title: Construction of gene therapy vectors targeting adrenocortical cells: enhancement of activity and specificity with agents modulating the cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate pathway.
abstract: In preliminary studies we demonstrated that the CYP11B1 (11beta-hydroxylase) promoter could direct specific expression of a suicide gene in adrenocortical cancer cells, providing a potentially specific therapeutic option for adrenocortical cancer. In this present study we describe our attempts to enhance the activity of the CYP11B1 promoter while maintaining its specificity for adrenal cells. Using a putative enhancer element from the cholesterol side-chain cleavage (P450scc) gene, the activity of the CYP11B1 promoter in and its specificity for adrenocortical cells were enhanced. Treatment with 8-bromo-cAMP or forskolin resulted in further enhancement. In stably transfected Y-1 cells, in which the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-TK) gene was driven by the CYP11B1 promoter with the P450scc enhancer element, HSV-TK expression and ganciclovir sensitivity were augmented by treatment with 8-bromo-cAMP, forskolin, and ACTH. In summary, we report the construction of a suicide HSV-TK vector with preferential toxicity to adrenocortical cells. We propose that a similar strategy using differentiating agents may be useful in the gene therapy of tumors with unique differentiated properties, including those arising from other endocrine organs.
authors.affiliation: Medicine Branch, Division of Clinical Sciences, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chuman
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fojo
mesh_terms: D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000235:genetics; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism*; D004742:Enhancer Elements, Genetic; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D008156:Luciferases / Q000235:genetics; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D013252:Steroid 11-beta-Hydroxylase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection / Q000235:genetics; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D008156:Luciferases; D013252:Steroid 11-beta-Hydroxylase