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Viral vector-mediated transduction of a modified thrombospondin-2 cDNA inhibits tumor growth and angiogenesis

Gene Therapy volume 11, pages 739–745 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

Gene therapy represents a possible alternative to the chronic delivery of recombinant antiangiogenic proteins to cancer patients. We have constructed retroviral and adenoviral vectors that express murine N-terminal fragments of thrombospondin-2 (NfTSP2), a potent endogenous inhibitor of tumor growth and angiogenesis. To test the possibility of anticancer gene therapy using NfTSP2, we tested whether an ex vivo retrovirus-mediated procedure could be used for the treatment of tumors. The treatment of tumor-bearing mice with syngenic immortalized cell lines expressing NfTSP2 led to a tumor volume reduction up to 70% as compared with the controls (P<0.005). In addition, the established tumors were eradicated in 40% of the mice treated with NfTSP2-expressing cells. Furthermore, the intratumoral injection of the NfTSP2-expressing adenoviral vector to the human squamous cell carcinoma in nude mice resulted in a significant reduction of the growth rates and the volumes of the carcinoma (P<0.05). Immunohistochemical staining of the tumors indicated that the total area and the average size of tumor vessels were significantly reduced in the treatment group versus the controls (P<0.05). In conclusion, the present study clearly demonstrates that the viral vector-mediated transfer of the NfTSP2 gene could inhibit the growth of tumors by perturbing tumor-associated angiogenesis.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from the Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare (Grant No. 02-PJ1-PG11-VN01-SV01-0031).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ViroMed Co., Ltd, BongCheon-dong, KwanAk-gu, Seoul, Korea

    W Hahn, S-H Ho, J-G Jeong, E-Y Hahn, S Kim, S S Yu & J-M Kim

  2. Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea

    S Kim

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  1. W Hahn
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Hahn, W., Ho, SH., Jeong, JG. et al. Viral vector-mediated transduction of a modified thrombospondin-2 cDNA inhibits tumor growth and angiogenesis. Gene Ther 11, 739–745 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.gt.3302219

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