title: Epithelial phenotype confers resistance of ovarian cancer cells to oncolytic adenoviruses.
abstract: We studied the susceptibility of primary ovarian cancer cells to oncolytic adenoviruses. Using gene expression profiling of cancer cells either resistant or susceptible to viral oncolysis, we discovered that the epithelial phenotype of ovarian cancer represents a barrier to infection by commonly used oncolytic adenoviruses targeted to coxsackie-adenovirus receptor or CD46. Specifically, we found that these adenovirus receptors were trapped in tight junctions and not accessible for virus binding. Accessibility to viral receptors was critically linked to depolarization and the loss of tight and adherens junctions, both hallmarks of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). We showed that specific, thus far little-explored adenovirus serotypes (Ad3, Ad7, Ad11, and Ad14) that use receptor(s) other than coxsackie-adenovirus receptor and CD46 were able to trigger EMT in epithelial ovarian cancer cells and cause efficient oncolysis. Our studies on ovarian cancer cultures and xenografts also revealed several interesting cancer cell biology features. Tumors in situ as well as tumor xenografts in mice mostly contained epithelial cells and cells that were in a hybrid stage where they expressed both epithelial and mesenchymal markers (epithelial/mesenchymal cells). These epithelial/mesenchymal cells are the only xenograft-derived cells that can be cultured and with passaging undergo EMT and differentiate into mesenchymal cells. Our study provides a venue for improved virotherapy of cancer as well as new insights into cancer cell biology.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Genetics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Strauss
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sova
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zong Yi
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tuve
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pritchard
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brinkkoetter
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Möller
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Wildner
authors.forename: Sari
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pesonen
authors.forename: Akseli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hemminki
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Urban
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Drescher
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lieber
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D050130:Oncolytic Virotherapy; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D010641:Phenotype; D011991:Receptors, Virus / Q000378:metabolism; D019108:Tight Junctions / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D011991:Receptors, Virus