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T Etrych

Publications and source records attributed to T Etrych.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

Use of synthetic vectors for neutralising antibody resistant delivery of replicating adenovirus DNA.

Use of synthetic vectors to deliver genomes of conditionally replicating lytic viruses combines the strengths of viral and non-viral approaches by enabling neutralising antibody resistant deployment of cancer virotherapy. Adenovirus is particularly suitable for this application since all proteins essential for replication can be expressed from the input DNA, although the presence of terminal protein (TP) covalently linked to the 5' termini of the input virus genomes both improves expression of transgenes encoded in the input DNA and also enhances replication. These roles of TP were distinguished in experiments where E1-deleted Ad(GFP)DNA bearing TP (Ad(GFP)DNA-TP), delivered with DOTAP, gave a two-fold greater frequency of transduction than Ad(GFP)DNA(without TP) in non-complementing A549 cells, while in 293 cells (which support replication of E1-deleted viruses) the presence of TP mediated a much greater differential transgene expression, commensurate with its ability to promote replication. Subsequent studies using AdDNA for virotherapy, therefore, included covalently linked TP. AdDNA-TP delivered to A549 cells using a synthetic polyplex vector was shown to be resistant to levels of neutralising antisera that completely ablated infection by wild-type adenovirus, enabling polyplex/Ad(wild type)DNA-TP to mediate a powerful cytopathic effect. Similarly in vivo, direct injection of a polyplex/Ad(wild type)DNA-TP into A549 tumours was neutralising antibody-resistant and enabled virus replication, whereas intact virus was neutralised by the antibody and failed to infect. The delivery of adenovirus genomes-TP using synthetic vectors should provide a strategy to bypass neutralising antibodies and facilitate clinical application of replicating adenovirus for cancer virotherapy.

Adenoviridae↗

HPMA copolymers containing doxorubicin bound by a proteolytically or hydrolytically cleavable bond: comparison of biological properties in vitro.

N-(2-Hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymer carrier containing the anticancer drug doxorubicin bound either by a proteolytically degradable bond (non-targeted PK1 or targeted with alpha-CD71 mAb) or by a hydrolytically degradable bond were synthesised and tested in vivo for various biological properties. Mouse 38C13 B-cell lympoma was used as a well established and defined cell line for this study. 38C13 cells are sensitive to free doxorubicin and IC50 was very low, about 0.014 microM. PK1 showed a strongly decreased cytostatic effect, IC50 being 12.6 microM. alpha-CD71 targeted conjugate, which can be considered as an antibody-targeted form of PK1, had IC50 0.358 microM. HPMA copolymer with doxorubicin bound via a hydrolytically sensitive bond (HYD conjugate) showed a high cytostatic effect with IC50 about 0.052 microM. We demonstrated that HYD conjugate inhibited DNA synthesis and induced p21(Waf1/Cip1) protein expression (p21(Waf1/Cip1) is cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor which blocks cell cycle progression) as quickly as free doxorubicin, whereas PK1 acted much more slowly. Similarly, apoptosis induction measured by Annexin V binding and Caspase 3 activity was detected later after incubation of cells with PK1 or alpha-CD71 targeted conjugate. Apoptosis was manifested by elevation of bax and bad mRNA levels, which was much more rapid and intense in the case of free doxorubicin and HYD conjugate. Expression of antiapoptotic genes as well as cyclin-dependent kinases was surprisingly not affected.

Acrylamides↗

Polymeric anticancer drugs with pH-controlled activation.

The paper is dealing with the synthesis and properties of new, nontargeted or antibody-targeted pH-sensitive polymer-doxorubicin (DOX) conjugates designed as anticancer drugs facilitating site-specific therapy. These conjugates are stable and inactive during transport in the body but activate inside target cells as a result of pH changes outside and inside the cells. Cytotoxicity of the conjugates depends on the detailed structure of the polymer and of the spacer between the drug and polymer carrier. In both protective and therapeutic regimes of drug administration, the in vivo antitumor activity of the pH-sensitive conjugates containing DOX was significantly enhanced (T-cell lymphoma EL 4, C57BL/16 mice) in comparison with the free DOX or classic PK1, the PHPMA-DOX conjugate clinically tested at present.

Animals↗

Antibody-targeted polymer-doxorubicin conjugates with pH-controlled activation.

The paper is dealing with the synthesis and properties of new non-targeted or antibody-targeted polymer drug conjugates, bearing doxorubicin (DOX) attached via a spacer susceptible to pH-controlled hydrolysis (hydrazone conjugates), designed as anticancer drugs facilitating site-specific therapy. These conjugates are stable in a pH 7.4 buffer, modeling conditions during transport in the body, but release DOX and activate it inside target cells as a result of pH changes when going from outside to inside the cells. Conjugates containing an antibody directed against T lymphocytes bind effectively and specifically T cell lymphoma EL 4 cells. Cytotoxicity of the hydrazone conjugates is higher than that of classic conjugates, depending on the detailed structure of the polymer, the spacer between the drug and polymer carrier and method of antibody conjugation. Cytotoxicity of some of the conjugates is comparable even with that of the free drug. In both protective and therapeutic regimes of drug administration, the in vivo anti-tumor activity of the conjugates containing DOX was enhanced with long-term survivors (T-cell lymphoma EL 4, C57BL/6 mice) in comparison with much less effective free DOX or a classic P(N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide)HPMA-DOX conjugate (already clinically tested).

