Anti-tumor vaccine adjuvant effects of IL-2 liposomes in mice immunized against MCA-102 sarcoma.

MCA-102, a murine sarcoma previously reported to be non-immunogenic in C57/BL6 murine tumor models was used in a tumor vaccine preparation which included liposome encapsulated IL-2 as an adjuvant. C57/BL6 mice were immunized in the right hind footpad with irradiated MCA-102 murine sarcoma cells on days 0, 7, and 21 with or without IL-2 liposome adjuvant at 25,000 IL-2 units/injection. Mice were challenged with live tumor in the right flank on day 35. Survival of mice given IL-2 liposomes with irradiated MCA-102 cells was significantly prolonged over mice given tumor antigen with saline, and non-immunized mice. In addition, mice which received the IL-2 liposome adjuvant also had prolonged survival over those mice immunized with the additional control adjuvants of free IL-2 or dimyristoyl phosphatidyl choline (DMPC) lipid in the form of empty liposomes. IL-2 liposome plus tumor antigen also yielded a significant local protective response against live MCA-102 tumor challenge. When live tumor was injected into the site of previous immunizations on day 21 after two immunizations, the IL-2 liposome adjuvant group showed significantly delayed local growth of tumor compared to animals immunized without adjuvant, or with the adjuvants of empty liposomes or free IL-2. Finally, immunized mice were challenged with irradiated tumor cells and saline intradermally in the ears and delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH), an indicator of helper T cell response, was measured.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Lymphokine-activated tumor inhibition in mice. Ability of a nonapeptide of the human IL-1 beta to recruit anti-tumor reactivity in recipient mice

The ability of the VQGEESNDK synthetic peptide corresponding to fragment 163-171 of human IL-1 beta to trigger lymphokine-activated tumor inhibition (LATI) of a poorly immunogenic fibrosarcoma (CE-2) of BALB/c mice was compared to that of the whole IL-1 beta. Neither molecule inhibits in vitro proliferation of CE-2 cells. Administration at the tumor challenge site for 10 days of daily injections of 50 micrograms of peptide 163-171 induce a consistent, although limited, inhibition of tumor growth, whereas similar injections of 1 pg of IL-1 beta induced a more marked LATI. However, strong LATI was elicited when these injections were performed in mice challenged with tumor cells admixed at 1/10 cell ratio with nonreactive lymphocytes from CE-2-bearing mice. The L3T4+ lymphocyte subset is mainly responsible for this enhancement. This reaction is abolished when recipient mice are sub-lethally irradiated, treated with cyclosporin A, or when the reactivity of L3T4+ and asialo GM1+ cells is suppressed. A similarly efficient LATI is found on combining the daily peptide injections with that of 10 U of IL-2. LATI stemming from this association, too, is abolished when mice are irradiated or treated with anti-L3T4 antibody, whereas it is not affected by cyclosporin A or anti-asialo GM1 antibody. Finally, a tumor-specific immune memory is acquired by about 50% of mice after LATI induced by IL-1 beta or 163-171 peptide alone and by about 80% of mice after LATI induced by peptide and lymphocytes from tumor-bearing mice or peptide and IL-2. These findings could lead to the building of a molecularly defined system to induce efficient immune recognition of tumor cells by using a peptide that does not cause any of the several inflammation-associated changes induced by the whole IL-1 beta.     

Further development of local IL-2 therapy of cancer: multiple versus single IL-2 treatment of transplanted murine colon carcinoma

We have compared the effect of one and up to four local IL-2 treatments of transplanted MC38 colon carcinoma. A single IL-2 treatment prolonged the survival time (p=0.015), but no cure was obtained. One local IL-2 treatment inhibited tumor growth for about 1 week. After the start of tumor regrowth, a further IL-2 injection was given. After four IL-2 injections 6 out of 13 mice were cured. Histological studies show that IL-2 induced a local vascular leakage syndrome leading to massive peritumoral edema and subsequent necrosis of tumor tissue. IL-2 also attracted infiltrating cells, mainly macrophages. Subsequent IL-2 injections led to complete tumor regression. We believe that the combination of necrotic tumor debris and the IL-2–induced macrophage reaction enhanced a tumor-specific immune response. This local IL-2 application was not toxic.     

Cytokine immunotherapy of cancer with controlled release biodegradable microspheres in a human tumor xenograft/SCID mouse model

 A novel biodegradable poly(lactic acid) microsphere formulation was evaluated for in vivo cytokine immunotherapy of cancer in a human tumor xenograft/severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mouse model. Co-injection of interleukin-2 (IL-2)-loaded microspheres with tumor cells into a subcutaneous site resulted in the complete suppression of tumor engraftment in 80% of animals. In contrast, bovine-serum-albumin(BSA)-loaded particles or bolus injections of poly(ethylene glycol)/IL-2 were ineffective in preventing tumor growth. The antitumor effect of IL-2 released by the microspheres was shown to be mediated by the mouse natural killer cells. This is the first evidence that the rejection of human tumor xenografts can be provoked by the sustained in vivo delivery of IL-2 from biodegradable microspheres. The use of poly(lactic acid) microspheres to deliver cytokines to the tumor environment could provide a safer and simpler alternative to gene therapy protocols in the treatment of cancer. Received: 9 September 1997 / Accepted: 30 October 1997     

Effect of allogeneic tumor cells,interleukin-2 and interleukin-6, on the growth of subcutaneous syngeneic tumors

In the present study we demonstrate the ability of allogeneic M3 tumor cells to induce an antitumor response against the syngeneic tumor, when injected locally together with syngeneic B16 melanoma cells. The replacement of the allogeneic tumor cells with either syngeneic or allogeneic splenocytes had no effect on the growth of the syngeneic tumor. Systemic administration of both interleukin-2 (IL-2) and IL-6 did not affect the antitumor response induced by allogeneic tumor cells. When mice, previously injected with B16 and M3 cells, were rechallenged subcutaneously with B16 tumor cells at a different anatomical site, an inhibitory effect in some, but not all, experiments was observed. Systemic injections of either IL-2 or IL-6 did not alter the antitumor effects of the allogeneic and syngeneic tumor-cell mixtures. The significance of our results in developing immunotherapy modalities based on active immunization with allogeneic tumor cells and selected cytokines is discussed.This study was supported by a grant from the Israeli Cancer Association     

Antitumor effect of aColiolus preparation,PSK: Induction of macrophage chemotactic factor (MCF) in spleens of tumor bearing mice

The effect of administration of PSK (Polysaccharide Kureha), aColiolus preparation, in Meth-A solid tumors was analyzed in BALB/c mice. Spleen cells prepared from normal, non-treated Meth-A bearing, PSK-treated normal and PSK-treated tumor bearing mice were examined for induction of macrophage chemotactic factor (MCF). Only spleen cells from the latter mice produced MCF after 48 hrs of cultivation in the presence of Meth-A cells or Concanavalin A (Con A). MCF-producing cells were indicated to be Lyt-1 positive, L3T4 positive and Lyt-2 negative cells in the negative elimination assay. There were no differences in the production of other cytokines including interleukin-2, inferferon and tumor necrosing factor, spleen cells obtained other different groups of mice. The antitumor effect of either crude or purified MCF (molecular weight 100,000) was examined by daily consecutive intratumoral injections into Meth-A tumor tissues, and a significant inhibitory effect was detected.     

Subtherapeutic doses of interleukin-15 augment the antitumor effect of interleukin-12 in a B16F10 melanoma model in mice.

Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is a potent immunoregulatory cytokine that exhibits antitumor activity in many experimental tumor models. In the present study, we investigated the ability of IL-15, a cytokine sharing many functions of IL-2, to modulate antitumor effectiveness of IL-12 against B16F10 melanoma in mice. In a model of locally growing tumor, intratumoral (i.t.) administration of IL-12, in three cycles of five consecutive daily injections (0.1 mug) followed by 2 days of rest, led to considerable delay of tumor development but no curative response was achieved. When combined with IL-12, subtherapeutic doses of IL-15 (0.4 mug) pontentiated the antitumor effects of IL-12 and induced complete tumor regressions in 50% of mice. Similar results were obtained in a model in which tumor-bearing mice were intravenously co-injected with melanoma cells to induce metastases. Combined administration of IL-12 and IL-15 yielded greater antitumor activity than injections of either cytokine alone and resulted in prolonged survival of mice bearing locally growing tumor and metastases. Studies of immunological parameters in mice treated with both IL-12 and IL-15 have shown enhanced NK activity (against YAC-1 cells) in the spleen and stimulation of both NK activity and specific anti-B16F10 cytotoxic effector cells in tumor-draining lymph nodes (LN). The strong antitumor effect of the IL-12 + IL-15 combination correlated with a high serum level of IFN-gamma in the treated mice. Moreover, increased expression of IL-15Ralpha was demonstrated in LN lymphocytes isolated from mice injected with IL-12. This result together with findings of other authors showing enhanced expression of IL-12 receptor by IL-15 [1] suggests that the augmentation of the antitumor effect during the course of IL-12/IL-15-based therapy could result from reciprocal upregulation of receptors by both cytokines and synergistic effects on IFN-gamma induction.     

Engineering Lipid Vesicles of Enhanced Intratumoral Transport Capabilities: Correlating Liposome Characteristics with Penetration into Human Prostate Tumor Spheroids

Liposomes have been widely used delivery systems, particularly relevant to the development of cancer therapeutics. Numerous liposome-based drugs are in the clinic or in clinical trials today against multiple tumor types; however, systematic studies of liposome interactions with solid or metastatic tumor nodules are scarce. This study is describing the in vitro interaction between liposomes and avascular human prostate (LNCaP-LN3) tumor spheroids. The ability of fluorescently labelled liposomal delivery systems of varying physicochemical characteristics to penetrate within multicellular tumor spheroids has been investigated by confocal laser scanning microscopy. A variety of liposome characteristics and experimental parameters were investigated, including lipid bilayer composition, duration of liposome-spheroid interaction, mean liposome size, steric stabilization of liposomes. Electrostatic binding between cationic liposomes and spheroids was very efficient; however, it impeded any significant penetration of the vesicles within deeper layers of the tumor spheroid. Small unilamellar liposomes of neutral surface character did not bind as efficiently but exhibited enhanced penetrative transport capabilities closer to the tumor core. Polymer-coated (sterically stabilised) liposomes exhibited almost no interaction with the spheroid, indicating that their limited diffusion within avascular tissues may be a limiting step for their use against micrometastases. Multicellular tumor spheroids were used as models of solid tumor interstitium relevant to delivery systems able to extravasate from the microcapillaries or as models of prevascularized micrometastases. This study illustrates that interactions between liposomes and other drug delivery systems with multicellular tumor spheroids can offer critically important information with respect to optimizing solid or micrometastatic tumor delivery and targeting strategies.     

Engineering lipid vesicles of enhanced intratumoral transport capabilities: correlating liposome characteristics with penetration into human prostate tumor spheroids

Liposomes have been widely used delivery systems, particularly relevant to the development of cancer therapeutics. Numerous liposome-based drugs are in the clinic or in clinical trials today against multiple tumor types; however, systematic studies of liposome interactions with solid or metastatic tumor nodules are scarce. This study is describing the in vitro interaction between liposomes and avascular human prostate (LNCaP-LN3) tumor spheroids. The ability of fluorescently labelled liposomal delivery systems of varying physicochemical characteristics to penetrate within multicellular tumor spheroids has been investigated by confocal laser scanning microscopy. A variety of liposome characteristics and experimental parameters were investigated, including lipid bilayer composition, duration of liposome-spheroid interaction, mean liposome size, steric stabilization of liposomes. Electrostatic binding between cationic liposomes and spheroids was very efficient; however, it impeded any significant penetration of the vesicles within deeper layers of the tumor spheroid. Small unilamellar liposomes of neutral surface character did not bind as efficiently but exhibited enhanced penetrative transport capabilities closer to the tumor core. Polymer-coated (sterically stabilised) liposomes exhibited almost no interaction with the spheroid, indicating that their limited diffusion within avascular tissues may be a limiting step for their use against micrometastases. Multicellular tumor spheroids were used as models of solid tumor interstitium relevant to delivery systems able to extravasate from the microcapillaries or as models of prevascularized micrometastases. This study illustrates that interactions between liposomes and other drug delivery systems with multicellular tumor spheroids can offer critically important information with respect to optimizing solid or micrometastatic tumor delivery and targeting strategies.     

Mathematical Modeling of Interleukin-35 Promoting Tumor Growth and Angiogenesis

Interleukin-35 (IL-35), a cytokine from the Interleukin-12 cytokine family, has been considered as an anti-inflammatory cytokine which promotes tumor progression and tumor immune evasion. It has also been demonstrated that IL-35 is secreted by regulatory T cells. Recent mouse experiments have shown that IL-35 produced by cancer cells promotes tumor growth via enhancing myeloid cell accumulation and angiogenesis, and reducing the infiltration of activated CD8 T cells into tumor microenvironment. In the present paper we develop a mathematical model based on these experimental results. We include in the model an anti-IL-35 drug as treatment. The extended model (with drug) is used to design protocols of anti-IL-35 injections for treatment of cancer. We find that with a fixed total amount of drug, continuous injection has better efficacy than intermittent injections in reducing the tumor load while the treatment is ongoing. We also find that the percentage of tumor reduction under anti-IL-35 treatment improves when the production of IL-35 by cancer is increased.     

Effect of virus-modified tumor cell extracts,autologous mononuclear cell infusions and interleukin-2 on oncolytic activity of effector cells of patients with advanced ovarian cancer

Summary We studied the biological responses of six ovarian cancer patients after intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of virus-modified tumor cell extracts (VMTE) and autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells, collected by leukapheresis after two injections of VMTE. VMTE was prepared from allogeneic ovarian cell lines, OV2774 and CaOV3, modified by influenza virus, A/PR8/34. A dose of 9 mg VMTE was given i.p. in total of 2–4 injections, and (1–9) × 10⁸ autologous mononuclear cells were infused i.p., 24 h after the second VMTE injection, and 24 h and 72 h after the third VMTE injection. Both peripheral blood (PB) and peritoneal cavity (PC) effector cell cytotoxicity was significantly enhanced against the K562 cell line in the majority of patients, 24–48 h after the second and third VMTE injections. This was accompanied by a dramatic influx of neutrophils into PC (57-550-fold), increase in absolute numbers of lymphocytes, (including large granular lymphocytes) and monocytes, and resulted also in a significant decrease in the number of ascitic tumor cells (98% reduction). The infusion of autologous mononuclear cells did not appear to influence either cytotoxicity or cell infiltration of the peritoneal cavity. We also investigated the in vitro effect of recombinant interleukin-2 (IL-2) on effector cells from PB and PC from patients before and after VMTE treatment. Cytotoxicity of both of these compartments was significantly potentiated after culture with IL-2. In three out of five VMTE-treated patients, PC cytotoxicity was significantly higher after activation with IL-2 than that of patients before VMTE treatment. These data suggest that VMTE induces regional cellular immunity, which could be further potentiated by culture of PC effector cells with IL-2. Thus, combination of VMTE and IL-2 after regional administration could represent the effective therapy for patients with advanced ovarian cancer.     

In vivo generation of lymphokine activated killer cell activity by ABPP and interleukin-2 and their antitumor effects against immunogenic and nonimmunogenic tumors in murine tumor models

Summary The capacity of the interferon inducer ABPP and recombinant interleukin-2 (IL-2) to generate lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cell activity in vivo was examined and compared to the cytolysis of fresh tumor cells by in vitro generated LAK cells. Various tumors differing in histology and immunogenicity were used in in vitro and in vivo experiments. The i.p. administration of ABPP or IL-2 generated much higher levels of LAK cell activity in the peritoneal exudate than in the spleen. Administration of 2 injections of ABPP was as effective as a 3-day course of moderate doses of IL-2. Generation of LAK cell activity by IL-2 was dose dependent. ABPP had significant antitumor activity in vivo in both the i.p. tumor model and the pulmonary metastasis model when administered early (24–48 h after tumor inoculation), but was ineffective against established (day 3) tumor or advanced grossly visible i.p. (day 8) tumor. Treatment of established tumor with IL-2 and LAK cells was not more effective when ABPP was given concurrently. In contrast when ABPP preceded IL-2 and LAK treatment an additional antitumor effect was seen. Immunogenic tumors were more sensitive to treatment with ABPP than nonimmunogenic tumors. Only a marginal difference in lysability in vitro existed. The antitumor effects of ABPP in vivo may therefore be mediated by mechanisms other than cytolysis by activated killer cells alone. These data taken together suggest that ABPP and IL-2 induce discernable levels of LAK cell activity, but do not synergize when combined     

Cationic lipid gene transfer of an IL-2 transgene leads to activation of natural killer cells in a SCID mouse human tumor xenograft

Natural killer (NK) cells play an important role in combating infectious and malignant diseases and interleukin-2 (IL-2) has been shown to promote proliferation and activation of NK cells in vitro and in vivo. Here we investigate the effects of local cationic lipid-mediated IL-2 gene transfer on intratumoral accumulation and activation of NK cells in a SCID mouse tumor model. UM449 human melanoma tumors in SCID mice received intratumoral injections of DMRIE/DOPE admixed with VR1103, a DNA plasmid encoding the gene for human IL-2. Dissagregated tumor cells were tested for IL-2 secretion and were characterized using antibodies to asGM1, MAC-1, and F4/80 antigens. Granzyme A, a proteolytic serine esterase, was also measured in tumor cell lysates. IL-2 secretion from tumors injected with VR1103:DMRIE/DOPE peaked at 48 h after injection and fell to baseline levels on day 8. Intratumoral granzyme A activity was significantly increased in tumors injected with IL-2 plasmid:DMRIE/DOPE complexes, but not by an irrelevant plasmid DNA:DMRIE/DOPE control. Importantly, the growth of UM449 tumors was slowed in VR1103:DMRIE/DOPE-injected tumors. These results indicate that local cationic lipid-mediated gene transfer of IL-2 induces activation of intratumoral NK cells and slows tumor growth.     

新型佐剂DC-Chol对不同来源HBsAg促细胞免疫比较研究

目的： 筛选治疗性乙肝疫苗的候选抗原。方法： 分别用国产CHO乙肝表面抗原和酵母乙肝表面抗原结合DC-Chol脂质体佐剂免疫BALB/c小鼠,1周后检测其脾细胞产生的IL-2和IFN-γ的水平。ELISPOT法评价铝佐剂和DC-Chol脂质体佐剂结合HBsAg促小鼠细胞免疫反应水平。结果： 酵母乙肝表面抗原结合DC-Chol脂质体所诱导的IL-2和IFN-γ的水平分别为CHO乙肝表面抗原结合DC-Chol脂质体的20倍和119倍。酵母乙肝表面抗原结合DC-Chol脂质体所诱导的IL-4和IFN-γ的斑点数分别为酵母乙肝表面抗原结合铝佐剂的2.8倍和46.3倍。结论： 就DC-Chol脂质体佐剂而言,酵母表达的乙肝表面抗原细胞免疫原性强,是适合用于治疗性乙肝疫苗的候选疫苗。     

Intratumoral low-dose interleukin-2 induces rejection of distant solid tumour

Summary This study shows that local tumour treatment with low-dose recombinant interleukin-2 (IL-2) can mediate rejection of a large distant solid tumour. When SL2 lymphoma cells were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) in syngeneic DBA/2 mice on day 0, 70% of these mice were cured by daily i. p. injections with 20 000 units IL-2 on days 10–14. After injecting mice with SL2 both i.p. and subcutaneously (s. c.) on the flank, 50% of the mice treated i.p. with low-dose IL-2 rejected both the i.p. tumour and the large distant s.c. tumour. In contrast, i.p. IL-2 treatment on days 10–14 cured fewer than 10% of the mice bearing only a s. c. SL2 tumour. The described IL-2 immunotherapy also caused systemic tumour rejection in mice bearing both ascitic and solid P815 mastocytoma. Thus it was shown that low-dose IL-2 can induce systemic tumour rejection, when injected at a site of tumour growth. Interleukin-2-induced rejection of s. c. SL2 tumour was highly specific, as mice that were rejecting i.p. and solid s. c. SL2 lymphoma did not reject solid P815 mastocytoma, which was injected s.c. simultaneously on the other flank. Furthermore, solid s.c. tumours consisting of mixtures of SL2 and P815 were not rejected in mice that rejected i.p. SL2 or P815. We conclude that intratumoral injections of low-dose IL-2 can enhance an ongoing weak immune reaction against the tumour resulting in systemic tumour rejection.     

Interleukin-2 increases the antibody response in patients receiving autologous intralymphatic tumor cell vaccine immunotherapy.

The production of tumor-binding antibodies was studied in a group of cancer patients undergoing active specific immunotherapy with irradiated, cholesterol-treated, cell culture-derived autologous tumor cells injected by the intralymphatic route. Fifteen patients were analyzed: nine patients (four melanoma, one breast, one sarcoma, one colon, and one undifferentiated cancer) received three injections of 10 to 15 x 10(6) tumor cells, spaced 2 weeks apart, and six patients (two melanoma, two renal, one breast, and one colon cancer) received tumor cells admixed with 3 x 10(6) U recombinant interleukin-2 (IL-2) (Proleukin, Cetus, Emeryville, CA, USA) plus a 10-day intravenous infusion of 15 x 10(6) U/kg/day IL-2 after each immunization. Serum antibody binding to autologous tumor cells was measured at 2 and 4 weeks after initiation of therapy using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with patient serum being added to adherent tumor cells bound to 96-well microtiter plates. After 4 weeks, we found a significant difference (0.02 less than P less than 0.04) in serum titer in the group receiving IL-2 (33% mean increase) compared with the non-IL-2 group (8% mean increase). Although neither group showed clinical improvement in response to the therapy, the results clearly demonstrated the efficacy of IL-2 in augmenting patient antibody response to autologous intralymphatic tumor cell immunization.     

Antitumor activity of IL-32β through the activation of lymphocytes,and the inactivation of NF-κB and STAT3 signals

Cytokine and activation of lymphocytes are critical for tumor growth. We investigated whether interleukin (IL)-32β overexpression changes other cytokine levels and activates cytotoxic lymphocyte, and thus modify tumor growth. Herein, IL-32β inhibited B16 melanoma growth in IL-32β-overexpressing transgenic mice (IL-32β mice), and downregulated the expressions of anti-apoptotic proteins (bcl-2, IAP, and XIAP) and cell growth regulatory proteins (Ki-67 antigen (Ki-67) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)), but upregulated the expressions of pro-apoptotic proteins (bax, cleaved caspase-3, and cleaved caspase-9). IL-32β also inhibited colon and prostate tumor growth in athymic nude mice inoculated with IL-32β-transfected SW620 colon or PC3 prostate cancer cells. The forced expression of IL-32β also inhibited cell growth in cultured colon and prostate cancer cells, and these inhibitory effects were abolished by IL-32 small interfering RNA (siRNA). IL-10 levels were elevated, but IL-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels were reduced in the tumor tissues and spleens of IL-32β mice, and athymic nude mice. The number of cytotoxic T (CD8⁺) and natural killer (NK) cells in tumor tissues, spleen, and blood was significantly elevated in IL-32β mice and athymic nude mice inoculated with IL-32β-transfected cancer cells. Constituted activated NF-κB and STAT3 levels were reduced in the tumor tissues of IL-32β mice and athymic nude mice, as well as in IL-32β-transfected cultured cancer cells. These findings suggest that IL-32β inhibits tumor growth by increasing cytotoxic lymphocyte numbers, and by inactivating the NF-κB and STAT3 pathways through changing of cytokine levels in tumor tissues.     

Cancer-associated fibroblast-derived CXCL11 modulates hepatocellular carcinoma cell migration and tumor metastasis through the circUBAP2/miR-4756/IFIT1/3 axis

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are commonly acquired activated extracellular matrix (ECM)-producing myofibroblasts, a phenotypes with multiple roles in hepatic fibrogenesis and carcinogenesis via crosstalk with cohabitating stromal/cancer cells. Here, we discovered a mechanism whereby CAF-derived cytokines enhance hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression and metastasis by activating the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA axis in tumor cells. CAFs secreted significantly higher levels of CXCL11 than normal fibroblasts (NFs), and CXCL11 also had comparatively higher expressions in HCC tissues, particularly in metastatic tissues, than para-carcinoma tissues. Both CAF-derived and experimentally introduced CXCL11 promoted HCC cell migration. Likewise, CAFs promoted tumor migration in orthotopic models, as shown by an increased number of tumor nodules, whereas CXCL11 silencing triggered a decrease of it. CXCL11 stimulation upregulated circUBAP2 expression, which was significantly higher in HCC tissues than para-carcinoma tissues. Silencing circUBAP2 reversed the effects of CXCL11 on the expression of IL-1β/IL-17 and HCC cell migration. Further downstream, the IFIT1 and IFIT3 levels were significantly upregulated in HCC cells upon CXCL11 stimulation, but downregulated upon circUBAP2 silencing. IFIT1 or IFIT3 silencing reduced the expression of IL-17 and IL-1β, and attenuated the migration capability of HCC cells. Herein, circUBAP2 counteracted miR-4756-mediated inhibition on IFIT1/3 via sponging miR-4756. miR-4756 inhibition reversed the effects induced by circUBAP2 silencing on the IL-17 and IL-1β levels and HCC cell migration. In orthotopic models, miR-4756 inhibition also reversed the effects on metastatic progression induced by silencing circUBAP2.Subject terms: Tumour biomarkers, Cancer     

Augmentation of antitumor effect on syngeneic murine solid tumors by an interleukin 2 slow delivery system,the IL-2 mini-pellet

We evaluated the antitumor effect of an interleukin 2 (IL-2) slow delivery system, the IL-2 mini-pellet, in two murine solid tumor models, and also investigated the enhancement of its therapeutic effect by serial administration. The IL-2 mini-pellet contains 1 × 106 units of IL-2 and releases it slowlyin vivo. In our experiment, the IL-2 mini-pellet was administered subcutaneously near the tumor site in combination with the intravenous injection of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells. When this regimen was given on days 8 and 11 after the subcutaneous inoculation of Meth A fibrosarcoma into BALB/c mice, tumor growth was significantly inhibited (p < 0.05) compared to tumor growth in untreated controls. Moreover, the IL-2 mini-pellet alone was also effective in inhibiting tumor growth. In another experiment, MH134 hepatoma was inoculated into C3H/He mice. Both administration of the IL-2 minipellet alone and in combination with LAK cells resulted in complete tumor regression in four of five mice. In a third experiment, serial administration of the IL-2 mini-pellet at 3- or 5-day intervals prolonged the suppression of Meth A fibrosarcoma growth in BALB/c mice. These results suggested that the IL-2 mini-pellet could be applied to cancer immunotherapy and that its antitumor effect could be prolonged by serial administration.