Department of Neurosurgery, Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Korea.
Cancer Gene Ther. 2011 Nov;18(11):817-24. doi: 10.1038/cgt.2011.52. Epub 2011 Aug 26.
The prognosis of medulloblastoma has improved significantly because of advances in multi-modal treatments; however, metastasis remains one of the prognostic factors for a poor outcome and is usually associated with tumor recurrence. We evaluated the migratory potential and therapeutic efficacy of genetically engineered human neural stem cells (NSCs) that encode a prodrug enzyme in the subdural medulloblastoma model. We genetically modified HB1.F3 (F3) immortalized human NSCs to express rabbit carboxylesterase (rCE) enzyme, which efficiently converts the prodrug CPT-11 (Irinotecan) into an active anti-cancer agent (SN-38). To simulate clinical metastatic medulloblastomas, we implanted human medulloblastoma cells into the subdural spaces of nude mice. rCE expressing NSCs (F3.rCE) were labeled with fluorescence magnetic nanoparticle for in vivo imaging. The therapeutic potential of F3.rCE was confirmed using a mouse subdural medulloblastoma model. The majority of intravenously (i.v.) injected, F3.rCE cells migrated to the subdural medulloblastoma site and a small number of F3.rCE cells were found in the lungs, pancreas, kidney and liver. Animals that received F3.rCE cells in combination with prodrug CPT-11 survived significantly longer (median survival: 142 days) than control mice that received F3.rCE cells only (median survival: 80 days, P<0.001) or CPT-11 only (median survival: 118 days, P<0.001). In conclusion, i.v. injected F3.rCE NSCs were able to target subdural medulloblastomas and demonstrate therapeutic efficacy. Our study provides data that supports further investigation of stem-cell-based gene therapy against metastatic medulloblastomas.
由于多模式治疗的进展,髓母细胞瘤的预后有了显著改善;然而,转移仍然是预后不良的因素之一,通常与肿瘤复发相关。我们评估了在幕上髓母细胞瘤模型中,表达前药酶的基因工程人类神经干细胞(NSC)的迁移能力和治疗效果。我们将 HB1.F3(F3)永生化人 NSC 基因修饰为表达兔羧酸酯酶(rCE)酶,该酶可有效将前药 CPT-11(伊立替康)转化为有效的抗癌药物(SN-38)。为了模拟临床转移性髓母细胞瘤,我们将人髓母细胞瘤细胞植入裸鼠的硬脑膜下腔。用荧光磁性纳米颗粒标记表达 rCE 的 NSC(F3.rCE)用于体内成像。使用小鼠硬脑膜下髓母细胞瘤模型证实了 F3.rCE 的治疗潜力。静脉(i.v.)注射的大多数 F3.rCE 细胞迁移到硬脑膜下髓母细胞瘤部位,少数 F3.rCE 细胞存在于肺部、胰腺、肾脏和肝脏中。接受 F3.rCE 细胞联合前药 CPT-11 治疗的动物存活时间明显长于仅接受 F3.rCE 细胞(中位存活时间:80 天,P<0.001)或 CPT-11 (中位存活时间:118 天,P<0.001)的对照组动物。总之,静脉注射的 F3.rCE NSC 能够靶向硬脑膜下髓母细胞瘤并表现出治疗效果。我们的研究提供了支持进一步研究基于干细胞的基因治疗转移性髓母细胞瘤的数据。