Bcl-2 Overexpression Improves Survival and Efficacy of Neural Stem Cell-Mediated Enzyme Prodrug Therapy

Tumor-tropic neural stem cells (NSCs) can be engineered to localize gene therapies to invasive brain tumors. However, like other stem cell-based therapies, survival of therapeutic NSCs after transplantation is currently suboptimal. One approach to prolonging cell survival is to transiently overexpre...

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Main Authors: Rachael Mooney, Asma Abdul Majid, Daniel Mota, Adam He, Soraya Aramburo, Linda Flores, Jennifer Covello-Batalla, Diana Machado, Joanna Gonzaga, Karen S. Aboody
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2018-01-01
Series:Stem Cells International
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/7047496
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author Rachael Mooney
Asma Abdul Majid
Daniel Mota
Adam He
Soraya Aramburo
Linda Flores
Jennifer Covello-Batalla
Diana Machado
Joanna Gonzaga
Karen S. Aboody
author_facet Rachael Mooney
Asma Abdul Majid
Daniel Mota
Adam He
Soraya Aramburo
Linda Flores
Jennifer Covello-Batalla
Diana Machado
Joanna Gonzaga
Karen S. Aboody
author_sort Rachael Mooney
collection DOAJ
description Tumor-tropic neural stem cells (NSCs) can be engineered to localize gene therapies to invasive brain tumors. However, like other stem cell-based therapies, survival of therapeutic NSCs after transplantation is currently suboptimal. One approach to prolonging cell survival is to transiently overexpress an antiapoptotic protein within the cells prior to transplantation. Here, we investigate the utility and safety of this approach using a clinically tested, v-myc immortalized, human NSC line engineered to contain the suicide gene, cytosine deaminase (CD-NSCs). We demonstrate that both adenoviral- and minicircle-driven expression of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 can partially rescue CD-NSCs from transplant-associated insults. We further demonstrate that the improved CD-NSC survival afforded by transient Bcl-2 overexpression results in decreased tumor burden in an orthotopic xenograft glioma mouse model following administrations of intracerebral CD-NSCs and systemic prodrug. Importantly, no evidence of CD-NSC transformation was observed upon transient overexpression of Bcl-2. This research highlights a critical need to develop clinically relevant strategies to improve survival of therapeutic stem cell posttransplantation. We demonstrate for the first time in this disease setting that improving CD-NSC survival using Bcl-2 overexpression can significantly improve therapeutic outcomes.
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spelling doaj-art-dd1bd1411a5148d684d28764d22dc2012025-08-20T02:21:33ZengWileyStem Cells International1687-966X1687-96782018-01-01201810.1155/2018/70474967047496Bcl-2 Overexpression Improves Survival and Efficacy of Neural Stem Cell-Mediated Enzyme Prodrug TherapyRachael Mooney0Asma Abdul Majid1Daniel Mota2Adam He3Soraya Aramburo4Linda Flores5Jennifer Covello-Batalla6Diana Machado7Joanna Gonzaga8Karen S. Aboody9Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USADepartment of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USADepartment of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USADepartment of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USADepartment of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USADepartment of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USADepartment of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USADepartment of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USADepartment of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USADepartment of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USATumor-tropic neural stem cells (NSCs) can be engineered to localize gene therapies to invasive brain tumors. However, like other stem cell-based therapies, survival of therapeutic NSCs after transplantation is currently suboptimal. One approach to prolonging cell survival is to transiently overexpress an antiapoptotic protein within the cells prior to transplantation. Here, we investigate the utility and safety of this approach using a clinically tested, v-myc immortalized, human NSC line engineered to contain the suicide gene, cytosine deaminase (CD-NSCs). We demonstrate that both adenoviral- and minicircle-driven expression of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-2 can partially rescue CD-NSCs from transplant-associated insults. We further demonstrate that the improved CD-NSC survival afforded by transient Bcl-2 overexpression results in decreased tumor burden in an orthotopic xenograft glioma mouse model following administrations of intracerebral CD-NSCs and systemic prodrug. Importantly, no evidence of CD-NSC transformation was observed upon transient overexpression of Bcl-2. This research highlights a critical need to develop clinically relevant strategies to improve survival of therapeutic stem cell posttransplantation. We demonstrate for the first time in this disease setting that improving CD-NSC survival using Bcl-2 overexpression can significantly improve therapeutic outcomes.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/7047496
spellingShingle Rachael Mooney
Asma Abdul Majid
Daniel Mota
Adam He
Soraya Aramburo
Linda Flores
Jennifer Covello-Batalla
Diana Machado
Joanna Gonzaga
Karen S. Aboody
Bcl-2 Overexpression Improves Survival and Efficacy of Neural Stem Cell-Mediated Enzyme Prodrug Therapy
Stem Cells International
title Bcl-2 Overexpression Improves Survival and Efficacy of Neural Stem Cell-Mediated Enzyme Prodrug Therapy
title_full Bcl-2 Overexpression Improves Survival and Efficacy of Neural Stem Cell-Mediated Enzyme Prodrug Therapy
title_fullStr Bcl-2 Overexpression Improves Survival and Efficacy of Neural Stem Cell-Mediated Enzyme Prodrug Therapy
title_full_unstemmed Bcl-2 Overexpression Improves Survival and Efficacy of Neural Stem Cell-Mediated Enzyme Prodrug Therapy
title_short Bcl-2 Overexpression Improves Survival and Efficacy of Neural Stem Cell-Mediated Enzyme Prodrug Therapy
title_sort bcl 2 overexpression improves survival and efficacy of neural stem cell mediated enzyme prodrug therapy
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2018/7047496
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