微囊化重组CHO细胞制备和培养条件的优化

微囊化重组基因细胞移植治疗肿瘤是一种新兴的肿瘤基因治疗方法,然而由于目前微囊化细胞规模化制备和培养技术还不成熟,阻碍了其在临床治疗中的推广与应用。以重组CHO细胞为模型,考察了不同的微囊制备和培养条件对微囊化细胞生长和内皮抑素表达的影响。实验表明,种子细胞所处的生长阶段和细胞接种密度对微囊化细胞生长和内皮抑素表达的影响较大,对数生长期的细胞进行包囊并且细胞接种密度为1×106~2×106cells/mL微囊时微囊内细胞生长良好、内皮抑素表达量高。微囊制备时间对细胞活性和内皮抑素表达也有较大的影响,制备时间延长对细胞的损伤增大,因此制备时间应控制在5h以内。生物微胶囊在制备过程中会造成细胞损伤,而体外培养是恢复细胞活性的良好方法,在培养过程中微囊接种量为5%时对细胞生长和内皮抑素表达有利。     

体外培养和冷冻保存对微囊化细胞生长和内皮抑素表达的影响

微囊化基因工程细胞移植治疗肿瘤是一种新兴的肿瘤治疗方法,如果将此技术应用到临床研究,就需要制备大量的细胞活性良好、重组蛋白表达量高的生物微胶囊。体外培养和冷冻保存是生物微胶囊制备过程中两个重要的环节,因此需要考察体外培养和冷冻保存对微囊化重组基因细胞生长和蛋白表达的影响。以重组CHO细胞为模型,考察了体外培养时间和冷冻保存对微囊化细胞在动物体内生长和内皮抑素表达的影响及体外培养时间对微囊化细胞冷冻保存的影响。结果表明:体外培养时间对微囊化细胞在动物体内生长、内皮抑素表达和微囊稳定性具有较大的影响,体外不培养和培养4d的微囊化细胞在小鼠腹腔内生长良好、内皮抑素表达量高,并且微囊稳定性好,而体外培养8d的微囊化细胞在移植后的第26天破裂。体外培养时间对微囊化细胞冷冻保存也具有较大的影响,体外培养4d和8d的微囊化细胞在液氮中冷冻保存40d,复苏后细胞生长良好、内皮抑素表达量高,而冻存前未经过体外培养的微囊化细胞,复苏后细胞几乎全部死亡。综上所述,生物微胶囊在体外比较适宜的培养时间为4d。并且冷冻保存对微囊化细胞在动物体内生长、内皮抑素表达和微囊稳定性没有显著的影响。     

High-level synthesis of recombinant murine endostatin in Chinese hamster ovary cells

Endostatin, a carboxy-terminal fragment of collagen XVIII, has been shown to act as an anti-angiogenic agent that specifically inhibits proliferation of endothelial cells and growth of various primary tumors. Here, we describe the expression by Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells of murine endostatin and of a tagged-fusion protein, (his)6-met-endostatin. A dicistronic mRNA expression vector was utilized in which endostatin cDNA was inserted upstream of the amplifiable marker gene, dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). After transfection of the expression vectors, stepwise increments in methotrexate levels in the culture medium were applied, promoting gene amplification and increasing expression levels of the proteins of interest. The expression level of secreted native endostatin was about 78 microg/mL while the one for secreted (his)6-met-endostatin was about 114 microg/mL, for the best expressing clones. Characterization of physico-chemical and immunological activities of the proteins was performed using SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. The biological activities of recombinant endostatins were tested with a cow pulmonary artery endothelial (C-PAE) cell proliferation assay. Both recombinant endostatin and (his)6-met-endostatin inhibited, in a dose-dependent fashion, growth of C-PAE cells stimulated by basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF).     

Anti-tumor therapy with macroencapsulated endostatin producer cells

Background  

Theracyte is a polytetrafluoroethylene membrane macroencapsulation system designed to induce neovascularization at the tissue interface, protecting the cells from host's immune rejection, thereby circumventing the problem of limited half-life and variation in circulating levels. Endostatin is a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis and tumor growth. Continuous delivery of endostatin improves the efficacy and potency of the antitumoral therapy. The purpose of this study was to determine whether recombinant fibroblasts expressing endostatin encapsulated in Theracyte immunoisolation devices can be used for delivery of this therapeutic protein for treatment of mice bearing B16F10 melanoma and Ehrlich tumors.     

