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Electrically mediated delivery of vector plasmid DNA elicits an antitumor effect

Gene Therapy volume 9, pages 1321–1325 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

In vivo electroporation is an efficient means of increasing plasmid DNA delivery to normal tissues, such as skin and muscle, as well as directly to tumors. In the experiments described here, plasmid DNA was delivered by in vivo electroporation to B16 mouse melanomas using two very different pulsing protocols. Reporter expression increased 21- or 42-fold, respectively with electroporation over injection alone. The growth of experimental melanomas with an approximate diameter of 4 mm on the day of treatment was monitored after electroporation delivery of reporter plasmid DNA. Remarkably, short-term complete regressions using one of these pulsing protocols occurred in up to 100% of mice. These regressions continued long term in up to 83% of animals. 70% of these mice were resistant to challenge with B16 melanoma cells. Histological analysis revealed large numbers of apoptotic cells 24 h after treatment. This antitumor effect did not require therapeutic cDNA expression or eukaryotic sequences.

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Acknowledgements

The T820 Electrosquare porator and autoswitcher and plasmid VR1255 were kind gifts of BTX (San Diego, CA, USA) and Vical, Inc (San Diego, CA, USA) respectively. This project was supported in part by the University of South Florida Research and Creative Scholarship Grant Program, the American Cancer Society, Florida Division, Inc, the Pathology Core Facility, Histology Laboratory, at the University of South Florida College of Medicine and at the H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, and the Center for Molecular Delivery.

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  1. Center for Molecular Delivery, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA

    L Heller

  2. Department of Pathology, University of South Florida College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, USA

    D Coppola

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Heller, L., Coppola, D. Electrically mediated delivery of vector plasmid DNA elicits an antitumor effect. Gene Ther 9, 1321–1325 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.gt.3301802

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