Abstract
The use of adenoviral vectors for therapeutic delivery of genes via pulmonary application poses several problems in terms of immune responses. The purpose of this study was to determine whether polyethylenimine (PEI), a polycationic DNA carrier, can be used to deliver the IL-12 gene into the lungs of mice having microscopic osteosarcoma (OS) lung metastases. Incubation of SAOS-LM6 cells in vitro with PEI containing the murine IL-12 (mIL-12) gene (PEI:IL-12) resulted in expression of both the p35 and p40 subunits of IL-12 mRNA and production of mIL-12 protein. Using our newly developed OS nude mouse model, we demonstrated that treatment of mice using intranasal PEI:IL-12 resulted in significant IL-12 mRNA expression in the lung but not the liver. Furthermore, plasma IL-12 was undetectable after up to 4 weeks of intranasal PEI:IL-12 therapy given twice weekly. No IL-12 expression was seen following intranasal PEI therapy alone. The number of lung metastases in animals that received intranasal PEI:IL-12 twice weekly for 4 weeks starting 6 weeks after tumor inoculation was significantly decreased (median, 11; range, 0–47) compared with those that received PEI alone (median, 89; range, 2 to >200; P=.012). Also, the size of the nodules was significantly smaller in the PEI:IL-12–treated animals, with 90% measuring ≤0.5 mm in diameter compared with 56% in the PEI-alone group. Animals that received PEI alone also had numerous large nodules (3–6 mm) throughout the lungs. Intranasal therapy is a noninvasive way to administer agents and has the advantage of targeting the pulmonary region, resulting in higher concentrations in the tumor area. Additionally, delivery of IL-12 to the lung via the airway using PEI may avoid systemic toxicity. Because OS metastasizes almost exclusively to the lung, this may be a novel approach to the treatment of pulmonary OS metastases.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $21.58 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Eiber F, Giuliano A, Eckardt J et al. Adjuvant chemotherapy for osteosarcoma: a randomized prospective trial J Clin Oncol 1987 5: 21–26
Jaffe N . Chemotherapy in osteosarcoma: experimental and clinical progress in cancer chemotherapy In: Muggia FM, editor Advances and Controversies Boston: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers 1986 223–233
Link MP, Goorin AM, Miser AW et al. The effect of adjuvant chemotherapy on relapse-free survival in patients with osteosarcoma of the extremity N Engl J Med 1986 314: 1600–1606
Goorin AM, Shuster JJ, Baker A et al. Changing pattern of pulmonary metastases with adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with osteosarcoma: results from a multi-institutional osteosarcoma study J Clin Oncol 1991 9: 600–605
Putnam JB, Roth JA, Wesly MN . Survival following aggressive resection of pulmonary metastases from osteogenic sarcoma. Analysis of prognostic factors Ann Thorac Surg 1986 36: 516–523
Jia S-F, Worth LL, Kleinerman ES . A nude mouse model of human osteosarcoma lung metastases for evaluating new therapeutic strategies Clin Exp Metastasis 1999 17: 501–506
Worth LL, Jia S-F, Kleinerman ES et al. Internasal therapy with adenoviral vector containing murine IL-12 gene eradicates osteosarcoma lung metastases Clin Cancer Res 2000 6: 3713–3718
Zabner J, Ramsey BW, Meeker DP et al. Repeat administration of an adenovirus vector encoding cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator to the nasal epithelium of patients with cystic fibrosis J Clin Invest 1996 97: 1504–1511
Boussif O, Lezoualc'h F, Zanta MA et al. A versatile vector for gene and oligonucleotide transfer into cells in culture and in vivo: polyethylenimine Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1995 92: 7297–7301
Godbey WT, Wu KK, Mikos AG . Tracking the intracellular path of polyethylenimine/DNA complexes for gene delivery Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1999 96: 5177–5181
Goula AD, Remy JS, Erbacher P et al. Size, diffusibility and transfection performation of linear PEI/DNA complexes in the mouse central nervous system Gene Ther 1998 5: 712–717
Abdallah B, Hassan A, Benoist C et al. A powerful nonviral vector for in vivo gene transfer into the adult mammalian brain: polyethylenimine Hum Gene Ther 1996 7: 1947–1954
Ferrari S, Pettenazzo A, Garbati N et al. Polyethylenimine shows properties of interest for cystic fibrosis gene therapy Biochim Biophys Acta 1999 1447: 219–225
