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S M Albelda

Publications and source records attributed to S M Albelda.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Changes in plasma gelsolin concentration during acute oxidant lung injury in mice.

Oxidant stress may contribute to acute lung injury under some circumstances. The rapid depletion of plasma gelsolin following major trauma in patients who subsequently develop respiratory distress suggests that this actin-scavenging protein might protect against delayed pulmonary complications. The specific aim of these experiments was to explore the temporal and quantitative relationship between gelsolin levels and lung damage. Gelsolin levels were measured in three murine models of oxidant injury: immunotargeting of pulmonary endothelium with an H2O2-generating enzyme; continuous exposure to >95% O2; and single high-dose thoracic radiation. The degree of lung injury was inversely related to gelsolin levels in mice treated with glucose oxidase-conjugated antibodies against platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (p <0.0001). By 60-72 hours of hyperoxic exposure, gelsolin levels had dropped precipitously in all mice who sustained major lung damage (p <0.0001), establishing a quantitative association between gelsolin concentration and hyperoxic lung injury (r = -0.72; 95% confidence interval: ?0.81 to ?0.59). Gelsolin levels modestly but progressively fell in irradiated mice over the 3 days following treatment (p = 0.012) despite the development of only microscopic lung damage during this timeframe. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that gelsolin depletion is involved in the pathogenesis of acute oxidant lung injury.

Animals↗

Eradication of intraperitoneal and distant tumor by adenovirus-mediated interferon-beta gene therapy is attributable to induction of systemic immunity.

Malignant mesothelioma remains an incurable disease for which immune-modulatory therapies, such as exogenous cytokines, have shown some promise. One such cytokine, IFN-beta, has potent antiproliferative and immunostimulatory activity in vitro, but its in vivo use has been limited by toxicity. We thus conducted studies evaluating intracavitary delivery of a replication-deficient adenoviral (Ad) vector encoding for the murine IFN-beta gene (Ad.muIFN-beta) in mouse models of malignant mesothelioma. In contrast to multiple injections of recombinant protein, a single i.p. injection of Ad.muIFN-beta into animals with established tumors elicited remarkable antitumor activity leading to long-term survival in >90% of animals bearing either AB12 or AC29 i.p. mesotheliomas. A control adenovirus vector had minimal antitumor effect in vivo. Significant therapeutic effects were also seen in animals treated with large tumor burdens. Importantly, treatment of i.p. tumor also led to reduction of growth in tumors established at a distant site (flank). A number of experiments suggested that these effects were attributable to an acquired CD8(+) T-cell-mediated response including: (a) the induction of long-lasting antitumor immunity; (b) loss of efficacy of Ad.muIFN-beta in tumor-bearing, immune-deficient (SCID, SCID/beige) mice; (c) detection of high levels of specific antitumor cytolytic activity from unstimulated splenocytes harvested from Ad.muIFN-beta-treated animals that was abolished by CD8(+) T-cell depletion; and (d) abrogation of antitumor effects of Ad.muIFN-beta in tumor-bearing CD8(+) T-cell-depleted animals. These data show that intracavitary IFN-beta gene therapy using an adenoviral vector provides strong CD8(+) T-cell-mediated antitumor effects in murine models of mesothelioma and suggest that this may be a promising strategy for the treatment of localized tumors such as mesothelioma or ovarian cancer in humans.

Adenoviridae↗

Inclusion of the herpes simplex thymidine kinase gene in a replicating adenovirus does not augment antitumor efficacy.