Animals↗

HPMA copolymer-bound doxorubicin targeted to tumor-specific antigen of BCL1 mouse B cell leukemia.

N-(2-Hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymer carrier containing the anticancer drug doxorubicin and targeted with B1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) to BCL1 leukemia cells was synthesised and tested in vitro and in vivo. BCL1 leukemia growing in syngenic Balb/c mice was selected as a tumor model system. B1 mAb recognising the idiotype of surface IgM on BCL1 cells was used as a targeting moiety. Both B1 mAb and doxorubicin were conjugated to HPMA copolymer carrier by aminolysis through a tetrapeptidic Gly-Phe(D,L)-Leu-Gly spacer to ensure the intracellular delivery and controlled release of the drug. B1 mAb-targeted conjugate was shown to possess strictly tumor-specific binding capacity to target BCL1 cells in vitro. A similar conjugate, but containing human nonspecific Ig (HuIg) instead of B1 mAb, failed to bind to BCL1 cells. In vitro, B1 mAb-targeted conjugate demonstrated 40-fold higher cytotoxic effect than nontargeted or human nonspecific Ig-containing HPMA copolymer-bound doxorubicin. Conjugate targeted with B1 mAb was also shown to bind to target BCL1 cells in vivo. B1 mAb-targeted conjugate was shown to be more efficient in the treatment of established BCL1 leukemia than free doxorubicin, nontargeted and human nonspecific Ig-containing conjugate. Antibody-targeted polymeric drugs are thus promising conjugates for cancer treatment.

Acrylamides↗

HPMA copolymers with pH-controlled release of doxorubicin: in vitro cytotoxicity and in vivo antitumor activity.

Data on the synthesis, physicochemical characterisation and in vitro and in vivo biological properties of the new, nontargeted or antibody-targeted polymer-doxorubicin conjugates designed as anticancer drugs are presented. In the conjugates, the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) is attached to the polymer carrier via a simple hydrolytically labile spacer containing either a hydrazone bond or cis-aconitic acid residue. In vitro incubation of the conjugates in buffers led to a fast DOX release from the polymer at pH 5 (modelling intracellular environment) while at pH 7.4 (modelling blood) the conjugates are relatively stable. Cytotoxicity of the conjugates to T cell lymphoma EL4 depended on the detailed structure of the spacer and the method used for antibody attachment and was much higher compared with the effect of similar classic conjugates (DOX attached to the polymer via enzymatically degradable spacer). In both protective and therapeutic regimes of drug administration, the in vivo anti-tumor activity of the hydrazone conjugates containing only DOX was significantly enhanced (T cell lymphoma EL4, C57BL/10 mice) in comparison with free DOX or classic PK1, the PHPMA-DOX conjugate clinically tested at present. Increasing the molecular weight of the polymer carrier resulted in a more pronounced in vivo antitumor effect. Antibody-targeted conjugates with DOX bound via hydrazone bond exhibited even more extensive inhibition of the tumor growth with some long-term survivors. No survivors were observed after treatment of mice with free DOX or the nontargeted PHPMA-DOX conjugate.

Animals↗

Differences in the intracellular fate of free and polymer-bound doxorubicin.

Internalization and subcellular fate of free doxorubicin or its polymeric conjugates based on poly N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (pHPMA), either non-targeted or targeted with anti-Thy1.2 or anti-CD71 monoclonal antibody was tested on EL-4 mouse T-cell lymphoma, SW620 human colorectal carcinoma and OVCAR-3 human ovarian adenocarcinoma. Doxorubicin fluorescence allowed us to follow the internalization and intracellular distribution of tested conjugates by laser scanning confocal microscopy and/or by fluorescent microscopy. Whereas free doxorubicin was always detectable only in the nuclei of treated cells, detectable fluorescence of doxorubicin bound to a polymeric carrier, targeted or non-targeted, was detectable up to 3 days of incubation only in the cytoplasmatic structures. While free doxorubicin causes apoptosis in the populations of tested cancer cell lines, significant number of apoptotic cells was never found in cell cultures exposed to targeted or non-targeted polymeric conjugates. In contrast to free doxorubicin, which is a strong inducer of p53 expression, increased p53 expression was never observed after the treatment with the polymeric drug. High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis shows that the percentage of cleaved doxorubicin is very low even after 48 h of incubation of tested cells with the polymeric conjugate, and cannot be the only reason for the toxicity of the conjugate. We suggest that: (a) after the treatment with pHPMA-bound drug, the cells die by necrosis and (b) the toxicity of pHPMA-based conjugates is a combination of the toxic effect of released doxorubicin and the toxic effect of doxorubicin in polymer-bound form directed against cell membranes.

Animals↗

HPMA-hydrogels result in prolonged delivery of anticancer drugs and are a promising tool for the treatment of sensitive and multidrug resistant leukaemia.

