Oncolytic virotherapy is an emergent promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of cancer. We have constructed a vaccinia virus (WR strain) deleted for thymidine kinase (TK) and ribonucleotide reductase (RR) genes that expressed the fusion suicide gene FCU1 derived from the yeast cytosine deaminase and uracil phosphoribosyltransferase genes. We evaluated this construct (VV-FCU1) in the orthotopic model of renal carcinoma (RenCa). Systemic administration of VV-FCU1 resulted in orthotopic tumor growth inhibition, despite temporary expression of viral proteins. VV-FCU1 treatment was associated with an infiltration of tumors by CD8(+) T lymphocytes and a decrease in the proportion of infiltrating Tregs, thus modifying the ratio of CD8(+)/CD4(+) Treg in favor of CD8(+)cytotoxic T cells. We demonstrated that VV-FCU1 treatment prolonged survival of animals implanted with RenCa cells in kidney. Depletion of CD8(+) T cells abolished the therapeutic effect of VV-FCU1 while depletion of CD4(+) T cells enhanced its protective activity. Administration of the prodrug 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) resulted in a sustained control of tumor growth but did not extend survival. This study shows the importance of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells in vaccinia virus-mediated oncolytic virotherapy and suggests that this approach may be evaluated for the treatment of human renal cell carcinoma.

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Endosialin (CD248, TEM-1) is expressed in pericytes, tumor vasculature, tumor fibroblasts, and some tumor cells, including sarcomas, with limited normal tissue expression, and appears to play a key role in tumor-stromal interactions, including angiogenesis. Monoclonal antibodies targeting endosialin have entered clinical trials, including soft tissue sarcomas. We evaluated a cohort of 94 soft tissue sarcoma samples to assess the correlation between gene expression and protein expression by immunohistochemistry for endosialin and PDGFR-β, a reported interacting protein, across available diagnoses. Correlations between the expression of endosialin and 13 other genes of interest were also examined. Within cohorts of soft tissue diagnoses assembled by tissue type (liposarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, undifferentiated sarcoma, and other), endosialin expression was significantly correlated with a better outcome. Endosialin expression was highest in liposarcomas and lowest in leiomyosarcomas. A robust correlation between protein and gene expression data for both endosialin and PDGFR-β was observed. Endosialin expression positively correlated with PDGFR-β and heparin sulphate proteoglycan 2 and negatively correlated with carbonic anhydrase IX. Endosialin likely interacts with a network of extracellular and hypoxia activated proteins in sarcomas and other tumor types. Since expression does vary across histologic groups, endosialin may represent a selective target in soft tissue sarcomas.

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Adrenal toxicity is one of the major concerns in drug development. To quantitatively understand the effect of endocrine-active compounds on adrenal steroidogenesis and to assess the human adrenal toxicity of novel pharmaceutical drugs, we developed a mathematical model of steroidogenesis in human adrenocortical carcinoma NCI-H295R cells. The model includes cellular proliferation, intracellular cholesterol translocation, diffusional transport of steroids, and metabolic pathways of adrenal steroidogenesis, which serially involve steroidogenic proteins and enzymes such as StAR, CYP11A1, CYP17A1, HSD3B2, CYP21A2, CYP11B1, CYP11B2, HSD17B3, and CYP19A1. It was reconstructed in an experimental dynamics of cholesterol and 14 steroids from an in vitro steroidogenesis assay using NCI-H295R cells. Results of dynamic sensitivity analysis suggested that HSD3B2 plays the most important role in the metabolic balance of adrenal steroidogenesis. Based on differential metabolic profiling of 12 steroid hormones and 11 adrenal toxic compounds, we could estimate which steroidogenic enzymes were affected in this mathematical model. In terms of adrenal steroidogenic inhibitors, the predicted action sites were approximately matched to reported target enzymes. Thus, our computer-aided system based on systems biological approach may be useful to understand the mechanism of action of endocrine-active compounds and to assess the human adrenal toxicity of novel pharmaceutical drugs.

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Pharmacokinetic properties of oligonucleotides are largely driven by chemistry of the backbone and thus are sequence independent within a chemical class. Tissue bioavailability (% of administered dose) is assisted by plasma protein binding that limits glomerular filtration and ultimate urinary excretion of oligonucleotides. The substitution of one non-bridging oxygen with the more hydrophobic sulfur atom (phosphorothioate) increases both plasma stability and plasma protein binding and thus, ultimately, tissue bioavailability. Additional modifications of the sugar at the 2′ position, increase RNA binding affinity and significantly increase potency, tissue half-life and prolong RNA inhibitory activity. Oligonucleotides modified in this manner consistently exhibit the highest tissue bioavailability (>90%). Systemic biodistribution is broad, and organs typically with highest concentrations are liver and kidney followed by bone marrow, adipocytes, and lymph nodes. Cell uptake is predominantly mediated by endocytosis. Both size and charge for most oligonucleotides prevents distribution across the blood brain barrier. However, modified single-strand oligonucleotides administered by intrathecal injection into the CSF distribute broadly in the CNS. The majority of intracellular oligonucleotide distribution following systemic or local administration occurs rapidly in just a few hours following administration and is facilitated by rapid endocytotic uptake mechanisms. Further understanding of the intracellular trafficking of oligonucleotides may provide further enhancements in design and ultimate potency of antisense oligonucleotides in the future.
Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

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During the course of our research on the lead optimisation of the NBTI (Novel Bacterial Type II Topoisomerase Inhibitors) class of antibacterials, we discovered a series of tricyclic compounds that showed good Gram-positive and Gram-negative potency. Herein we will discuss the various subunits that were investigated in this series and report advanced studies on compound 1 (GSK945237) which demonstrates good PK and in vivo efficacy properties.
Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

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