Replication-incompetent adenoviruses (Ad) carrying the herpes simplex thymidine kinase (HSVtk) gene have been used in a number of human cancer gene therapy trials, however transduction has generally been limited to a small minority of tumor cells. To solve this problem, replication-competent adenoviral vectors carrying transgenes such as HSVtk have been developed. However, contradictory evidence exists regarding the efficacy of these new vectors. Accordingly, we constructed and tested a replication-competent E3-deleted adenoviral vector containing the HSVtk suicide gene driven by the endogenous E3 promoter (Ad.wt.tk). This virus showed high level production of the HSVtk transgene and was more efficacious than a non-replicating virus in vitro, after injection into flank tumors, and against established intraperitoneal tumors. However, addition of ganciclovir (GCV) therapy to cells or tumor-bearing animals treated with the replicating vector containing the HSVtk suicide gene did not result in increased cell killing. Our results indicate that addition of HSVtk to a replicating Ad virus will not likely be useful in augmenting antitumor effects.

Adenoviridae↗

Cell-selective intracellular delivery of a foreign enzyme to endothelium in vivo using vascular immunotargeting.

Vascular immunotargeting, the administration of drugs conjugated with antibodies to endothelial surface antigens, has the potential for drug delivery to the endothelium. Our previous cell culture studies showed that biotinylated antibodies to PECAM-1 (a highly expressed endothelial surface antigen) coupled with streptavidin (SA, a cross-linking protein that facilitates anti-PECAM internalization and targeting) may provide a carrier for the intracellular delivery of therapeutic enzymes. This paper describes the PECAM-directed vascular immunotargeting of a reporter enzyme (beta-galactosidase, beta-Gal) in intact animals. Intravenous injection of [125I]SA-beta-Gal conjugated with either anti-PECAM or IgG led to a high 125I uptake in liver and spleen, yet beta-Gal activity in these organs rapidly declined to the background levels, suggesting rapid degradation of the conjugates. In contrast, anti-PECAM/[125I]SA-beta-Gal, but not IgG/[125I]SA-beta-Gal, accumulated in the lungs (36.0+/-1.3 vs. 3.9+/-0.6% injected dose/g) and induced a marked elevation of beta-Gal activity in the lung tissue persisting for up to 8 h after injection (10-fold elevation 4 h postinjection). Using histochemical detection, the beta-Gal activity in the lungs was detected in the endothelial cells of capillaries and large vessels. The anti-PECAM carrier also provided 125I uptake and beta-Gal activity in the renal glomeruli. Predominant intracellular localization of anti-PECAM/SA-beta-Gal was documented in the PECAM-expressing cells in culture by confocal microscopy and in the pulmonary endothelium by electron microscopy. Therefore, vascular immunotargeting is a feasible strategy for cell-selective, intracellular delivery of an active foreign enzyme to endothelial cells in vivo, and thus may be potentially useful for the treatment of acute pulmonary or vascular diseases.

Animals↗

Dual time point 18F-FDG PET imaging for differentiating malignant from inflammatory processes.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this study was to investigate the difference in the rates of FDG uptake between malignant and inflammatory cells and processes. METHODS IN VITRO STUDIES: (18)F-FDG uptake by different tumor cell lines (human mesothelioma [REN]; rat mesothelioma [II45]; mice melanoma [B18F10]; mice mesothelioma [AB12]; human myeloma [GM1500]; and human ovarian cancer [SKOV3]) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from 8 healthy human volunteers was measured 20 and 60 min after FDG was added into growth medium. Animal studies: II45 cells were implanted into the left flank of rats (n = 5) and a focal inflammatory reaction (mechanical irritation) was generated in the right flank. PET images at 45 and 90 min after injection of FDG were obtained and standardized uptake values (SUVs) were determined. Patient studies: Seventy-six patients who had dual time FDG PET scans were retrospectively analyzed. All results were expressed as the percentage change in SUV of the later time image from that of the earlier time (mean +/- SD). RESULTS IN VITRO STUDIES: Except for the SKOV3 cell line, which had only minimally increased FDG uptake (+10% +/- 26%; P > 0.3), all other tumor cell lines tested showed significantly increased FDG uptake over time (GM1500, +59% +/- 19%; B18F10, +81% +/- 15%; AB12, 93% +/- 21%; II45, +161% +/- 21%; REN, +198% +/- 48%; P < 0.01 for all). By contrast, FDG uptake in mononuclear cells was decreased in 7 of 8 donors. Animal studies: SUVs of tumors from 90-min images were significantly higher than those from 45-min images (+18% +/- 8%; P < 0.01), whereas the SUVs of inflammatory lesions decreased over time (-17% +/- 13% of the early images; P < 0.05). CLINICAL STUDIES: The SUVs of delayed images from the known malignant lesions compared with those of earlier scans increased over time (+19.18% +/- 9.58%; n = 31; P < 0.001; 95% confidence interval, 15.8%-22.6%). By contrast, the SUVs of benign lung nodules decreased slightly over time (-6.3% +/- 8.1%; n = 12; P < 0.05; 95% confidence interval, -10.9% to -1.7%). The SUV of inflammatory lesions caused by radiation therapy (+1.16% +/- 7.23%; n = 8; P > 0.05; 95% confidence interval, -3.9%-6.2%) and the lesions of painful lower limb prostheses (+4.03% +/- 11.32%; n = 25; P > 0.05; 95% confidence interval, -0.4%-8.5%) remained stable over time. CONCLUSION: These preliminary data show that dual time imaging appears to be useful in distinguishing malignant from benign lesions. Further research is necessary to confirm these results.

