Solid tumors with areas of low oxygen tension (hypoxia) have a poor prognosis, as cells in this environment often survive radiation and chemotherapy. In this report we describe how this hypoxic environment can be used to activate heterologous gene expression driven by a hypoxia-responsive element (HRE), which interacts with the transcriptional complex hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1). Our results demonstrate that the HIF-1/HRE system of gene regulation is active in hypoxic tumor cells and show the potential of exploiting tumor-specific conditions for the targeted expression of diagnostic or therapeutic genes in cancer therapy.
Summary Platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF) is identical to human thymidine phosphorylase (dThdPase). The human MCF-7 breast cancer cell line was transfected with the dThdPase cDNA and expressed a 45 kDa protein that was detected with anti-dThdPase antibody. Cell lysates possessed elevated dThdPase activity and cells had up to 165-fold increased sensitivity to the prodrug 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine (5'-DFUR) in vitro. Sensitivity to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine (5-FUdR) was unchanged. Recombinant dThdPase was shown to catalyse directly the phosphorolytic cleavage of 5'-DFUR to 5-FU. Exogenous thymidine (dThd) reversed the toxicity of 5-FUdR on the parental line (1 JAM dThd increased the IC50 value 1000-fold), but the dThd rescue was substantially modulated in the dThdPaseexpressing clone 4 (1 gM dThd raised the IC50 value 3-fold). We observed a substantial 'bystander' killing effect when small proportions of dThdPase-expressing cells were mixed with parental MCF-7 cells. dThdPase activity was on average 27-fold higher in breast tumours than in normal breast. The levels in wild-type MCF-7 are similar to the low end of the tumour expression. Thus, in some tumours resistance to 5'-DFUR therapy could be due to low dThdPase activity, and transfection to raise the dThdPase. levels within the broad tumour range or above it should markedly enhance sensitivity to the prodrug. These results confirm that dThdPase is a major pathway in the metabolic activation of 5'-DFUR, and the bystander effect suggests that this may be a suitable enzyme for gene therapy-directed enzyme/prodrug activation therapy.
Summary.-There is now evidence that several classes of nitro compounds which have been used as radiosensitizers also function as cytotoxic agents specific for hypoxic cells. The 2-nitroimidazole, Ro-07-0582, (1-(2-nitroimidazol-1-yl)-3-methoxy-2-propanol) is a compound of this type, and its effectiveness as a cytotoxic agent is dependent on drug concentration, contact time and temperature. In vitro, Ro-07-0582 in air at 37°C does not cause loss of cell viability at concentrations up to 2 mM, even when in contact for several days. In contrast, hypoxic cells do not tolerate much lower concentrations of drug, even if the contact time is only a few hours. When the temperature is raised above 37°C, there is a pronounced increase in the slope of the survival curves; for example, at 41°C (for 1 mM Ro-07-0582, (200 ,ug/ml), the slope changes by a factor of 2-0 relative to that for 37°C. For cells in air at 41°C, as at 37°C, there is no toxic effect at the concentration of drug tested. In the absence of drug, there is no cytotoxic effect of hyperthermia alone under these conditions. These results are discussed in terms of Arrhenius parameters.
Summanr P450 reductase (NADPH:cy-tochrome P450 reductase. EC 1.6.2.4) is known to be important in the reductive activation of the benzotriazene-di-N-oxide tirapazamine (SR 4233). Using a panel of six human breast adenocarcinoma cell lines we have examined the relationship between P450 reductase activity and sensitivity to tirapazamine. The toxicity of tirapazamine was found to correlate strongly with P450 reductase activity following an acute (3 h) exposure under hypoxic conditions, the drug being most toxic in the cell lines with the highest P450 reductase activity. A similar correlation was also observed following a chronic (96 h) exposure to the drug in air but not following acute (3 h) exposure in air. We have also determined the ability of lysates prepared from the cell lines to 'metabolise tirapazamine to its two-electron reduced product, SR 4317. under hypoxic conditions using NADPH as an electron donor. The rate of SR 4317 formation was found to correlate both with P450 reductase activity and with sensitivity to tirapazamine. the highest rates of SR 4317 formation being associated with the highest levels of P450 reductase activity and the greatest sensitivity to the drug. These findings indicate a major role for P450 reductase in determining the hypoxic toxicity of tirapazamine in breast tumour cell lines.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.