Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0027627 (metastases)
 103,950 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

In the course of a study of borderline melanocytic tumors, we observed a distinctive group of lesions characterized by features very similar to those previously described in the literature as "animal-type melanoma" and epithelioid blue nevus of Carney complex. We have designated these lesions as pigmented epithelioid melanocytoma (PEM). Herein, we present a clinical-pathologic analysis of 41 consecutive PEM from 40 patients and compare them with 11 epithelioid blue nevi from patients with Carney complex. PEM occurred in both sexes of different ethnic backgrounds, including white, Hispanic, black, Asian, and Persian. The median age of occurrence was 27 years (range 0.6-78 years). Tumors had wide distribution with extremities being the most common site. The tumors were formed by deep dermal (mean Breslow's thickness 3.3 mm) proliferation of heavily pigmented epithelioid and/or spindled melanocytes. Five lesions were part of combined nevus. Ulceration was present in 7 cases. Tumor necrosis was present in 1 case. Regional lymph nodes were sampled in 24 cases (59%). In 11 cases, lymph nodes contained metastases (46%). Liver metastases occurred in 1 case. None of the patients died of disease. Clinical follow-up of more than a year (mean 32 months, range up to 67 months) was available in 27 cases (67%). We found no histologic criteria separating metastasizing and nonmetastasizing PEM. Ulceration was the only feature more common in PEM than epithelioid blue nevi of Carney complex. Otherwise, they were histologically indistinguishable. Our data show that PEM is a unique low-grade variant of melanoma with frequent lymph node metastases but indolent clinical course. We suggest that PEM be considered as a provisional histologic entity encompassing both animal-type melanoma and epithelioid blue nevus.
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PMID:Pigmented epithelioid melanocytoma: a low-grade melanocytic tumor with metastatic potential indistinguishable from animal-type melanoma and epithelioid blue nevus. 1600 13

In the last decade there has been major progress in understanding the multiple steps involved in cancer cells developing their malignant potential. Study of bladder cancer has provided important information during this period and helped to identify HLA class I and wild type normal TP53 as potential probes for gene therapy studies. Given the magnitude of genetic damage that is associated with the clonal development of bladder cancer, and particularly the number of cellular mechanisms that have been highjacked in the development of terminal metastatic disease, it is obviously highly unlikely that a single gene therapy involving HLA class I alone would work in terminal metastatic disease. However, it seems possible that HLA-B7 treatment of patients with bladder cancer who are candidates for salvage cystectomy would benefit such patients. If it were to work, it could provide a whole new approach to managing superficial tumours. However for patients with extensive metastatic disease, progress could come from investing more effort in uncoverinlg the genetic basis of the chemosensitivity of germ cell tumours and understanding the basis of the normal checkpoints of meiosis and the role of TP53. This could provide a completely new approach to gene therapy that might be exploited even in patients with advanced metastatic disease. Such a tetraploidal construct combined with allogeneic HLA class I and incorporated into a low pathogenic lytic viral construct to induce oncolysis with some form of tissue promoter to focus the cell types in which the genes will be activated could provide ideal effective gene therapy.
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PMID:Clonal development of bladder cancer and its relevance to the clinical potential of HLA antigen and TP53 based gene therapy. 1528 20

Viruses that replicate selectively in cancer cells hold considerable promise as novel therapeutic agents for the treatment of malignancy. We report an orthotopic model of multi-focal colorectal cancer (CRC) metastases in the livers of syngeneic and immune-competent rats, which permitted rigorous testing of oncolytic virus vectors as novel therapeutic agents through hepatic arterial infusion for efficacy and safety. Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) is a negative-strand RNA virus with intrinsic oncolytic specificity due to attenuated anti-viral responses in many tumors. After administration at the maximum tolerated dose, the recombinant VSV vector gained access to multi-focal hepatic CRC lesions that led to tumor-selective viral replication and oncolysis. No relevant vector-associated toxicities were noted and in particular, no damage to the hepatic parenchyma was seen. Moreover, the survival rate of vector-treated rats was significantly improved over that of animals in the control treatment group (p = 0.015). Our results demonstrate that hepatic arterial administration of oncolytic VSV is both effective and safe in an immune-competent and syngeneic rat model of multi-focal CRC liver metastasis, suggesting that it can be developed into an effective therapeutic modality in patients in the future.
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PMID:Treatment of multi-focal colorectal carcinoma metastatic to the liver of immune-competent and syngeneic rats by hepatic artery infusion of oncolytic vesicular stomatitis virus. 1560 20

Tumour necrosis factor alpha is a member of the TNF/TNFR cytokine superfamily. In common with other family members, TNF-alpha is involved in maintenance and homeostasis of the immune system, inflammation and host defence. However, there is a 'dark side' to this powerful cytokine; it is now clear that, especially in middle and old age, TNF-alpha is involved in pathological processes such as chronic inflammation, autoimmunity and, in apparent contradiction to its name, malignant disease. This article will discuss the involvement of TNF-alpha in the inflammatory network that contributes to all stages of the malignant process, and consider the possibility that TNF-alpha may be a target for cancer therapy.
Cancer Metastasis Rev 2006 Sep
PMID:TNF-alpha in promotion and progression of cancer. 1695 87