Aged↗

Cationic lipid:bacterial DNA complexes elicit adaptive cellular immunity in murine intraperitoneal tumor models.

Previous studies with a mycobacterial heat shock protein (hsp-65) have demonstrated some efficacy using cationic liposome-mediated gene transfer in murine i.p. sarcoma models. To further analyze the efficacy of hsp-65 immunotherapy in clinically relevant models of localized cancer, immunocompetent mice bearing i.p. murine mesothelioma were treated with four i.p. doses of a cationic lipid complexed with plasmid DNA (pDNA) containing hsp65, LacZ, or a null plasmid. We observed >90% long-term survival (median survival, 150 days versus approximately 25 days, treated versus saline control, respectively) in a syngeneic, i.p. murine mesothelioma model (AC29). Long-term survivors were observed in all groups treated with lipid complexed with any pDNA. Lipid alone or DNA alone provided no demonstrable survival advantage. In a more aggressive i.p. model of mesothelioma (AB12), we observed >40% long-term survival in groups treated with lipid:pDNA complexes, again irrespective of the transgene. To ask whether these antitumor effects had led to an adaptive immune response against the tumor cell, we rechallenged long-term survivors in both murine models s.c. with the parental tumor cell line. Specific, long-lasting systemic immunity against the tumor was readily demonstrated in both models (AB12 and AC29). Consistent with these results, splenocytes from long-term survivors specifically lysed the parental tumor cell lines. Depleting the CD8+ T-cells from the splenocyte pool eliminated this lytic activity. Lipid:pDNA treatment of athymic, SCID, and SCID/Beige mice bearing a murine i.p. mesothelioma (AC29) resulted in only a slight survival advantage, but there were no long-term survivors. Treatment of immunocompetent mice depleted of specific immune effector cells demonstrated roles for CD8+ and natural killer cells. Although the exact mechanism(s) responsible for these antitumor effects is unclear, the results are consistent with roles for both innate and adaptive immune responses. An initial tumor cell killing stimulated by cationic lipid:pDNA complexes appears to be translated into long-term, systemic immunity against the tumor cell. These results are the first to demonstrate that adaptive immunity against a tumor cell can be induced by the administration of lipid:pDNA complexes. Multiple administrations of cationic lipid complexed with pDNA lacking an expressed transgene could provide a promising generalized immune-mediated modality for treating cancer.

Animals↗

Gene therapy for lung disease: hype or hope?

