Coronaviruses are the enveloped, positive-stranded RNA viruses with the largest RNA genomes known. Several features make these viruses attractive as vaccine and therapeutic vectors: (i) deletion of their nonessential genes is strongly attenuating; (ii) the genetic space thus created allows insertion of foreign information; and (iii) their tropism can be modified by manipulation of the viral spike. We studied here their ability to serve as expression vectors by inserting two different foreign genes and evaluating systematically the genomic position dependence of their expression, using a murine coronavirus as a model. Renilla and firefly luciferase expression cassettes, each provided with viral transcription regulatory sequences (TRSs), were inserted at several genomic positions, both independently in different viruses and combined within one viral genome. Recombinant viruses were generated by using a convenient method based on targeted recombination and host cell switching. In all cases high expression levels of the foreign genes were observed without severe effects on viral replication in vitro. The expression of the inserted gene appeared to be dependent on its genomic position, as well as on the identity of the gene. Expression levels increased when the luciferase gene was inserted closer to the 3 end of the genome. The foreign gene insertions generally reduced the expression of upstream viral genes. The results are consistent with coronavirus transcription models in which the transcription from upstream TRSs is attenuated by downstream TRSs. Altogether, our observations clearly demonstrate the potential of coronaviruses as (multivalent) expression vectors.The ability to genetically modify viruses not only has led to extraordinary advances in the understanding of their biology but also has opened a broad new field in which viruses are engineered for use as vaccine vectors and therapeutic agents. The insights in the biological properties of viruses are beginning to allow investigators to rationally modify their pathogenic properties, to provide them with new genetic information, and to retarget them to new cells, tissues, and hosts. Whereas many striking examples have already demonstrated these principles, the true potential of viruses as tools for medical applications has yet to be established. Obviously, the actual prospects will be different for different viruses since these prospects are ultimately determined and limited by the specific features of each virus.Coronaviruses are enveloped, positive-stranded RNA viruses belonging to the family Coronaviridae in the order Nidovirales, which also comprises the families Arteriviridae and Roniviridae. Coronaviruses have the largest known nonsegmented viral RNA genome (up to 31 kb), which is capped, polyadenylated, and infectious (11, 25). The coronavirus genome has its essential genes invariably in the order 5Ј-replicase-S-E-M-N-3Ј and contains, in addition, interspersed among these genes, a varying number of group-specific genes that code for nonstructural protei...
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling inhibition by monoclonal antibodies and EGFR-specific
Current treatment of human T-cell leukemia and lymphoma is predominantly limited to conventional cytotoxic therapy and is associated with limited therapeutic response and significant morbidity. Therefore, more potent and leukemia-specific therapies with favorable toxicity profiles are urgently needed. Here, we report on the construction of a novel therapeutic fusion protein, scFvCD7:sTRAIL, designed to induce target antigen-restricted apoptosis in human T-cell tumors. ScFvCD7:sTRAIL consists of the death-inducing tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) genetically linked to an scFv antibody fragment specific for the T-cell surface antigen CD7. Treatment with scFvCD7:sTRAIL induced potent CD7-restricted apoptosis in a series of malignant T-cell lines, whereas normal resting leukocytes, activated T cells, and vascular endothelial cells (human umbilical vein endothelial cells) showed no detectable apoptosis. The apoptosis-inducing activity of scFvCD7:sTRAIL was stronger than that of the immunotoxin scFvCD7:ETA. In mixed culture experiments with CD7-positive and CD7-negative tumor cells, scFvCD7:sTRAIL induced very potent bystander apoptosis of CD7-negative tumor cells. In vitro treatment of blood cells freshly derived from T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients resulted in marked apoptosis of the malignant T cells that was strongly augmented by vincristin. In conclusion, scFvCD7:sTRAIL is a novel recombinant protein causing restricted apoptosis in human leukemic T cells with low toxicity for normal human blood and endothelial cells.
Previously, we reported on the target cell-restricted fratricide apoptotic activity of scFvC54:sTRAIL, a fusion protein comprising human-soluble tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) genetically linked to the antibody fragment scFvC54 specific for the cell surface target antigen EGP2. In the present study, we report that the selective binding of scFvC54:sTRAIL to EGP2-positive target cells conveys an exceptionally potent pro-apoptotic effect toward neighboring tumor cells that are devoid of EGP2 expression (bystander cells). The anti-tumor bystander activity of scFvC54:sTRAIL was detectable at target-to-bystander cell ratios as low as 1:100. Treatment in the presence of EGP2-blocking or TRAIL-neutralizing antibody strongly inhibited apoptosis in both target and bystander tumor cells. In the absence of target cells, bystander cell apoptosis induction was abrogated. The bystander apoptosis activity of scFvC54:sTRAIL did not require internalization, enzymatic conversion, diffusion, or communication (gap junctional intracellular communication) between target and bystander cells. Furthermore, scFvC54:sTRAIL showed no detectable signs of innocent bystander activity toward freshly isolated blood cells. Further development of this new principle is warranted for approaches where cancer cells can escape from antibody-based therapy due to partial loss of target antigen expression.
Liver X receptor (LXR)-a is a pivotal player in reverse cholesterol metabolism. Recently, LXR-a was implicated as an immediate regulator of renin expression in a cAMP-responsive manner. To determine whether long-term LXR-a activation affects activation of the renal and cardiac renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), we treated mice with T0901317 (T09, a specific synthetic LXR agonist) in combination with the RAAS inducer isoproterenol (ISO). LXR-a-deficient (LXR-a À/À ) and wild-type (WT) C57Bl/6J mice were treated with ISO, T09 or both for 7 days. Low-dose ISO treatment, not associated with an increase in blood pressure, caused an increase in renal renin mRNA, renin protein and ACE protein in WT mice. WT mice treated with both ISO and T09 had decreased renal renin, ACE and AT 1 R mRNA expression compared with mice treated with ISO only. Cardiac ACE mRNA expression was also reduced in the hearts of WT mice treated with ISO and T09 compared with those treated with ISO alone. The transcriptional changes of renin, ACE and AT 1 R were mostly absent in mice deficient for LXR-a, suggesting that these effects are importantly conferred through LXR-a. In conclusion, LXR-a activation blunts ISO-induced increases in mRNA expression of renin, AT 1 R and ACE in the heart and kidney. These findings suggest a role for LXR-a in RAAS regulation.
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.