The tumour-Clostridium phenomenon describes the specific affinity of spore forming anaerobes to tumour growth. The discovery of strictly intratumoral tetanus toxic infections in tumour-bearing mice after intravenous spore administration gave the impulse to search for non-toxic clostridial isolates with tumour-selective properties for clostridial biotherapy, i.e. oncolysis, as well as serologic tumour diagnostics without any toxic side-effects. Systematic studies of the oncolytic process and its variables on diverse experimental tumours and laboratory animals revealed that tumour liquefaction, converting necrotic tumour parts to putrid abscesses filled with masses of clostridial forms, stops sharply at the viable rim of the blood-supplied tumour tissue. Similar results were observed in clinical trials, particular of gliomas. Before oncolysis is initiated, the first stage of clostridial multi-plication in the vascularized tissue is inducing a humoral immune response, preceded by phagocytic activity. The majority of tumour-bearing laboratory and domestic animals, so far tested serologically, clinical cancer patients as well, responded with anti-rod antibodies and, independently, anti-spore antibodies. Oncolytic and non-oncolytic Clostridia were equally immunogenic. During the early, immunizing period of clostridial proliferation, analytical tumour-tetanus experiments were focused on potential relations between tumour growth kinetics and rod proliferation. Based on realistic growth models and target principles, computer simulations could reproduce the results, i.e. cumulative curves of tetanus lethality in groups of mice. Thus, crucial assumptions of the mathematical model were ex post confirmed by further experiments. Our working hypothesis concentrates on temporally hypoxic micro-niches close to a pre-mitotic cell with enhanced oxygen demand which can be utilized by anaerobes (randomly) located there. As early immune reactions to clostridial antigens via phagocytosis and humoral immune response will do without invasion in necrobiotic avascular tumour areas, the pacemaker model of tumour-Clostridium interplay extends the scope of genetically engineered Clostridia to early treatment of metastases. Thus, novel concepts, such as 'Clostridia-directed enzyme prodrug-therapy' and 'Combined bacteriolytic therapy', together with immune activation, can come into play.
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PMID:The tumour-Clostridium phenomenon: 50 years of developmental research (Review). 1708 87

In this model of hepatic micrometastases, the antitumor efficacy and role of the T-cell and natural killer (NK) cell populations were studied for oncolytic herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) viral mutants containing the granulocyte-monocyte colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF (NV1034)) or interluken-12 (IL-12 (NV1042)) cytokine genes. These were compared to saline and control virus (NV1023) in vitro and in vivo. HSV-1 mutants were assessed for cytotoxicity, replication and cytokine expression in CT-26 cells. A syngeneic micrometastatic liver model was then established in naive and immune cell-depleted animals to assess the antitumor efficacy of these viruses. In vitro cytotoxicity and viral replication were similar for each virus, resulting in greater than 80 and 98% cytotoxicity at multiplicity of infection of 1 and 10, respectively. Peak viral titers were 25- to 50-fold higher than initial titer and were not significantly different between viruses. In vivo, all three viruses reduced metastases relative to control, but cytokine-secreting viruses did so with greater efficacy compared to NV1023. This effect was abrogated by T-cell depletion, but not NK-cell depletion. Single-agent therapy with oncolytic viral agents containing GM-CSF or IL-12 is effective in a murine model of liver metastases and likely involves direct viral oncolysis and actions of specific immune effector cells.
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PMID:Cytokine-secreting herpes viral mutants effectively treat tumor in a murine metastatic colorectal liver model by oncolytic and T-cell-dependent mechanisms. 1743 2

We have shown previously the oncolytic potential of myxoma virus in a murine xenograft model of human glioma. Here, we show that myxoma virus used alone or in combination with rapamycin is effective and safe when used in experimental models of medulloblastoma in vitro and in vivo. Nine of 10 medulloblastoma cell lines tested were susceptible to lethal myxoma virus infection, and pretreatment of cells with rapamycin increased the extent of in vitro oncolysis. Intratumoral injection of live myxoma virus when compared with control inactivated virus prolonged survival in D341 and Daoy orthotopic human medulloblastoma xenograft mouse models [D341 median survival: 21 versus 12.5 days; P = 0.0008; Daoy median survival: not reached (three of five mice apparently "cured" after 223 days) versus 75 days; P = 0.0021]. Rapamycin increased the extent of viral oncolysis, "curing" most Daoy tumor-bearing mice and reducing or eliminating spinal cord and ventricle metastases. Rapamycin enhanced tumor-specific myxoma virus replication in vivo and prolonged survival of D341 tumor-bearing mice (median survival of mice treated with live virus (LV) and rapamycin, versus LV alone, versus rapamycin alone, versus inactivated virus: 25 days versus 19, 13, and 11 days, respectively; P < 0.0001). Rapamycin increased the levels of constitutively activated Akt in Daoy and D341 cells, which may explain its ability to enhance myxoma virus oncolysis. These observations suggest that myxoma virus may be an effective oncolytic agent against medulloblastoma and that combination therapy with signaling inhibitors that modulate activity of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway will further enhance the oncolytic potential of myxoma virus.
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PMID:Targeting human medulloblastoma: oncolytic virotherapy with myxoma virus is enhanced by rapamycin. 1787 23