Gene therapy, the treatment of any disorder or pathophysiologic state on the basis of the transfer of genetic information, was a high-priority goal in the 1990s. The lung is a major target of gene therapy for genetic disorders, such as cystic fibrosis and alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency, and for other diseases, including lung cancer, malignant mesothelioma, pulmonary inflammation, surfactant deficiency, and pulmonary hypertension. This paper examines general concepts in gene therapy, summarizes the results of published clinical trials, and highlights areas of research aimed at overcoming challenges in the field. Although progress has been slower than anticipated, gene transfer has been safely achieved in patients with lung diseases. Recent advancements in understanding of the molecular basis of lung disease and the development of improved vector systems make it likely that gene therapy will be an important tool for the 21st-century clinician.

Animals↗

Antibodies against the first Ig-like domain of human platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1) that inhibit PECAM-1-dependent homophilic adhesion block in vivo neutrophil recruitment.

Platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM-1), a member of the Ig superfamily, is found on endothelial cells and neutrophils and has been shown to be involved in the migration of leukocytes across the endothelium. Adhesion is mediated, at least in part, through binding interactions involving its first N-terminal Ig-like domain, but it is still unclear which sequences in this domain are required for in vivo function. Therefore, to identify functionally important regions of the first Ig-like domain of PECAM-1 that are required for the participation of PECAM-1 in in vivo neutrophil recruitment, a panel of mAbs against this region of PECAM-1 was generated and characterized in in vitro adhesion assays and in an in vivo model of cutaneous inflammation. It was observed that mAbs that disrupted PECAM-1-dependent homophilic adhesion in an L cell aggregation assay also blocked TNF-alpha-induced intradermal accumulation of neutrophils in a transmigration model using human skin transplanted onto SCID mice. Localization of the epitopes of these Abs indicated that these function-blocking Abs mapped to specific regions on either face of domain 1. This suggests that these regions of the first Ig-like domain may contain or be close to binding sites involved in PECAM-1-dependent homophilic adhesion, and thus may represent potential targets for the development of antiinflammatory reagents.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A rapid and sensitive method for the quantification of ganciclovir in plasma using liquid chromatography/selected reaction monitoring/mass spectrometry.

A method using reversed-phase liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization and selected reaction monitoring mass spectrometry has been developed for the quantitative analysis of ganciclovir in rat plasma. Acyclovir, a structurally related analog of ganciclovir, was used as the internal standard. A small volume of plasma (50 microL) was spiked with the internal standard and plasma proteins were precipitated by methanol. The supernatant was dried under nitrogen, and then reconstituted in water. The use of liquid chromatography/selected reaction monitoring/mass spectrometry effectively eliminated potential interference from endogenous constituents in the plasma. This highly selective and sensitive method made it possible to analyze plasma ganciclovir with a lower limit of quantitation of 10 ng/mL. The assay was reproducible and linear in the range 10-10,000 ng/mL. The precision and accuracy values were in the range 2.0-6.9% and 89.0-109.6%, respectively. The analyte recovery was greater than 88%. This method was successfully used to monitor the pharmacokinetic profile of ganciclovir in normal rats following intraperitoneal administration of the drug.

Animals↗

Effect of preexisting anti-herpes immunity on the efficacy of herpes simplex viral therapy in a murine intraperitoneal tumor model.

HSV-1716, a replicating nonneurovirulent herpes simplex virus type 1, has shown efficacy in treating multiple types of human tumors in immunodeficient mice. Since the majority of the human population has been previously exposed to herpes simplex virus, the efficacy of HSV-based oncolytic therapy was investigated in an immunocompetent animal tumor model. EJ-6-2-Bam-6a, a tumor cell line derived from h-ras-transformed murine fibroblast, exhibit a diffuse growth pattern in the peritoneal cavity of BALB/c mice and replicate HSV-1716 to titers observed in human tumors. An established intraperitoneal (ip) tumor model of EJ-6-2-Bam-6a in naive and HSV-immunized mice was used to evaluate the efficacy of single or multiple ip administrations of HSV-1716 (4 x 10(6) pfu/treatment) or of carrier cells, which are irradiated, ex vivo virally infected EJ-6-2-Bam-6a cells that can amplify the viral load in situ. All treated groups significantly prolonged survival versus media control with an approximately 40% long-term survival rate (cure) in the multiply treated, HSV-naive animals. Prior immunization of the mice with HSV did not significantly decrease the median survival of the single or multiply treated HSV-1716 or the carrier cell-treated groups. These studies support the development of replication-selective herpes virus mutants for use in localized intraperitoneal malignancies.

