title: AAVrh.10-mediated genetic delivery of bevacizumab to the pleura to provide local anti-VEGF to suppress growth of metastatic lung tumors.
abstract: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) produced by tumor cells has a central role in stimulating angiogenesis required for tumor growth. Humanized monoclonal anti-VEGF antibody (bevacizumab, Avastin), approved as a treatment for non-squamous, non-small cell lung cancer, requires administration every 3 weeks. We hypothesized that an intrapleural administration of an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector expressing an anti-VEGF-A antibody equivalent of bevacizumab would result in sustained anti-VEGF-A localized expression within the lung and suppress metastatic tumor growth. The AAV vector AAVrh.10alphaVEGF encodes the light chain and heavy chain complementary DNAs of monoclonal antibody A.4.6.1, a murine antibody that specifically recognizes human VEGF-A with the same antigen-binding site as bevacizumab. A metastatic lung tumor model was established in severe combined immunodeficient mice by intravenous administration of human DU145 prostate carcinoma cells. Intrapleural administration of AAVrh.10alphaVEGF directed long-term expression of the anti-human VEGF-A antibody in lung, as shown by sustained, high-level anti-human VEGF titers in lung epithelial lining fluid for 40 weeks, which was the duration of the study. In the AAVrh.10alphaVEGF-treated animals, tumor growth was significantly suppressed (P<0.05), the numbers of blood vessels and mitotic nuclei in the tumor was decreased (P<0.05) and there was increased survival (P<0.05). Thus, intrapleural administration of an AAVrh.10 vector, encoding the murine monoclonal antibody equivalent of bevacizumab, effectively suppresses the growth of metastatic lung tumors, suggesting AAV-mediated gene transfer to the pleura to deliver bevacizumab locally to the lung as a novel alternative platform to conventional monoclonal antibody therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetic Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Boyer
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Crystal
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000068258:Bevacizumab; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D000229:Dependovirus / Q000235:genetics*; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D010994:Pleura; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000068258:Bevacizumab