Endostatin gene therapy delivered by Salmonella choleraesuis in murine tumor models

BACKGROUND: Some anaerobic and facultatively anaerobic bacteria have been used experimentally as anticancer agents because of their selective growth in tumors. In this study, we exploited attenuated Salmonella choleraesuis as a tumoricidal agent and a vector to deliver the endostatin gene for tumor-targeted gene therapy. METHODS: Attenuated S. choleraesuis carrying a eukaryotic expression plasmid encoding reporter gene was used to evaluate its abilities of tumor targeting and gene delivery in three syngeneic murine tumor models. Furthermore, S. choleraesuis carrying the endostatin expression vector was administered intraperitoneally into tumor-bearing mice, and its antitumor effect was evaluated. RESULTS: Systemically administered S. choleraesuis preferentially accumulated within tumors for at least 10 days, forming tumor-to-normal tissue ratios exceeding 1000-10,000 : 1. Transgene expression via S. choleraesuis-mediated gene transfer also persisted for at least 10 days. Host immune responses and tumor hypoxia may influence tumor-targeting potential of S. choleraesuis. When systemically administered into mice bearing melanomas or bladder tumors, S. choleraesuis carrying the endostatin expression vector significantly inhibited tumor growth by 40-70% and prolonged survival of the mice. Furthermore, immunohistochemical studies in the tumors revealed decreased intratumoral microvessel density, reduced expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and increased infiltration of CD8(+) T cells. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that tumor-targeted gene therapy using S. choleraesuis carrying the endostatin expression vector, which exerts tumoricidal and antiangiogenic activities, represents a promising strategy for the treatment of solid tumors.     

表达内皮抑素的rCHO细胞的微囊化培养

微囊化重组基因细胞移植治疗肿瘤是一种新兴的肿瘤基因治疗方法,如果将此技术应用到临床研究,就需要制备大量的细胞活性良好、重组蛋白表达量高的生物微胶囊。种子细胞是生物微胶囊治疗作用的执行者, 是构建微囊微反应器的基本元素。如何获得大量高活性的种子细胞已经成为规模化制备生物微胶囊所面临的最关键的限制因素。本实验考察了搅拌式生物反应器内扩增的重组CHO细胞进行包囊及微囊化细胞在生物反应器内规模化培养的可行性。实验结果显示:重组CHO细胞在生物反应器内可以快速生长,并且对数期细胞包囊,微囊化细胞活性良好。制备的微囊化细胞可以在生物反应器内培养,与培养板培养比较细胞生长较快、内皮抑素表达量较高。应用生物反应器培养技术能够在体外快速、大量扩增重组CHO细胞,满足微囊化细胞制备对种子细胞量与质的要求,微囊化细胞可以在生物反应器内培养。     

Systemic inhibition of tumor growth and tumor metastases by intramuscular administration of the endostatin gene

Tumors require ongoing angiogenesis to support their growth. Inhibition of angiogenesis by production of angiostatic factors should be a viable approach for cancer gene therapy. Endostatin, a potent angiostatic factor, was expressed in mouse muscle and secreted into the bloodstream for up to 2 weeks after a single intramuscular administration of the endostatin gene. The biological activity of the expressed endostatin was demonstrated by its ability to inhibit systemic angiogenesis. Moreover, the sustained production of endostatin by intramuscular gene therapy inhibited both the growth of primary tumors and the development of metastatic lesions. These results demonstrate the potential utility of intramuscular delivery of an antiangiogenic gene for treatment of disseminated cancers.     

谷氨酰胺对微囊化重组CHO细胞生长代谢及内皮抑素表达的影响

微囊化技术是一种有发展潜力的生物技术,在细胞移植和药物控释等方面具有广泛的应用。然而由于目前微囊化细胞规模化培养技术还不成熟,阻碍了其在临床治疗中的推广与应用。为了了解微囊化重组CHO细胞的生长代谢特性为今后规模化培养优化提供技术参考,考察了主要氮源物质谷氨酰胺对微囊化重组CHO细胞生长代谢及内皮抑素表达的影响。结果显示:当谷氨酰胺起始浓度从2.69mmolL增加到9.05mmolL时最大活细胞密度并没有增高,细胞增殖没有显著差异。当谷氨酰胺起始浓度较低(2.69mmolL)时,葡萄糖的比消耗速率较大;当谷氨酰胺起始浓度增高时(7.91mmolL～9.05mmolL)葡萄糖和谷氨酰胺的比消耗速率增大,但细胞对葡萄糖和谷氨酰胺的利用率降低。谷氨酰胺对产物表达有显著影响,起始浓度为4.97mmolL时的内皮抑素累积浓度最高,达546.36ngmL,过低和过高谷氨酰胺起始浓度下内皮抑素的累积浓度均较低。     

