Biosafety studies of carrier cells infected with a replication-competent adenovirus introduced by IAI.3B promoter.

The use of carrier cells infected with oncolytic viruses in cancer gene therapy is an attractive method because it can overcome viral immunogenicity and induce tumor immunity and significant antitumor activity. To enable human clinical trials of this treatment, acute and chronic toxicity tests must first be performed to ensure safety. IAI.3B promoter, oncolytic adenovirus AdE3-IAI.3B introduced by IAI.3B promoter, and A549 carrier cells infected with AdE3-IAI.3B were highly active in cancer cells but not in normal cells. Freeze-thawing increased the antitumor effect of A549 carrier cells by promoting the translocation of oncolytic adenovirus particles from the nucleus to the cytoplasm following the rupture of the nuclear membranes. No deaths or abnormal blood test data resulted from acute toxicity tests conducted in nude mice after a single dose. In chronic toxicity tests in rabbits, there were no serious side effects after eight doses of 1.25 × 10(7) cells/kg or less for 4 weeks; a significant immune response is known to elicit increased numbers of antiadenovirus antibodies and enlarge the spleen. From these results, it could be concluded that cancer gene therapy of recurrent solid tumors using carrier cells can be safely trialed in humans.