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TGF-β2 inhibition augments the effect of tumor vaccine and improves the survival of animals with pre-established brain tumors

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Abstract

TGF-β2 secretion by high grade gliomas has been implicated as one of the major factors contributing to tumor growth, alterations in the host immune response to tumor, and failure of gliomas to respond to current immunotherapy strategies. We hypothesized that targeted delivery and inhibition of TGF-β2 by TGF-β2 antisense oligonucleotides (AS-ODNs) would overcome tumor-induced immunosuppression and enhance the capacity of tumor vaccines to eradicate established brain tumors. Utilizing the mRNA sequences of TGF-β2, specific AS-ODNs were constructed and tested for their ability to inhibit TGF-β2 production in 9L glioma cells. The effect of combining local intracranial administration of antisense ODNs with systemic tumor vaccine was examined. Fisher 344 rats were vaccinated subcutaneously with irradiated 9L tumor cells 3 days after intracranial tumor implantation. Four days after vaccination, ODNs were administered into the tumor mass and survival was followed. ODNs delivered locally distributed widely within the brain tumor mass and inhibited TGF-β2 expression. Survival of tumor-bearing rats treated with the combination of local antisense and systemic tumor vaccine was significantly enhanced (mean survival time (MST): 48.0 days). In contrast, MST for animals treated with nonsense plus vaccine, vaccine alone, antisense alone or PBS showed no survival advantage and no statistical differences between groups (33.5 days, 29.0 days, 37.5 days, and 31.5 days, respectively). Our data supports the hypothesis that local administration of antisense TGF-β2 ODNs combined with systemic vaccination can increase efficacy of immunotherapy and is a novel, potentially clinically applicable, strategy for high-grade glioma treatment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, C-307, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, 4200 East Ninth Avenue, Denver, CO, 80262, USA

    Yang Liu, B. K. Kleinschmidt-DeMasters & Kevin O. Lillehei

  2. School of Pharmacy, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, 4200 East Ninth Avenue, Denver, CO, USA

    Qing Wang

  3. Department of Pathology and Neurology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, 4200 East Ninth Avenue, Denver, CO, USA

    B. K. Kleinschmidt-DeMasters

  4. Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, 4200 East Ninth Avenue, Denver, CO, USA

    Alex Franzusoff

  5. Department of Pharmaceutical Science, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, 4200 East Ninth Avenue, Denver, CO, USA

    Ka-yun Ng

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  1. Yang Liu
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  2. Qing Wang
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Correspondence to Kevin O. Lillehei.

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Supported in part by the University of Colorado Cancer Center, a generous grant from the Partridge family, the Milheim Foundation for Brain Tumor Research, the ABC2 Foundation, the Michele Plachy-Rubin Foundation for Brain Tumor Research, and a generous grant from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America Foundation.

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Liu, Y., Wang, Q., Kleinschmidt-DeMasters, B.K. et al. TGF-β2 inhibition augments the effect of tumor vaccine and improves the survival of animals with pre-established brain tumors. J Neurooncol 81, 149–162 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-006-9222-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-006-9222-1

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