Oncolytic Herpes simplex virus -1 (HSV-1) mutants based on deletion of the gamma134.5 gene are promising therapies for cancer. Deltagamma134.5 mutant replication and cytolysis is tumor cell type specific and severely attenuated in normal tissues. The basis for attenuation lies in the activation of the protein kinase R (PKR)-mediated host cellular defense pathway, which inhibits protein synthesis in infected cells. Tumor cells which overexpress MAPK kinase (MEK) activity support robust replication of Deltagamma134.5 mutants via MEK-mediated inhibition of PKR, resulting in tumor oncolysis. Systemic delivery of gamma(1)34.5 mutants may allow selective targeting and destruction of metastases from a broad range of solid human tumors that overexpress MEK. Barriers to systemic HSV-1 oncolytic therapy include innate immunity, adaptive immunity and hepatic adsorption. Immunomodulating agents may overcome innate immunity to HSV-1-based vectors. Preclinical data combined with the pervasiveness of HSV-1 despite widespread immunity suggest that preexisting immunity may not eliminate oncolytic efficacy. In the future, biopsy-determined tumor MEK status may select patients for Deltagamma134.5 oncolytic therapy.
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PMID:Tumor genotype determines susceptibility to oncolytic herpes simplex virus mutants: strategies for clinical application. 1792 20

In many common cancers, dissemination of secondary tumors via the lymph nodes poses the most significant threat to the affected individual. Metastatic cells often reach the lymph nodes by mimicking the molecular mechanisms used by hematopoietic cells to traffic to peripheral lymphoid organs. Therefore, we exploited naive T cell trafficking in order to chaperone an oncolytic virus to lymphoid organs harboring metastatic cells. Metastatic burden was initially reduced by viral oncolysis and was then eradicated, as tumor cell killing in the lymph node and spleen generated protective antitumor immunity. Lymph node purging of tumor cells was possible even in virus-immune mice. Adoptive transfer of normal T cells loaded with oncolytic virus into individuals with cancer would be technically easy to implement both to reduce the distribution of metastases and to vaccinate the affected individual in situ against micrometastatic disease. As such, this adoptive transfer could have a great therapeutic impact, in the adjuvant setting, on many different cancer types.
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PMID:Purging metastases in lymphoid organs using a combination of antigen-nonspecific adoptive T cell therapy, oncolytic virotherapy and immunotherapy. 1806 76

Solid tumours account for 90% of all cancers. Gene therapy represents a potential new modality for their treatment. Up to now, several approaches have been developed, but the most efficient ones are the viral vector based gene therapy systems. However, viral vectors suffer from several deficiencies: firstly most vectors currently in use require intratumoural injection to elicit an effect. This is far from ideal as many tumours are inaccessible and many may have already spread to other parts of the body, making them difficult to locate and inject gene therapy vectors into. Second, because of cell heterogeneity within a given cancer, the vectors do not efficiently enter and kill every cancer cell. Third, hypoxia, a prevalent characteristic feature of most solid tumours, reduces the ability of the viral vectors to function and decreases viral gene expression and production. Consequently, a proportion of the tumour is left unaffected, from which tumour regrowth occurs. Thus, cancer gene therapy has yet to realise its full potential. The facultative or obligate anaerobic bacteria have been shown to selectively colonise and regerminate in solid tumours when delivered systemically. Among them, the clostridial spores were easy to produce, stable to store and safe to use as well as having extensive oncolytic ability. However, research in animals and humans has shown that oncolysis was almost always interrupted sharply at the outer rim of the viable tumour tissue where the blood supply was sufficient. These clostridial spores, though, could serve as "Trojan horse" for cancer gene therapy. Indeed, various spores harbouring genes for cancerstatic factors, prodrug enzymes, or proteins or cytokines had endowed with additional tumour-killing capability. Furthermore, combination of these "Trojan horses" with conventional chemotherapy or radiation therapies often significantly perform better, resulting in the "cure" of solid tumours in a high percentage of animals. It is, thus, not too difficult to predict the potential outcomes for the use of clostridial spores as "Trojan horse" vectors for oncolytic therapy when compared with viral vector-mediated cancer therapy for it be replication-deficient or competent. However, to move the "Trojan horse" to a clinic, though, additional requirements need to be satisfied (i) target tumours only and not anywhere else, and (ii) be able to completely kill primary tumours as well as metastases. Current technologies are in place to achieve these goals.
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PMID:Clostridial spores as live 'Trojan horse' vectors for cancer gene therapy: comparison with viral delivery systems. 1827 24


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