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Survivin-Responsive Conditionally Replicating Adenovirus Exhibits Cancer-Specific and Efficient Viral Replication

¹ Division of Gene Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, Cognitive and Molecular Research Institute of Brain Diseases and ² Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Kurume University, Kurume, Japan; ³ Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan; and ⁴ Department of Cardiology, Respiratory and Nephrology, Regeneration and Advanced Medical Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan

Requests for reprints: Ken-ichiro Kosai, Division of Gene Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, Cognitive and Molecular Research Institute of Brain Diseases, Kurume University, 67 Asahi-machi, Kurume, 830-0011, Japan. Phone: 81-942-31-7910; Fax: 81-942-31-7911; E-mail: kosai{at}med.kurume-u.ac.jp.

Although a conditionally replicating adenovirus (CRA) exhibiting cancer-selective replication and induction of cell death is an innovative potential anticancer agent, current imperfections in cancer specificity and efficient viral replication limit the usefulness of this technique. Here, we constructed survivin-responsive CRAs (Surv.CRAs), in which expression of the wild-type or mutant adenoviral early region 1A (E1A) gene is regulated by the promoter of survivin, a new member of the inhibitor of apoptosis gene family. We explored the cancer specificity and effectiveness of viral replication of Surv.CRAs, evaluating their potential as a treatment for cancer. The survivin promoter was strongly activated in all cancers examined at levels similar to or even higher than those seen for representative strong promoters; in contrast, low activity was observed in normal cells. Surv.CRAs efficiently replicated and potently induced cell death in most types of cancer. In contrast, minimal viral replication in normal cells did not induce any detectable cytotoxicity. A single injection of Surv.CRAs into a preestablished tumor expressing survivin, even at relatively low levels, induced significant tumor death and inhibition of tumor growth. Furthermore, Surv.CRAs were superior to telomerase-dependent CRAs, one of the most effective CRAs that have been examined to date, both in terms of cancer specificity and efficiency. Thus, Surv.CRAs are an attractive potential anticancer agent that could effectively and specifically treat a variety of cancers.