No conventional therapy exists for salivary hypofunction in surviving head and neck cancer patients with Radiation Therapy Oncology Group late grade 2-3 toxicity. We conducted a phase I clinical trial to test the safety and biologic efficacy of serotype 5, adenoviral-mediated aquaporin-1 cDNA transfer to a single previously irradiated parotid gland in 11 subjects using an open label, single-dose, dose-escalation design (AdhAQP1 vector; four dose tiers from 4.8 × 10 7 to 5.8 × 10 9 vector particles per gland). Treated subjects were followed at scheduled intervals. Multiple safety parameters were measured and biologic efficacy was evaluated with measurements of parotid salivary flow rate. Symptoms were assessed with a visual analog scale. All subjects tolerated vector delivery and study procedures well over the 42-d study period reported. No deaths, serious adverse events, or dose-limiting toxicities occurred. Generally, few adverse events occurred, and all were considered mild or moderate. No consistent changes were found in any clinical chemistry and hematology parameters measured. Objective responses were seen in six subjects, all at doses <5.8 × 10 9 vector particles per gland. Five of these six subjects also experienced subjective improvement in xerostomia. AdhAQP1 vector delivery to a single parotid gland was safe and transfer of the hAQP1 cDNA increased parotid flow and relieved symptoms in a subset of subjects.gene therapy | radiation damage | salivary glands | dry mouth | water channel
The potential roles of CD8 ϩ T-cell-induced chemokines in the expansion of immune responses were examined using DNA immunogen constructs as model antigens. We coimmunized cDNA expression cassettes encoding the ␣ -chemokines IL-8 and SDF-1 ␣ and the  -chemokines MIP-1 ␣ , RANTES, and MCP-1 along with DNA immunogens and analyzed the resulting antigen-specific immune responses.
Immunization with nucleic acids has been shown to induce both antigen-specific cellular and humoral immune responses in vivo. We hypothesize that immunization with DNA could be enhanced by directing specific immune responses induced by the vaccine based on the differential correlates of protection known for a particular pathogen. Recently we and others reported that specific immune responses generated by DNA vaccine could be modulated by co-delivery of gene expression cassettes encoding for IL-12, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and the co-stimulatory molecule CD86. To further engineer the immune response in vivo, we investigated the induction and regulation of immune responses following the co-delivery of pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-1 alpha, TNF-alpha, and TNF-beta), Th1 cytokine (IL-2, IL-12, IL-15, and IL-18), and Th2 cytokine (IL-4, IL-5 and IL-10) genes. We observed enhancement of antigen-specific humoral response with the co-delivery of Th2 cytokine genes IL-4, IL-5, and IL-10 as well as those of IL-2 and IL-18. A dramatic increase in antigen-specific T helper cell proliferation was seen with IL-2 and TNF-alpha gene co-injections. In addition, we observed a significant enhancement of the cytotoxic response with the co-administration of TNF-alpha and IL-15 genes with HIV-1 DNA immunogens. These increases in CTL response were both MHC class I restricted and CD8+ T cell dependent. Together with earlier reports on the utility of co-immunizing using immunologically important molecules together with DNA immunogens, we demonstrate the potential of this strategy as an important tool for the development of more rationally designed vaccines.
Inflammation-induced activation of proto-oncogenic NF-κB/REL and dysfunction of tumor suppressor TP53/p63/p73 family transcription factors are key events in cancer progression. How inflammatory signaling coordinates dysregulation of these two transcription factor families during oncogenesis remains incompletely understood. Here, we observed that oncoprotein c-REL and tumor suppressor TAp73 are co-expressed and complex with ΔNp63α in the nucleus of a subset of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines with mutant (mt)TP53. TNF-α a pro-inflammatory cytokine, promoted nuclear translocation and c-REL/ΔNp63α interaction and dissociation of TAp73 from nuclear ΔNp63α to the cytoplasm, while c-REL siRNA depletion attenuated this effect. Overexpression of c-REL or a c-REL κB-site DNA binding mutant enhanced protein interaction withΔNp63α and TAp73 dissociation, implicating c-REL/ΔNp63α-specific interactions in these effects. We discovered TNF-α- or genetic alteration of c-REL expression inversely modulatesΔNp63α/TAp73 interactions on distinct p63 DNA binding sites, including those for key growth arrest and apoptotic genes p21WAF1, NOXA, and PUMA. Functionally, c-REL repressed these genes and the anti-proliferative effects of TNF-α or TAp73. Conversely, c-REL siRNA depletion enhanced TAp73 promoter interaction, and expression of genes mediating growth arrest and apoptosis. Similar to TNF-α treated HNSCC lines, human HNSCC tumors and hyperplastic squamous epithelia of transgenic mice overexpressing ΔNp63α that exhibit inflammation, also demonstrate increased nuclear c-REL/ΔNp63α and cytoplasmic TAp73 localization. These findings unveil a novel and reversible dynamic mechanism whereby pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α-induced c-REL/ΔNp63α interactions inactivate tumor suppressor TAp73 function, promoting TNF-α resistance and cell survival in cancers with mtTP53.
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