Treatment of an established BCL1 leukaemia in mice showed that the use of hydrogels is advantageous in comparison with free doxorubicin (DOX), partially due to the different pharmacokinetic profile of the drug release. Pharmacologically active concentrations ranging from 100 to 800 ng/ml were detectable in the bloodstream for more than 4 days when DOX-loaded hydrogels were implanted into mice. Animals treated with free DOX survived for 35 days, survival of hydrogel-DOX treated animals increased up to 60 days and long-term survivors were achieved, when the second hydrogel was implanted 2 weeks after the first one. Hydrogels containing vinblastine (VLB) were ineffective. N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) hydrogels were also used in combined therapy against multidrug resistant leukaemia P388-MDR to achieve a synergistic effect of both the cytostatic drug and chemosensitising agent. It was shown that when 4 times the maximal tolerated dose (MTD) of free DOX was incorporated into HPMA-hydrogels, tumour volume was reduced by approximately 50% after implantation of the hydrogel containing DOX and cyclosporine A (CsA) and survival was slightly prolonged.

Animals↗

Doxorubicin bound to a HPMA copolymer carrier through hydrazone bond is effective also in a cancer cell line with a limited content of lysosomes.

We have synthesized conjugates containing doxorubicin (DOX) bound to oligopeptide side chains (GlyGly or GlyPheLeuGly) of a water-soluble copolymer carrier based on poly[N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide] (PHPMA) either through proteolytically (PK1 conjugates) [Synthetic polymeric drugs. U.S. Patent 5,037,883 (1991)] or hydrolytically cleavable bond (HC conjugates). Pharmacological efficacy of PK1 and HC conjugates was compared in vitro on murine: T-cell lymphoma EL4, B-cell leukemia BCL1, B-cell lymphoma 38C13, leukemia P388 and Con A-stimulated A/Ph splenocytes and on human: primary (SW480) and metastatic (SW620) colorectal cancer cell lines parent and transfected with Thy 1.2 gene [2] and on erythromyeloid leukemia cell line K 562. Inhibition of proliferation determined by 3[H]-thymidine incorporation revealed that the cytostatic effect of HC conjugates is up to two orders of magnitude higher compared to PK1 conjugates. In some cancer cell lines (SW 620/T, SW 480) the pharmacological activity of HC conjugates is in vitro comparable with the activity of the free drug. Unlike PK1 conjugates, HC conjugates with a lysosomally degradable spacer (GlyPheLeuGly) are less effective compared to HC conjugates containing lysosomally non-degradable spacer (GlyGly). Moreover, HC conjugates exert pronounced anti-proliferative activity also in erythroblastoid leukemia cell line K 562 with a limited content of lysosomes.

Animals↗

New HPMA copolymers containing doxorubicin bound via pH-sensitive linkage: synthesis and preliminary in vitro and in vivo biological properties.

In this paper we describe the synthesis, physico-chemical characteristics and results of tests of biological activity of polymer drugs based on conjugates of anti-cancer drug doxorubicin (Dox) with water-soluble polymer drug carriers, N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymers. In the conjugates the drug is attached to the polymer backbone via a spacer stable under physiological conditions (pH 7.4) and hydrolytically degradable in mild acidic environment (e.g., endosomes, pH approximately 5). This enables designing polymer drugs with long blood circulation and release and specific activation of the active compound in endosomes of target cells. Two types of Dox conjugates differing in the length and structure of the oligopeptide spacer were synthesised (GG and GFLG). In both types, the linkage susceptible to hydrolytic cleavage was formed by the reaction of the carbonyl group of Dox with the hydrazide group terminating the oligopeptide side chains of the polymer. In vitro incubation of conjugates in buffers resulted in much faster release of Dox from the polymer at pH 5 than at pH 7.4 (more than 10 times) the rate being higher for the conjugate containing GG spacer. The presence of cathepsin B in incubation media increased the rate of Dox release from the conjugate with GFLG spacer, Dox release from conjugate with GG spacer remained unchanged. Cytotoxicity of conjugates for T-splenocytes and mouse EL-4 T cell lymphoma cells was much higher compared with the effect of similar 'classic' conjugates bearing Dox attached via amide bond. In vivo anti-tumor activity of conjugates containing hydrolytically sensitive linkage was also significantly improved in mouse EL4 T cell lymphoma.

Animals↗

Characterisation of the binding interaction between poly(L-lysine) and DNA using the fluorescamine assay in the preparation of non-viral gene delivery vectors.

A major factor limiting the development of non-viral gene delivery systems is the poor characterisation of polyelectrolyte complexes formed between cationic polymers and DNA. The present study uses the fluorescamine reagent to improve characterisation of poly(L-lysine) (pLL)/DNA complexes post-modified with a multivalent hydrophilic polymer by determining the availability of free amino groups. The results show that the fluorescamine reagent can be used to monitor the self-assembly reaction between pLL and DNA and the degree of surface modification of the resultant complexes with a hydrophilic polymer. This experimental approach should enable the preparation of fully defined complexes whose properties can be better related to their biological activity.

Animals↗