Animals↗

Efficacy of repeated adenoviral suicide gene therapy in a localized murine tumor model.

BACKGROUND: Gene therapy using adenovirus to deliver herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (Ad.HSVtk) followed by the administration of the prodrug ganciclovir has been an effective anticancer therapy in models of localized tumor (including malignant mesothelioma) and is currently being evaluated in clinical trials. To optimize this approach, we studied the effects of repeated injections of Ad.HSVtk in an animal model of localized tumor in both naive and immunized mice. METHODS: Immunocompetent animals with established abdominal tumor were treated with either one or three (given weekly) intraperitoneal injections of Ad.HSVtk (10(9) plaque-forming units) followed by daily ganciclovir and monitored for survival. Survival studies were also performed in mice previously immunized with adenovirus. RESULTS: Animals treated with multiple courses of Ad.HSVtk showed significantly improved survival versus singly injected animals and control animals with some long-term survivors in the multiple injected group. Preexisting neutralizing immunity did not diminish this survival advantage. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple treatments using an adenoviral vector to deliver HSVtk significantly improves survival in a murine intraperitoneal tumor model. The presence of preexisting neutralizing antibodies does not blunt this effect. Repeat Ad.HSVtk is a feasible approach and may be a useful strategy in human cancer gene therapy.

Adenoviridae↗

Multi-attenuated herpes simplex virus-1 mutant G207 exerts cytotoxicity against epithelial ovarian cancer but not normal mesothelium and is suitable for intraperitoneal oncolytic therapy.

Recombinant strains of herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) harboring mutations in the infected cell product (ICP)34.5 region lose their neurovirulence and replicate more efficiently in dividing tumor cells than stationary cells, becoming replication-selective oncolytic agents. Additional mutation of the ICP6 gene, which encodes ribonucleotide reductase, further impairs the ability of HSV-1 mutants to replicate in normal cells, enhancing tumor selectivity. The present study investigated the effect of HSV-G207, a recombinant HSV-1 lacking ICP34.5 and ICP6, against epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) in vitro and in vivo in a mouse xenograft model. To assess the selectivity of multimutated HSV-G207 against malignant cells, HSV-G207 and wild-type HSV-F were comparatively tested against normal human peritoneal mesothelial cells and EOC cells in vitro. HSV-G207 infected both EOC cells and mesothelial cells; however, unlike EOC cells, mesothelial cells provided a poor substrate for replication of HSV-G207. In contrast to wild-type HSV-F, HSV-G207 exerted a potent oncolytic effect on EOC cells but spared normal mesothelial cells in vitro. Primary EOC cells were more sensitive to the virus than established EOC cell lines. A single intraperitoneal injection of HSV-G207 resulted in a significant reduction in tumor volume and tumor spread in vivo. HSV-G207 was shown to penetrate deeply within tumor nodules and caused no apparent intraperitoneal toxicity. Oncolytic therapy with multimutated replication-restricted HSV may offer a novel approach in the treatment of EOC.

Animals↗

A pilot study of systemic corticosteroid administration in conjunction with intrapleural adenoviral vector administration in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma.

