BACKGROUND: Inefficiency, aspecificity and toxicity of gene transfer vectors hamper gene therapy from showing its full potential. On this basis significant research currently focuses on developing vectors with improved infection and/or expression profiles. Screening assays with validity to the clinical context to determine improved characteristics of such agents are not readily available since this requires a close relationship to the human situation. We present a clinically relevant tissue slice technology to preclinically test improved vector characteristics. METHODS: Slices were prepared from rat, mouse and human liver samples and from tumor tissue. Specificity of gene expression and replication was determined by infecting target and non-target tissue slices with transcriptionally retargeted adenoviruses and oncolytic viruses. RESULTS: Using rat liver slices, we demonstrate efficient knob-mediated adenoviral infectivity. A favorable tumor-on/liver-off profile, resembling in vitro and mouse in vivo data, was shown for a tumor-specific transcriptionally retargeted adenovirus by infecting slices prepared from tumor or liver tissue. Similar liver-off data were found for mouse, rat and human samples (over 3-log lower activity of the tumor-specific promoter compared to cytomegalovirus (CMV)). More importantly, we show that this technology when applied to human livers is a powerful tool to determine aspecific replication of oncolytic viruses in liver tissue. A 2- to 6-log reduction in viral replication was observed for a tumor-specific oncolytic virus compared to the wild-type adenovirus. CONCLUSIONS: The precision-cut tissue slice technology is a powerful method to test specificity and efficiency of gene transfer as well as of viral replication using human tissue.
BACKGROUND: Inefficiency, aspecificity and toxicity of gene transfer vectors hamper gene therapy from showing its full potential. On this basis significant research currently focuses on developing vectors with improved infection and/or expression profiles. Screening assays with validity to the clinical context to determine improved characteristics of such agents are not readily available since this requires a close relationship to the human situation. We present a clinically relevant tissue slice technology to preclinically test improved vector characteristics. METHODS: Slices were prepared from rat, mouse and human liver samples and from tumor tissue. Specificity of gene expression and replication was determined by infecting target and non-target tissue slices with transcriptionally retargeted adenoviruses and oncolytic viruses. RESULTS: Using rat liver slices, we demonstrate efficient knob-mediated adenoviral infectivity. A favorable tumor-on/liver-off profile, resembling in vitro and mouse in vivo data, was shown for a tumor-specific transcriptionally retargeted adenovirus by infecting slices prepared from tumor or liver tissue. Similar liver-off data were found for mouse, rat and human samples (over 3-log lower activity of the tumor-specific promoter compared to cytomegalovirus (CMV)). More importantly, we show that this technology when applied to human livers is a powerful tool to determine aspecific replication of oncolytic viruses in liver tissue. A 2- to 6-log reduction in viral replication was observed for a tumor-specific oncolytic virus compared to the wild-type adenovirus. CONCLUSIONS: The precision-cut tissue slice technology is a powerful method to test specificity and efficiency of gene transfer as well as of viral replication using human tissue.
Authors: Inge A M de Graaf; Peter Olinga; Marina H de Jager; Marjolijn T Merema; Ruben de Kanter; Esther G van de Kerkhof; Geny M M Groothuis Journal: Nat Protoc Date: 2010-08-19 Impact factor: 13.491
Authors: Martina Zimmermann; Johanna Lampe; Sebastian Lange; Irina Smirnow; Alfred Königsrainer; Claus Hann-von-Weyhern; Falko Fend; Michael Gregor; Michael Bitzer; Ulrich M Lauer Journal: Cytotechnology Date: 2009-12-20 Impact factor: 2.058
Authors: Michael-A van Geer; Koert F D Kuhlmann; Conny T Bakker; Fibo J W ten Kate; Ronald P J Oude Elferink; Piter J Bosma Journal: World J Gastroenterol Date: 2009-03-21 Impact factor: 5.742