Efficacy of a novel double-controlled oncolytic adenovirus driven by the Ki67 core promoter and armed with IL-15 against glioblastoma cells

Cell & Bioscience

Guidong Zhu¹  Qing Zhang¹  Fusheng Liu¹  Junwen Zhang¹  Yifu Tian¹  Sisi Liu² 

[1] Brain Tumor Research Center, Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical University, 100070, Beijing, P.R. China;Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University, 100070, Beijing, P.R. China;Beijing Laboratory of Biomedical Materials, 100070, Beijing, P.R. China;Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University People’s Hospital, Eye Diseases and Optometry Institute, Beijing Key Laboratory of Diagnosis and Therapy of Retinal and Choroid Diseases, College of Optometry, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing, P.R. China;

关键词: Glioblastoma;    Oncolytic adenovirus;    Ki-67 promoter;    IL-15;    Immunotherapy;    Angiogenesis;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s13578-020-00485-1

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundGlioblastoma (GBM) is an immunosuppressive, highly vascular and devastating malignant brain tumor. Even with progressive combination treatment that includes surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, the prognosis for GBM patients is still extremely poor. Oncolytic adenovirus (OAd) can specifically replicate in GBM cells, permitting the rapid copy of the therapeutic genes it carries. Moreover, E1A is an essential gene in adenoviral replication and is the first gene expressed upon viral infection. E1A expression can be regulated by the Ki67 promoter, while the CMV promoter drives therapeutic gene expression. However, the efficacy of a double-controlled OAd driven by the Ki67 core promoter and armed with IL-15 against GBM cells has not been investigated.MethodsFluorescence microscopy was performed to evaluate infection ability in the viruses. Cell viability was detected by CCK-8 assay. Levels of cytokines in different supernatants were determined by ELISA, and IL-15 gene expression was measured by RT-PCR. Angiogenic capacity was analyzed by tube formation assay.ResultsWe successfully constructed a double-controlled oncolytic adenovirus driven by the Ki67 core promoter and armed with IL-15 that selectively infected and killed GBM cells while sparing normal cells. The adenoviruses prime IL-15 gene expression to significantly enhance anti-GBM efficacy through effective activation of microglial cells. Moreover, OAd not only directly inhibits angiogenesis but exhibits potent antiangiogenic capacity mediated by the reduction of VEGF secretion.ConclusionsThese results provide new insight into the effects of a novel double-controlled OAd driven by the Ki67 core promoter and armed with IL-15 in glioblastoma treatment, which may help in the development of novel therapies in solid tumors.

【 授权许可】

CC BY