Endothelial Cell-Based Gene Therapy of Breast Cancer
Abstract
Breast cancer metastases account for a significant morbidity and mortality in women. Efficient means of treating this subset of patients remain elusive. The purpose of this study is to determine whether intravenous (IV) injection of human Interleukin-2 gene-modified endothelial cells (hIL-2/MECs) can abrogate breast cancer metastases and prolonged survival of the tumor-bearing animals. Following the establishments of breast cancer metastases in the lungs of BALB/c mice, three doses of 10 to the 5 hIL-2/MECs, spaced 72-h apart, were administered to the animals via the tail vein. Subsequently, the lungs of the mice were removed and examined for the presence and number of tumor foci following their death or sacrifice. Lungs of untreated tumor-bearing mice contained numerous tumor foci, and they all died by day 23. Their average survival time was 21 days. In contrast, the lungs of hIL-2/MEC- treated tumor-bearing mice contained an average of fifty tumor foci per mouse. Their average survival time of 40 days. Animals which received only the hIL-2/MECs without tumor cells did not develop tumors and remained alive and well. These results suggest that IV administered, interleukin-2 gene-modified endothelial cells can inhibit the growth of established metastases of breast cancer and prolong the survival of tumor-bearing mice.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA389740
Entities
People
- John O. Ojeifo
Organizations
- Georgetown University