The type IV collagenases/gelatinases matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and MMP-9 play a variety of important roles in both physiological and pathological processes and are regulated by various growth factors, including transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1), in several cell types. Previous studies have suggested that cellular control of one or both collagenases can occur through direct transcriptional mechanisms and/or after secretion through proenzyme processing and interactions with metalloproteinase inhibitors. Using human prostate cancer cell lines, we have found that TGF-beta1 induces the MMP-9 proenzyme; however, this induction does not result from direct effects on gene transcription but, instead, through a protein synthesis-requiring process leading to increased MMP-9 mRNA stability. In addition, we have examined levels of TGF-beta1 regulation of MMP-2 in one prostate cancer cell line and found that TGF-beta1 induces higher secreted levels of this collagenase through increased stability of the secreted 72-kDa proenzyme. These results identify two novel nontranscriptional pathways for the cellular regulation of MMP-9 and MMP-2 collagenase gene expression and activities.

Four phthalocyanine (Pc)–peptide conjugates designed to target the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) were synthesized and evaluated in vitro using four cell lines: human carcinoma A431 and HEp2, human colorectal HT-29, and kidney Vero (negative control) cells. Two peptide ligands for EGFR were investigated: EGFR-L1 and -L2, bearing 6 and 13 amino acid residues, respectively. The peptides and Pc-conjugates were shown to bind to EGFR using both theoretical (Autodock) and experimental (SPR) investigations. The Pc–EGFR-L1 conjugates 5a and 5b efficiently targeted EGFR and were internalized, in part due to their cationic charge, whereas the uncharged Pc–EGFR-L2 conjugates 4b and 6a poorly targeted EGFR maybe due to their low aqueous solubility. All conjugates were nontoxic (IC50 > 100 μM) to HT-29 cells, both in the dark and upon light activation (1 J/cm2). Intravenous (iv) administration of conjugate 5b into nude mice bearing A431 and HT-29 human tumor xenografts resulted in a near-IR fluorescence signal at ca. 700 nm, 24 h after administration. Our studies show that Pc–EGFR-L1 conjugates are promising near-IR fluorescent contrast agents for CRC and potentially other EGFR overexpressing cancers.

Prostate cancer is the most common internal malignancy in men in the United States. Most cancers are diagnosed when they are locally advanced or metastatic and there is no effective treatment. In this study we evaluated the effectiveness of cytotoxic gene therapy in human PC-3 and DU145 prostate cancer cell lines and in a rodent cell line, RM-1, derived from the mouse prostate reconstitution model system. The cell lines were efficiently transduced in vitro by a replicative-defective recombinant adenovirus (ADV) carrying the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene (HSV-tk). A virus titer-dependent sensitivity to ganciclovir (GCV) was observed. To determine a target therapeutic viral dose in vivo, subcutaneous tumors were generated by injection of RM-1 cells in syngeneic male hosts and injected with escalating doses of HSV-tk virus (5 x 10(7) to 1 x 10(9) pfu). The mice received GCV twice daily for 6 days and were sacrificed when tumor volumes exceeded 2.5 cm3 or when they appeared to be in distress. Because the two highest doses were equally as effective, further controlled studies were performed with the lower dose of 5 x 10(8) pfu with ADV/RSV-tk or a control virus containing the beta-galactosidase gene (ADV/RSV-beta-Gal) and treated with GCV or saline (PBS). The mean tumor volume in the treated animals was 16% that of control animals at 13 days. Histologically, treated tumors demonstrated necrosis and had a significantly higher apoptotic index. Survival data indicated that the treatment animals lived 7 days (21 in total) longer than the control animals, with 1 treatment animal being totally free of tumor. These results demonstrate that HSV-tk + GCV cytotoxic gene therapy can inhibit the growth of mouse and human prostate cancer cells in vitro and interrupt tumor growth of an aggressive mouse prostate cancer cell line in vivo.

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