One of the primary limitations of adenoviral (Ad) -mediated gene therapy is the generation of anti-Ad inflammatory responses that can induce clinical toxicity and impair gene transfer efficacy. The effects of immunosuppression on these inflammatory responses, transgene expression, and toxicity have not yet been systematically examined in humans undergoing Ad-based gene therapy trials. We therefore conducted a pilot study investigating the use of systemic corticosteroids to mitigate antivector immune responses. In a previous phase I clinical trial, we demonstrated that Ad-mediated intrapleural delivery of the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene (HSVtk) to patients with mesothelioma resulted in significant, but relatively superficial, HSVtk gene transfer and marked anti-Ad humoral and cellular immune responses. When a similar group of patients was treated with Ad.HSVtk and a brief course of corticosteroids, decreased clinical inflammatory responses were seen, but there was no demonstrable inhibition of anti -Ad antibody production or Ad-induced peripheral blood mononuclear cell activation. Corticosteroid administration also had no apparent effect on the presence of intratumoral gene transfer. Although limited by the small numbers of patients studied, our data suggest that systemic administration of steroids in the context of Ad-based gene delivery may limit acute clinical toxicity, but may not inhibit cellular and humoral responses to Ad vectors.

Adenoviridae↗

Immunotargeting of glucose oxidase to endothelium in vivo causes oxidative vascular injury in the lungs.

Vascular immunotargeting is a novel approach for site-selective drug delivery to endothelium. To validate the strategy, we conjugated glucose oxidase (GOX) via streptavidin with antibodies to the endothelial cell surface antigen platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule (PECAM). Previous work documented that 1) anti-PECAM-streptavidin carrier accumulates in the lungs after intravenous injection in animals and 2) anti-PECAM-GOX binds to, enters, and kills endothelium via intracellular H(2)O(2) generation in cell culture. In the present work, we studied the targeting and effect of anti-PECAM-GOX in animals. Anti-PECAM-GOX, but not IgG-GOX, accumulated in the isolated rat lungs, produced H(2)O(2,) and caused endothelial injury manifested by a fourfold elevation of angiotensin-converting enzyme activity in the perfusate. In intact mice, anti-PECAM-GOX accumulated in the lungs (27 +/- 9 vs. 2.4 +/- 0.3% injected dose/g for IgG-GOX) and caused severe lung injury and 95% lethality within hours after intravenous injection. Endothelial disruption and blebbing, elevated lung wet-to-dry ratio, and interstitial and alveolar edema indicated that anti-PECAM-GOX damaged pulmonary endothelium. The vascular injury in the lungs was associated with positive immunostaining for iPF(2alpha)-III isoprostane, a marker for oxidative stress. In contrast, IgG-GOX caused a minor lung injury and little (5%) lethality. Anti-PECAM conjugated with inert proteins induced no death or lung injury. None of the conjugates caused major injury to other internal organs. These results indicate that an immunotargeting strategy can deliver an active enzyme to selected target cells in intact animals. Anti-PECAM-GOX provides a novel model of oxidative injury to the pulmonary endothelium in vivo.

Animals↗

Contributions of the extracellular and cytoplasmic domains of platelet-endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1/CD31) in regulating cell-cell localization.

PECAM-1/CD31, a vascular cell adhesion/signaling molecule that has been implicated in a number of vascular functions (including angiogenesis and the transmigration of leukocytes through endothelium) is highly enriched at the cell-cell borders of adjacent endothelial cells. To identify the mechanisms responsible for this localization, a series of PECAM-1 mutants and chimeric PECAM-1 molecules were transfected into non-PECAM-expressing cells and the ability of the constructs to move to cell-cell borders of adjacent cells was determined using immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy. Although neither the extracellular domain, by itself, nor the cytoplasmic domain, by itself, was sufficient to direct cell-cell localization, the combination of the extracellular and transmembrane domains with a small group of highly charged amino acids in a membrane proximal region of the cytoplasmic domain was sufficient to direct efficient localization of the molecule to cell-cell borders. Importantly, only constructs that supported PECAM-1 mediated adhesion localized to cell-cell borders. Our data are consistent with a 'diffusion trapping' model in which movement of PECAM-1 in the cell membrane occurs relatively freely until the 'stablized' extracellular domain of the molecule encounters its ligand on an adjacent cell. When this occurs, the complex is 'captured' at the cell-cell interface leading to localization at cell-cell borders.

Cell Membrane↗