title: Effect of RasGAP N2 fragment-derived peptide on tumor growth in mice.
abstract: Peptides that interfere with the natural resistance of cancer cells to genotoxin-induced apoptosis may improve the efficacy of anticancer regimens. We have previously reported that a cell-permeable RasGAP-derived peptide (TAT-RasGAP(317-326)) specifically sensitizes tumor cells to genotoxin-induced apoptosis in vitro. Here, we examined the in vivo stability of a protease-resistant D-form of the peptide, RI.TAT-RasGAP(317-326), and its effect on tumor growth in nude mice bearing subcutaneous human colon cancer HCT116 xenograft tumors. After intraperitoneal injection, RI.TAT-RasGAP(317-326) persisted in the blood of nude mice for more than 1 hour and was detectable in various tissues and subcutaneous tumors. Tumor-bearing mice treated daily for 7 days with RI.TAT-RasGAP(317-326) (1.65 mg/kg body weight) and cisplatin (0.5 mg/kg body weight) or doxorubicin (0.25 mg/kg body weight) displayed reduced tumor growth compared with those treated with either genotoxin alone (n = 5-7 mice per group; P = .004 and P = .005, respectively; repeated measures analysis of variance [ANOVA, two-sided]). This ability of the RI.TAT-RasGAP(317-326) peptide to enhance the tumor growth inhibitory effect of cisplatin was still observed at peptide doses that were at least 150-fold lower than the dose lethal to 50% of mice. These findings provide the proof of principle that RI.TAT-RasGAP(317-326) may be useful for improving the efficacy of chemotherapy in patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Michod
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Annibaldi
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schaefer
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dapples
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rochat
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Widmann
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000494:pharmacology; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor / Q000379:methods; D004357:Drug Synergism; D020690:GTPase-Activating Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045325:HCT116 Cells; D006801:Humans; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009153:Mutagens / Q000494:pharmacology; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D020690:GTPase-Activating Proteins; D009153:Mutagens; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C525242:TAT-RasGAP(317-326); D002945:Cisplatin