title: The use of Listeria monocytogenes as a DNA delivery vector for cancer gene therapy.
abstract: Listeria monocytogenes is an intracellular pathogen that lyses the phagosomal vacuole of infected cells, proliferates in the host cell cytoplasm and can actively enter adjacent cells. The pathogen is therefore well suited to exploitation as a vector for the delivery of DNA to target cells as the lifecycle favors cellular targeting with vector amplification and the potential for cell-to-cell spread. We have recently demonstrated DNA transfer by L. monocytogenes in growing tumors in murine models. Our approach exploited an ampicillin sensitive stain of L. monocytogenes which can be lysed through systemic administration of ampicillin to facilitate release of plasmid DNA for expression by infected mammalian cells. Here, we discuss the implications of this technology and the potential for future improvements of the system.
authors.affiliation: Cork Cancer Research Centre, Mercy University Hospital and Leslie C. Quick Jnr. Laboratory, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tangney
authors.forename: Jan Peter
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: van Pijkeren
authors.forename: Cormac G M
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Gahan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008089:Listeria monocytogenes / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays