Immunogene therapy by adenovirus vector expressing CD40 ligand for metastatic liver cancer in rats.
BACKGROUND
We have explored a gene-therapeutic approach to stimulate antitumor immunity by adenoviral-mediated transfer of CD40 ligand (CD40L) to treat metastatic liver cancer in a rat model.


METHODS
Rat metastatic liver cancer cells were implanted into the back of rats bilaterally. When the larger tumor reached 8.0 mm in diameter, adenovirus vector-expressing mouse CD40L was injected intratumorally as treatment group (n=5), while LacZ was injected in the control group (n=5).


RESULTS
In the control group, the tumor gradually grew to be 20.7+/-1.6 (mean+/-SD) mm in intratumorally injected tumors and 21.8+/-3.7 mm in opposite tumors seven weeks after injection, respectively. In contrast, in the treatment group, the tumor was reduced to 3.6+/-8.2 mm and 3.7+/-8.2 mm. The tumor growth and survival rate were significantly different (p<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Adenovirus vector-mediated CD40L gene therapy is an effective therapeutic method for metastatic liver cancer.
Hanyu
Ken
K
Department of Surgery, Institute of DNA Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Iida
Tomonori
T
Shiba
Hiroaki
H
Ohashi
Toya
T
Eto
Yoshikatsu
Y
Yanaga
Katsuhiko
K
D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D000818:Animals; D023201:CD40 Ligand / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D007125:Immunogenetics / Q000379:methods*; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000556:secondary / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344
D023201:CD40 Ligand