Tightly-regulated suicide gene expression kills PSA-expressing prostate tumor cells

Gene Ther. 2005 Nov;12(21):1573-80. doi: 10.1038/sj.gt.3302580.

Abstract

We have previously shown that a dual system for controlling gene expression that relies both on transcriptional regulation and DNA recombination mediated by the site-directed recombinase, Flp, effectively controls the expression of a gene encoding diphtheria toxin (DT-A). In this study, we investigated the use of a chimeric modified enhancer/promoter sequence of the human prostate-specific antigen (PSA) gene to regulate DT-A expression in human prostate cancer cells in culture, in xenografts derived from these cells, and in autochthonous tumors in TRAMP mice. Following adenoviral delivery of DNA encoding PSA promoter-driven Flp recombinase and DT-A, we demonstrate that this transcriptional/DNA recombination control strategy effectively activates DT-A expression in a manner that correlates with the amount of PSA and androgen in cells. Significantly, the size of xenografts was reduced by 50%, and tumor cells in TRAMP mice died following intratumoral injection of DT-A viruses. Direct injection of virally-delivered DT-A into normal mouse prostates resulted in a dramatic reduction in the size of the gland. Our results suggest that the PSA promoter-driven Flp recombinase regulatory system will allow for targeted death of PSA-expressing cells. When combined with newly developed strategies for targeted gene delivery, this approach holds promise as an effective systemically-administered therapy for metastatic prostate cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adenoviridae / genetics
  • Animals
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • DNA Nucleotidyltransferases / genetics*
  • DNA Nucleotidyltransferases / metabolism
  • Diphtheria Toxin / genetics*
  • Diphtheria Toxin / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation
  • Genetic Therapy / methods*
  • Genetic Vectors / administration & dosage
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Mutant Strains
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Neoplasm Transplantation
  • Peptide Fragments / genetics*
  • Peptide Fragments / metabolism
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Prostate-Specific Antigen / genetics*
  • Prostate-Specific Antigen / metabolism
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / immunology
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Transplantation, Heterologous

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Diphtheria Toxin
  • Peptide Fragments
  • diphtheria toxin fragment A
  • DNA Nucleotidyltransferases
  • FLP recombinase
  • Prostate-Specific Antigen