title: Antitumor activity of human CD34+ cells expressing membrane-bound tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand.
abstract: Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) selectively induces apoptosis in a variety of transformed cells while sparing normal cells. To enhance the therapeutic index of soluble (s)TRAIL, we used CD34+ cells transduced with a replication-deficient adenovirus encoding the human TRAIL gene (CD34-TRAIL+) for the systemic delivery of membrane-bound (m)TRAIL to lymphoid tumors. CD34-TRAIL+ cells were evaluated for their activity in vitro and in vivo in nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient (NOD/SCID) mice xenografted with sTRAIL-sensitive and -resistant tumors. In vitro, coculturing CD34-TRAIL+ cells with sTRAIL-sensitive or -resistant lymphoma cell lines induced significant levels of caspase-dependent tumor cell death. In vivo, CD34-TRAIL+ cells significantly increased the survival of NOD/SCID mice bearing sTRAIL-sensitive or -resistant lymphoid tumors at an early or advanced stage of disease. No obvious toxicity was observed on administration of CD34-TRAIL+ cells. Histological analysis revealed high-level expression of the agonistic receptor TRAIL-R2 by tumor endothelial cells, and efficient tumor homing of transduced cells. Injection of CD34-TRAIL+ cells resulted in extensive damage of tumor vasculature followed by hemorrhagic necrosis exhibiting a perivascular distribution. These results show that CD34-TRAIL+ cells might be an efficient vehicle for mTRAIL delivery to tumors, where they exert a potent antitumor effect possibly mediated by both direct tumor cell killing and indirect vascular-disrupting mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Cristina Gandini Medical Oncology Unit, Istituto Nazionale Tumori, 20133 Milan, Italy. carmelo.carlostella@unimi.it
authors.forename: Carmelo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carlo-Stella
authors.forename: Cristiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lavazza
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Di Nicola
authors.forename: Loredana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cleris
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Longoni
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Milanesi
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Magni
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Morelli
authors.forename: Annunziata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gloghini
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carbone
authors.forename: Alessandro M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gianni
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D051379:Mice; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D016513:Mice, SCID; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand / Q000235:genetics*; D014161:Transduction, Genetic; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; C505653:TNFSF10 protein, human