Endostatin gene therapy enhances the efficacy of paclitaxel to suppress breast cancers and metastases in mice

Chemotherapy combined with antiangiogenic therapy is more effective than chemotherapy alone. The aim of this study was to investigate whether endostatin, a potent anti-angiogenic agent, could enhance the efficacy of paclitaxel to combat breast cancer. An expression plasmid encoding mouse endostatin (End-pcDNA3.1) was constructed, which produced intense expression of endostatin and inhibited angiogenesis in the chorioallantoic membrane assay. 4T1 breast tumors were established in BALB/c mice by subcutaneous injection of 1 × 10⁵ 4T1 cells. The End-pcDNA3.1 plasmid diluted in the transfection reagent FuGENE^TM was injected into the tumors (around 100 mm²), and paclitaxel was injected i.p. into the mice. Endostatin gene therapy synergized with paclitaxel in suppressing the growth of 4T1 tumors and their metastasis to the lung and liver. Both endostatin and paclitaxel inhibited tumor angiogenesis and induced cell apoptosis. Despite the finding that endostatin was superior to paclitaxel at inhibiting tumor angiogenesis, paclitaxel was nevertheless more effective at inducing tumor apoptosis. The combination of paclitaxel and endostatin was more effective in suppressing tumor growth, metastases, angiogenesis, and inducing apoptosis than the respective monotherapies. The combinational therapy with endostatin and paclitaxel warrants future investigation as a therapeutic strategy to combat breast cancer.     

Binding of endostatin to phosphatidylserine-containing membranes and formation of amyloid-like fibers

Endostatin, the 20-kDa C-terminal NC1 domain of collagen XVIII, is an endogenous inhibitor of tumor angiogenesis and tumor growth. A major problem in reconciling the many reported in vitro effects of endostatin is the lack of a high-affinity receptor, and a search for the latter continues. In accordance with the above, the molecular mechanisms of action of endostatin remain elusive. We show here that endostatin binds to membranes containing acidic phospholipids, phosphatidylserine (PS) or phosphatidylglycerol (PG). More specifically, a red shift in the fluorescence emission of Trp of endostatin in the presence of liposomes containing these anionic lipids was evident, revealing the average environment of Trps to become less hydrophobic. This shift was not observed for phosphatidylcholine (PC) liposomes, demonstrating the acidic lipid to be required. Quenching by endostatin of the fluorescence of a pyrene-labeled phospholipid analogue in PS containing membranes was seen, while there was no effect for PC liposomes. Resonance energy transfer from the Trp residues of endostatin to a dansyl-labeled phospholipid further confirmed the association of endostatin with PS-containing membranes, whereas there was no binding to PC liposomes. Intriguingly, the association of endostatin with PS-containing liposomes triggered the formation of fibers, with Congo red staining producing green birefringence characteristic for amyloid. Lipid was incorporated into these fibers, as shown by staining when a trace amount (X = 0.02) of fluorescent phospholipid analogues was present in the liposomes. No fiber formation was seen when endostatin was added to liposomes composed of PC only. Because PS has been reported to be exposed in the outer surface of the plasma membrane of cancer cells and vascular endothelial cells, our results suggest that this lipid could represent a target for endostatin in the cancer cell surface and tumors, thus suggesting a novel mechanism of its action. More specifically, analogous to a number of other cytotoxic proteins interacting with negatively charged lipids, PS-triggered fiber formation by endostatin on the surface of cancer cells would impair the permeability barrier function of the plasma membrane, resulting in cell death.     

肌肉内转内抑素基因对肿瘤生长的抑制作用

 为研究骨骼肌及肿瘤内介导的内抑素基因转移对肿瘤生长的作用 ,利用基因克隆技术构建了内抑素基因真核表达质粒 ,应用电脉冲转移法将质粒转入转肿瘤小鼠骨骼肌或肿瘤中 .结果表明 ,内抑素基因可在骨骼肌或肿瘤内表达 ,并显著抑制肿瘤生长 .这为内抑素基因在肿瘤治疗中的应用进行了探索     

Local endostatin treatment of gliomas administered by microencapsulated producer cells

