Efficacy of combining ING4 and TRAIL genes in cancer-targeting gene virotherapy strategy: first evidence in preclinical hepatocellular carcinoma

Gene Ther. 2018 Jan;25(1):54-65. doi: 10.1038/gt.2017.86. Epub 2017 Sep 19.

Abstract

Current treatments of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are ineffective and unsatisfactory in many aspects. Cancer-targeting gene virotherapy using oncolytic adenoviruses (OAds) armed with anticancer genes has shown efficacy and safety in clinical trials. Nowadays, both inhibitor of growth 4 (ING4), as a multimodal tumor suppressor gene, and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), as a potent apoptosis-inducing gene, are experiencing a renaissance in cancer gene therapy. Herein we investigated the antitumor activity and safety of mono- and combined therapy with OAds armed with ING4 (Ad-ΔB/ING4) and TRAIL (Ad-ΔB/TRAIL) gene, respectively, on preclinical models of human HCC. OAd-mediated expression of ING4 or TRAIL transgene was confirmed. Ad-ΔB/TRAIL and/or Ad-ΔB/ING4 exhibited potent killing effect on human HCC cells (HuH7 and Hep3B) but not on normal liver cells. Most importantly, systemic therapy with Ad-ΔB/ING4 plus Ad-ΔB/TRAIL elicited more eradicative effect on an orthotopic mouse model of human HCC than their monotherapy, without causing obvious overlapping toxicity. Mechanistically, Ad-ΔB/ING4 and Ad-ΔB/TRAIL were remarkably cooperated to induce antitumor apoptosis and immune response, and to repress tumor angiogenesis. This is the first study showing that concomitant therapy with Ad-ΔB/ING4 and Ad-ΔB/TRAIL may provide a potential strategy for HCC therapy and merits further investigations to realize its possible clinical translation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / blood supply
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / immunology
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / therapy*
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / genetics*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cytopathogenic Effect, Viral
  • Genetic Therapy*
  • Homeodomain Proteins / genetics*
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms / blood supply
  • Liver Neoplasms / immunology
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology
  • Liver Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Neovascularization, Pathologic / prevention & control
  • Oncolytic Virotherapy*
  • TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand / genetics*
  • Transfection
  • Tumor Microenvironment
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / genetics*
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Homeodomain Proteins
  • ING4 protein, human
  • TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins