Scientific publications

Regression of colon cancer and induction of antitumor immunity by intratumoral injection of adenovirus expressing interleukin-12

Dec 1, 1999 | Magazine: Cancer Gene Therapy

Mazzolini G, Qian C, Xie X, Sun Y, Lasarte JJ, Drozdzik M, Prieto J.
Department of Medicine, School of Medicine and Clinica Universitaria, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.


Interleukin-12 (IL-12) has been shown to possess potent immunoregulatory and antitumoral effects.

We have evaluated the anti-oncogenic potential and the mechanisms of the antitumoral effect of in vivo adenovirus-mediated transfer of IL-12 gene in a murine model of colon cancer. AdCMVIL-12 was constructed to permit coordinated production of p40 and p35 subunits of IL-12 gene to obtain the maximum IL-12 bioactivity. Infection of murine colon cancer CT-26 cells in vitro with AdCMVIL-12 resulted in the production of high levels of IL-12. In vivo gene therapy of colon cancer nodules by intratumoral injection of AdCMVIL-12 induced a local increase in IL-12 and interferon-gamma levels and a complete regression of the tumor in 26 of 34 (76%) mice.

Tumor disappeared between days 7 and 10 after vector administration. The antitumoral effect was mediated by CD8+ T cells and was associated with the generation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes against colon cancer cells. Animals that eliminated the tumor were protected against a second administration of neoplastic cells. Treatment with AdCMVIL-12 of one tumor nodule also caused regression of established tumors at distant sites.

These data demonstrate that AdCMVIL-12 is a useful therapeutic tool for established colon cancer in mice and should be considered for application in humans.

CITATION  Cancer Gene Ther. 1999 Nov-Dec;6(6):514-22