We describe a technique for the treatment of malignant brain tumors based on local delivery of the anti-angiogenic protein endostatin from genetically engineered cells encapsulated in ultrapure sodium alginate. Alginate consists of L-guluronic and D-mannuronic acid, which in the presence of divalent cations forms an extended gel network, in which cells reside and remain immunoisolated, when implanted into the rat brain. Here, we show that endostatin-transfected cells encapsulated in alginate maintain endostatin secretion for at least four months after intracerebral implantation in rats. During the implantation period 70% of the encapsulated cells remained viable, as opposed to 85% in in vitro-cultured capsules. Rats that received transplants of BT4C glioma cells, together with endostatin-producing capsules (0.2 microg/ml per capsule), survived 84% longer than the controls. The endostatin released from the capsules led to an induction of apoptosis, hypoxia, and large necrotic avascular areas within 77% of the treated tumors, whereas all the controls were negative. The encapsulation technique may be used for many different cell lines engineered to potentially interfere with the complex microenvironment in which tumor and normal cells reside. The present work may thus provide the basis for new therapeutic approaches toward brain tumors.     

Continuous release of endostatin from microencapsulated engineered cells for tumor therapy

Research studies suggest that tumor-related angiogenesis contributes to the phenotype of malignant gliomas. We assessed the effect of local delivery of the angiogenesis inhibitor endostatin on human glioma cell line (U-87MG) xenografts. Baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells were stably transfected with a human endostatin (hES) expression vector and were encapsulated in alginate-poly L-lysine (PLL) microcapsules for long-term delivery of hES. The release of biologically active endostatin was confirmed using assays of bovine capillary endothelial (BCE) proliferation and of tube formation. Human endostatin released from the microcapsules brought about a 67. 2% inhibition of BCE proliferation. Furthermore, secreted hES was able to inhibit tube formation in KDR/PAE cells (porcine aortic endothelial cells stably transfected with KDR, a tyrosine kinase) treated with conditioned U-87MG medium. A single local injection of encapsulated endostatin-secreting cells in a nude mouse model resulted in a 72.3% reduction in subcutaneous U87 xenografts' weight 21 days post treatment. This inhibition was achieved by only 150.8 ng/ml human endostatin secreted from 2 x 10(5) encapsulated cells. Encapsulated endostatin-secreting cells are effective for the treatment of human glioblastoma xenografts. Continuous local delivery of endostatin may offer an effective therapeutic approach to the treatment of a variety of tumor types.     

Antiangiogenic activity of restin, NC10 domain of human collagen XV: comparison to endostatin

Based on a homology search with endostatin, the C-terminus 185 aa of collagen XVIII, we report the cloning, expression, and antiangiogenic activity of a 22 kDa human collagen XV fragment, that we have named restin. Restin was expressed in the prokaryotic pET expression system. We have shown that restin inhibits the migration of endothelial cells in vitro but has no effect on the proliferation of these cells. A polyclonal antibody raised against endostatin cross-reacted with restin. Systemic administration of restin suppressed the growth of tumors in a xenograft renal carcinoma model.     

Endostatin: a promising drug for antiangiogenic therapy

Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels from existing capillaries, is critical for tumors to grow beyond a few in size. Tumor cells produce one or more angiogenic factors including fibroblast growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor. Surprisingly, antiangiogenic factors or angiogenesis inhibitors have been isolated from tumors. Some angiogenesis inhibitors, such as angiostatin, are associated with tumors while others, such as platelet-factor 4 and interferon-alpha are not. Endostatin, a C-terminal product of collagen XVIII, is a specific inhibitor of endothelial cell proliferation, migration and angiogenesis. The mechanism by which endostatin inhibits endothelial cell proliferation and migration is unknown. Endostatin was originally expressed in a prokaryotic system and, late, in a yeast system, thanks to which it is possible to obtain a sufficient quantity of the protein in a soluble and refolded form to be used in preclinical and clinical trials.     

内皮抑素抗黑色素瘤血管新生时间窗及最佳剂量的研究

目的:获取不同黑色素瘤发展阶段的荷瘤鼠的最佳治疗时间以及最佳用药量。方法:将肿瘤大小不等的雄性黑色素瘤荷瘤鼠进行内皮抑素分组对比治疗,在用药3、5、7天后处死荷瘤鼠,剥离瘤体,称瘤重,分析生长趋势,做病理切片并进行HE染色和免疫组化。在与对照组进行对照后,根据肿瘤的大小、恶性化的程度以及CD31和VEGF的表达情况,找出内皮抑素的用药最有效的治疗时间窗。然后通过进一步实验,在已经检测出的不同肿瘤大小的荷瘤鼠的恩度作用时间窗内,给荷瘤鼠使用用不同浓度梯度的药物,在不同肿瘤发展大小之后剥离瘤体,做与上述类似的操作并分析,确定在治疗时间窗时的恩度使用的最佳剂量。结论:5天为内皮抑素抗黑色素瘤血管新生时间窗,两个实验组中,中等剂量即15 mg/kg和20 mg/kg为恩度作用最佳剂量。     

