Activated local immunity by CC chemokine ligand 19-transduced embryonic endothelial progenitor cells suppresses metastasis of murine ovarian cancer

Stem Cells. 2010 Jan;28(1):164-73. doi: 10.1002/stem.256.

Abstract

Although tumor microenvironments play a key role in successful tumor immunotherapy, effective manipulation of local immunity is difficult because of the lack of an appropriate target system. It is well known that bone marrow-derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are actively recruited during tumor angiogenesis. Using this feature, we attempted to establish a novel therapeutic modality that targets tumor vessels of multiple metastases using embryonic endothelial progenitor cells (eEPCs) transduced with an immune-activating gene. The eEPCs were retrovirally transduced with the mouse CC chemokine ligand 19 (CCL19) gene, a lymphocyte-migrating chemokine. The mouse ovarian cancer cell line OV2944-HM-1 (HM-1) was inoculated subcutaneously into B6C3F1 mice, along with CCL19-tranduced eEPCs (eEPC-CCL19), resulting in immunologic activity and tumor-inhibitory effects. In this model, eEPC-CCL19 showed tumor repression accompanied by increased tumor-infiltrating CD8+ lymphocytes compared with the control group. In contrast, no tumor repression was observed when the same experiment was done in immunodeficient (SCID) mice, suggesting a crucial role of T-cell function in this system. Next, we established a lung metastasis model by injecting HM-1 cells or B16 melanoma cells via the tail vein. Subsequent intravenous injection of eEPC-CCL19 leads to a decrease in the number of lung metastasis and prolonged survival. Antitumor effects were also observed in a peritoneal dissemination model using HM-1. These results suggest that systemic delivery of an immune-activating signal using EPCs can alter the tumor immune microenvironment and lead to a therapeutic effect, which may provide a novel strategy for targeting multiple metastases of various malignancies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Chemokine CCL19 / biosynthesis*
  • Chemokine CCL19 / genetics
  • Embryonic Stem Cells / immunology
  • Embryonic Stem Cells / transplantation*
  • Endothelial Cells / immunology
  • Endothelial Cells / transplantation*
  • Female
  • Genetic Therapy*
  • Genetic Vectors
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics
  • Lung Neoplasms / immunology
  • Lung Neoplasms / prevention & control*
  • Lung Neoplasms / secondary
  • Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / immunology
  • Melanoma, Experimental / genetics
  • Melanoma, Experimental / immunology
  • Melanoma, Experimental / therapy
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C3H
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, SCID
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / genetics
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / immunology
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / pathology
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Peritoneal Neoplasms / genetics
  • Peritoneal Neoplasms / immunology
  • Peritoneal Neoplasms / prevention & control*
  • Peritoneal Neoplasms / secondary
  • Retroviridae / genetics
  • Stem Cell Transplantation*
  • Time Factors
  • Transduction, Genetic*
  • Tumor Burden

Substances

  • Ccl19 protein, mouse
  • Chemokine CCL19