title: Gene electrotransfer of plasmid AMEP, an integrin-targeted therapy, has antitumor and antiangiogenic action in murine B16 melanoma.
abstract: Gene therapy with Plasmid AMEP (antiangiogenic metargidin peptide) has recently been studied as a potential targeted therapy for melanoma. This plasmid is designed to downregulate α5β1 and αvβ3 integrins. In our study, electroporation was used as a nonviral delivery system. We investigated the antiangiogenic and direct antitumor effectiveness of this gene therapy on low and highly metastatic B16 melanoma variants. In vitro, the antiangiogenic effectiveness as determined by tube formation assay on endothelial cells was predominantly dependent on AMEP expression levels. In vivo, antitumor effectiveness was mediated by the inhibition of proliferation, migration and invasion of melanoma cells and correlated with the expression of integrins on tumor cells after intratumor delivery. In addition, reduced metastatic potential was shown. Intramuscular gene electrotransfer of Plasmid AMEP, for AMEP systemic distribution, had no antitumor effect with this specific preventive treatment protocol, confirming that direct tumor delivery was more effective. This study confirms our previous in vitro data that the expression levels of integrins on melanoma cells could be used as a biomarker for antitumor effectiveness in integrin-targeted therapies, whereas the expression levels of AMEP peptide could be a predictive factor for antiangiogenic effectiveness of Plasmid AMEP in the treatment of melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Zaloska 2, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bosnjak
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Zaloska 2, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dolinsek
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Zaloska 2, Ljubljana, Slovenia [2] Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Primorska, Polje 42, Izola, Slovenia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cemazar
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Zaloska 2, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kranjc
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Zaloska 2, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Blagus
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Zaloska 2, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Markelc
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Zaloska 2, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stimac
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Structural Biology, Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta 39, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zavrsnik
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Zaloska 2, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Kamensek
authors.affiliation: Frank Reidy Research Center for Bioelectrics, Old Dominion University, 4211 Monarch Way, Norfolk, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Heller
authors.affiliation: ONXEO, Boulevard du Général Martial Valin 49, Paris, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bouquet
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Structural Biology, Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta 39, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Turk
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Oncology, Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Zaloska 2, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sersa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D018274:Electroporation / Q000379:methods; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016023:Integrins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics; D008546:Melanoma, Experimental / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy*; D051379:Mice; D010455:Peptides / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D016023:Integrins; D010455:Peptides