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APOBEC3A intratumoral DNA electroporation in mice

Gene Therapy volume 24, pages 74–83 (2017)Cite this article

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Abstract

Human APOBEC3A (A3A) cytidine deaminase shows pro-apoptotic properties resulting from hypermutation of genomic DNA, induction of double-stranded DNA breaks (DSBs) and G1 cell cycle arrest. Given this, we evaluated the antitumor efficacy of A3A by intratumoral electroporation of an A3A expression plasmid. DNA was repeatedly electroporated into B16OVA, B16Luc tumors of C57BL/6J mice as well as the aggressive fibrosarcoma Sarc2 tumor of HLA-A*0201/DRB1*0101 transgenic mice using noninvasive plate electrodes. Intratumoral electroporation of A3A plasmid DNA resulted in regression of ~50% of small B16OVA melanoma tumors that did not rebound in the following 2 months without treatment. Larger or more aggressive tumors escaped regression when so treated. As APOBEC3A was much less efficient in provoking hypermutation and DSBs in B16OVA cells compared with human or quail cells, it is likely that APOBEC3A would be more efficient in a human setting than in a mouse model.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Invectys.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Invectys, Pepinière Paris Biotech Santé Cochin, Paris, France

    A Kostrzak, M Escande, E Pliquet, J Thalmensi, T Bestetti, M Julithe, T Huet, S Wain-Hobson & P Langlade-Demoyen

  2. Molecular Retrovirology Unit, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France

    V Caval, S Wain-Hobson & P Langlade-Demoyen

  3. Infection & Epidemiology Department, Human Histopathology and Animal Models, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France

    L Fiette

  4. Université Paris Descartes, Sorbonne Paris-Cité, Paris, France

    L Fiette

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  1. A Kostrzak
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Correspondence to A Kostrzak.

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Competing interests

AK, ME, EP, JT, TB, MJ and TH are employees of Invectys. PLD and SWH are co-founders of Invectys, a biotech devoted to therapeutic cancer vaccination. The remaining authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Kostrzak, A., Caval, V., Escande, M. et al. APOBEC3A intratumoral DNA electroporation in mice. Gene Ther 24, 74–83 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/gt.2016.77

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