The aim of this study was to estimate the efficacy of mesenchymal stem cell-based suicide gene therapy in mice bearing murine melanoma B16F10. Adipose mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were transfected with plasmid constructs expressing cytosine deaminase fused with uracil phosphoribosyltransferase (CDA/UPRT) or CDA/UPRT fused with HSV-1 tegument protein VP22 (CDA/UPRT/VP22). In this study, we demonstrate that direct intratumoral transplantation of MSCs expressing CDA/UPRT or CDA/UPRT/VP22 followed by systemic administration of 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) results in a significant inhibition of tumor growth. There was a 53% reduction in tumor volume in mice treated with CDA/UPRT-MSCs and 58% reduction in tumor volume in mice treated with CDA/UPRT/VP22-MSCs as compared with control animals transplanted with B16F10 melanoma alone. Injection of CDA/UPRT-MSC and CDA/UPRT/VP22-MSC prolonged the life span of mice bearing B16F10 melanoma by 15 and 26%, respectively. The data indicate that in murine B16F10 melanoma model, MSCs encoding CDA/UPRT suicide gene have a significant antitumor effect.
Keywords: cytosine deaminase; gene therapy; melanoma B16F10; mesenchymal stem cells.