This project combines oncolytic Vaccinia virus (VV) with irinotecan (CPT-11) for the treatment of cancer. VV can infect, replicate in and destroy cancer cells, yet leave healthy cells relatively unaffected. CPT-11 is a chemotherapeutic of which ~5% is converted to the more active chemotherapeutic SN-38 by endogenous carboxylesterase (CE) enzymes. SN-38 is a topoisomerase I inhibitor that induces DNA double strand breaks, leading to growth arrest and apoptosis. Consequently, VV has been engineered to express a more effective isoform of the CE enzyme. The virus’ tumour tropism should restrict enhanced conversion of CPT-11 to the tumour.
Neither CPT-11 nor SN-38 interfered with VV replication or spread. Engineered recombinants expressed CE enzyme which, when combined with CPT-11, produced DNA double strand breaks and cancer cell death. In vitro, the combination of CE-virus and CPT-11 killed more K-562 cancer cells than its non-CE counterpart and CPT-11.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uottawa.ca/oai:ruor.uottawa.ca:10393/23653 |
| Date | January 2013 |
| Creators | Becker, Michelle Caitlin |
| Contributors | Bell, John |
| Publisher | Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa |
| Source Sets | Université d’Ottawa |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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