokines
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Genetic Therapy*
  • Genetic Vectors / therapeutic use*
  • Glioma / genetics
  • Glioma / pathology
  • Glioma / therapy*
  • Humans
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / genetics
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / therapeutic use*
  • Mice
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • Chemokines
  • DKK3 protein, human
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins