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Antitumoral gene-based strategy involving nitric oxide synthase type III overexpression in hepatocellular carcinoma

Gene Therapy volume 23, pages 67–77 (2016)Cite this article

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A Correction to this article was published on 28 March 2023

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Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma develops in cirrhotic liver. The nitric oxide (NO) synthase type III (NOS-3) overexpression induces cell death in hepatoblastoma cells. The study developed gene therapy designed to specifically overexpress NOS-3 in cultured hepatoma cells, and in tumors derived from orthotopically implanted tumor cells in fibrotic livers. Liver fibrosis was induced by CCl4 administration in mice. The first-generation adenoviruses were designed to overexpress NOS-3 or green fluorescent protein, and luciferase complementary DNA under the regulation of murine alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and Rous Sarcoma Virus (RSV) promoters, respectively. Both adenovirus and Hepa 1–6 cells were used for in vitro and in vivo experiments. Adenoviruses were administered through the tail vein 2 weeks after orthotopic tumor cell implantation. AFP-NOS-3/RSV-luciferase increased oxidative-related DNA damage, p53, CD95/CD95L expression and caspase-8, -9 and -3 activities in cultured Hepa 1–6 cells. The increased expression of CD95/CD95L and caspase-8 activity was abolished by Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride, p53 and CD95 small interfering RNA. AFP-NOS-3/RSV-luciferase adenovirus increased cell death markers, and reduced cell proliferation of established tumors in fibrotic livers. The increase of oxidative/nitrosative stress induced by NOS-3 overexpression induced DNA damage, p53, CD95/CD95L expression and cell death in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. The effectiveness of the gene therapy has been demonstrated in vitro and in vivo.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Marcin Balcerzyk, Laura Fernández, Ángel Parrado and Isabel Fernández for their assistance in the PET/CT analysis ('Centro Nacional de Aceleradores' or CNA, Seville, Spain). This study was supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PS09/00185). CIBERehd was funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III.

Author information

Author notes

  1. J M Álamo, M A Gómez-Bravo, F J Padillo and J Muntané: Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBEREH o Ciberehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III.

  2. Á J De la Rosa, Á Rodríguez-Hernández, R González, J M Álamo, M A Gómez-Bravo, F J Padillo and J Muntané: Authors share co-first authorship.

  3. S Romero-Brufau, E Navarro-Villarán, L Barrera-Pulido and S Pereira: Authors share co-second authorship.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Oncology Surgery, Cell Therapy and Transplant Organs, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS), ‘Virgen del Rocío’-‘Virgen Macarena’ University Hospital/Universidad de Sevilla/CSIC, Sevilla, Spain

    Á J De la Rosa, Á Rodríguez-Hernández, E Navarro-Villarán & S Pereira

  2. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Cordoba, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain

    R González

  3. Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA

    S Romero-Brufau

  4. Department of General Surgery, “Virgen del Rocío”-“Virgen Macarena” University Hospital/IBiS/CSIC/Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain

    L Barrera-Pulido, L M Marín, F López-Bernal, J M Álamo, M A Gómez-Bravo, F J Padillo & J Muntané

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Correspondence to J Muntané.

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The original online version of this article was revised: In this article the wrong figure appeared as Fig. 5C.

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De la Rosa, Á., Rodríguez-Hernández, Á., González, R. et al. Antitumoral gene-based strategy involving nitric oxide synthase type III overexpression in hepatocellular carcinoma. Gene Ther 23, 67–77 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/gt.2015.79

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