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Both HIV- and EIAV-based lentiviral vectors mediate gene delivery to pancreatic cancer cells and human pancreatic primary patient xenografts

Cancer Gene Therapy volume 14, pages 781–790 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Few effective treatments for pancreatic cancer exist, especially for patients with advanced disease. Gene therapy alone, or combined with current treatments, offers an alternative approach. Here we examined the potential of primate and nonprimate lentivectors to mediate gene delivery to this cancer type. VSV-G pseudotyped lentivectors based on human immunodeficiency type-1 virus (HIV-1) and equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV), containing the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) reporter gene were prepared and characterized for titer and RNA content. Vector-mediated gene delivery was examined in five pancreatic cancer cell lines in vitro, and in MiaPaCa-2 cells as well as in five human primary patient biopsies xenografted subcutaneously in nude mice. While individual cell lines showed differential sensitivities to transduction with lentivectors, all cell lines were successfully transduced with both vector types. Similarly, both vectors transduced MiaPaCa-2 and all of the human primary patient xenografts. We observed 6–29% transduction with HIV-based vectors (n=3 xenografts) and 1.8–30% with EIAV-based vectors (n=4 xenografts). Long-term EIAV-mediated gene expression was recorded in cell lines for up to 6 months. We conclude that these vectors have potential as mediators of clinical gene therapy for pancreatic cancer treatment. Moreover, they are useful laboratory research tools for pancreatic cancer research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Surgery and Oncology, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, Merseyside, UK

    G Saraga, P Ghaneh & E Costello

  2. Department of Pathology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy

    A Mafficini & C Sorio

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  1. G Saraga
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  2. A Mafficini
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  4. C Sorio
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  5. E Costello
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Correspondence to E Costello.

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Saraga, G., Mafficini, A., Ghaneh, P. et al. Both HIV- and EIAV-based lentiviral vectors mediate gene delivery to pancreatic cancer cells and human pancreatic primary patient xenografts. Cancer Gene Ther 14, 781–790 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.cgt.7701066

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