Densmore CL, Giddings TH, Waldrep JC et al. Gene transfer by guanidinium–cholesterol:dioleoylphosphatidyl–ethanolamine liposome–DNA complexes in aerosol J Gene Med 1999 1: 251–264
Chen I, Chen D, Block E et al. Eradication of murine bladder carcinoma by intratumor injection of a bicistronic adenoviral vector carrying cDNAs for the IL-12 heterodimer and its inhibition by the IL-12 p40 subunit homodimer J Immunol 1997 159: 351–359
Kobayashi M, Fitz L, Rayan M et al. Identification and purification of natural killer cell stimulatory factor (NKSF), a cytokine with multiple biological effects on human lymphocytes J Exp Med 1989 170: 827–845
Gately MK, Wolitzky AG, Quinn PM et al. Regulation of human cytolytic lymphocyte responses by interleukin-12 Cell Immunol 1992 143: 127–142
Hsieh CS, Macatoma SE, Tripp CS et al. Development of TH1 CD4+ T cells through IL-12 produced by Listeria-induced macrophages Science 1993 260: 547–549
Manetti R, Parronchi P, Giudizi M et al. Natural killer cell stimulatory factor (interleukin-12 [IL-12]) inducer T helper type 1 (Th1)-specific immune responses and inhibits the development of IL-4–producing Th cells J Exp Med 1993 177: 1199–1204
Voest EE, Kenyon BM, O'Reilly MS et al. Inhibition of angiogenesis in vivo by interleukin-12 J Natl Cancer Inst 1995 87: 581–586
Nastala CL, Edington HD, McKinney TG et al. Recombinant IL-12 administration induces tumor regression in association with IFN-γ production J Immunol 1994 153: 1697–1706
Brunda MJ, Luistro L, Warrier RR et al. Antitumor and antimetastatic activity of interleukin-12 against murine tumor J Exp Med 1993 178: 1223–1230
Bramson JL, Hitt M, Addison CL et al. Direct intratumor injection of an adenovirus expressing interleukin-12 induces regression and long-lasting immunity that is associated with highly localized expression of interleukin-12 Hum Gene Ther 1996 7: 1995–2002
Cohen J . IL-12 death: explanation and a puzzle Science 1995 270: 908
Sarmiento UM, Riley JH, Knaack PA et al. Biologic effect of recombinant human interleukin-12 in squirrel monkeys (Sciureus saimiri) Lab Invest 1994 71: 862–873
Leonard JP, Sherman ML, Fisher GL et al. Effect of single-dose interleukin-12 exposure on interleukin-12 associated toxicity and interferon-γ production Blood 1997 90: 2541–2548
Strauss M . Liver-directed gene therapy: prospect and problems Gene Ther 1994 1: 156–164
Godbey WT, Wu KK, Miko AG . Tracking the intracellular path of polyethylenimine/DNA complexes for gene delivery Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1999 96: 5177–5181
Goula AD, Remy JS, Erbacher P et al. Size, diffusibility and transfection performation of linear PEI/DNA complexes in the mouse central nervous system Gene Ther 1998 5: 712–717
Densmore CL, Orson FM, Xu B et al. Aerosol delivery of robust polyethylenimine–DNA complexes for gene therapy and genetic immunization Mol Ther 2000 1: 180–188
Gautam A, Densmore CL, Xu B et al. Enhanced gene expression in mouse lung after PEI–DNA aerosol delivery Mol Ther 2000 2: 1–8
Ferrari S, Pettenazzo A, Garbati N et al. Polyethylenimine shows properties of interest for cystic fibrosis gene therapy Biochim Biophys Acta 1999 1447: 219–225
Acknowledgements
This study was supported in part by Grant CA42992 [to ESK] a grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board [to ESK and CLD], National Institutes of Health Core Grant CA-16672, and a grant from the Clayton Foundation (to CLD).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jia, SF., Worth, L., Densmore, C. et al. Eradication of osteosarcoma lung metastases following intranasal interleukin-12 gene therapy using a nonviral polyethylenimine vector. Cancer Gene Ther 9, 260–266 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.cgt.7700432
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.cgt.7700432
Keywords
This article is cited by
-
Brief in vitro IL-12 conditioning of CD8 + T Cells for anticancer adoptive T cell therapy
Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy (2021)
-
IL-12 based gene therapy in veterinary medicine
Journal of Translational Medicine (2012)
-
MS-275 sensitizes osteosarcoma cells to Fas ligand-induced cell death by increasing the localization of Fas in membrane lipid rafts
Cell Death & Disease (2012)
-
A small interfering RNA targeting the KLF6 splice variant, KLF6-SV1, as gene therapy for gastric cancer
Gastric Cancer (2011)
-
Silencing of HIF-1α suppresses tumorigenicity of renal cell carcinoma through induction of apoptosis
Cancer Gene Therapy (2010)