Endostatin suppresses colorectal tumor-induced lymphangiogenesis by inhibiting expression of fibronectin extra domain A and integrin α9

Endostatin is a natural occurring anti-angiogenic peptide and has been shown to inhibit tumor lymphangiogenesis by suppressing the expression of tumor-stimulating growth factors. We have previously shown that fibronectin alternative extra domain A (EDA) facilitates lymphangiogenesis of colorectal tumors. Since it is known that EDA interacts with integrin α9 in the lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs), we hypothesized that endostatin may target EDA-integrin α9 pathway to inhibit colorectal tumor-induced lymphangiogenesis. To test this hypothesis, we examined the effect of endostatin on EDA secreted by SW480 colorectal cancer cells and treated human LECs with different doses of endostatin in the presence of conditional medium from SW480 cells. We found that endostatin significantly reduced EDA secretion by SW480 cells and the expression of integrin α9 in LECs. Immunofluorescence studies showed that EDA and integrin α9 colocalized on the cell membrane of LECs and these colocalizations were dramatically reduced by endostatin. Co-immunoprecipitation studies demonstrated that EDA interacted with integrin α9 in LECs, and showed that endostatin treatment inhibited the formation of EDA-integrin α9 complex in LECs. Furthermore, we found that the arrangement and polarity of LEC cytoskeletons were destroyed by endostatin substantially, leading to a reduced formation of tube-like structures of LECs and a suppressed chemotaxis of LECs toward SW480 cells. Consistently, EDA and integrin α9 expressions as well as lymphangiogenesis were significantly suppressed by endostatin in colorectal cancer xenografts. In conclusion, our results suggest that endostatin reduces colorectal tumor-induced lymphangiogenesis, at least in part, by inhibiting EDA-integrin α9 pathway.     

内皮抑素与肿瘤治疗

内皮抑素(endostatin)是近年来发现的,天然产生的新血管生成抑制因子。它在体内由胶原ⅩⅧ经酶解产生,可以抑制新血管生成,在肿瘤动物模型中显示出显著的抑瘤活动。通过抑制肿瘤相关的新血管的形成来治疗肿瘤,是目前出现的新疗法,内皮抑素是这种疗法中很有前景的侯选药物之一。在美国已经开始了用内皮抑素治疗肿瘤的Ⅰ期临床试验,关于它的临床前基础实验也在广泛开展。本文综述了内皮抑素在肿瘤治疗中的应用基础研究 。     

The inhibitory effects of endostatin on endothelial cells are modulated by extracellular matrix

We investigated the ability of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins to modulate the response of endothelial cells to both promoters and inhibitors of angiogenesis. Using human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HDMEC), we found that cells demonstrated different adhesive properties and proliferative responses to the growth factor VEGF depending upon which ECM protein with which they were in contact, with fibronectin having the most impact on VEGF-induced HDMEC proliferation and survival. More importantly, we observed that ECM could modulate the ability of the angiogenic inhibitor endostatin to prevent endothelial cell proliferation, survival and migration. We observed that growth on vitronectin or fibronectin impaired the ability of endostatin to inhibit VEGF-induced HDMEC proliferation to the greatest extent as determined by BrdU incorporation. We found that, following growth on collagen I or collagen IV, endostatin only inhibited VEGF-induced HDMEC proliferation at the highest dose tested (2500 ng/ml). In a similar manner, we observed that growth on ECM proteins modulated the ability of endostatin to induce endothelial cell apoptosis, with growth on collagen I, fibronectin and collagen IV impairing endostatin-induced apoptosis. Interestingly, endostatin inhibited VEGF-induced HDMEC migration following culture on collagen I, collagen IV and laminin, while migration was not inhibited by endostatin following HDMEC culture on other matrices including vitronectin, fibronectin and tenascin-C. These results suggest that different matrix proteins may affect different mechanisms of endostatin inhibition of angiogenesis. Taken together, our results suggest that the ECM may have a profound impact on the ability of angiostatic molecules such as endostatin to inhibit angiogenesis and thus may have impact on the clinical efficacy of such inhibitors.