Antibody-mediated FOXP3 protein therapy induces apoptosis in cancer cells in vitro and inhibits metastasis in vivo

Int J Oncol. 2009 Jul;35(1):167-73. doi: 10.3892/ijo_00000325.

Abstract

In addition to its immune suppressive function in T-regulatory cells, the nuclear transcription factor, FOXP3, has been identified as a tumor suppressor. To evaluate the clinical efficacy of monoclonal antibody (mAb) 3E10 Fv antibody-mediated FOXP3 protein therapy of cancer, the Fv-FOXP3 fusion protein produced in Pichia pastoris was tested on breast, ovarian, and colon cancer cells in vitro, and with colon cancer cells in vivo in a mouse model of colon cancer metastasis to liver. Treatment with Fv-FOXP3 resulted in dose-dependent cell death of cancer cells in vitro. Apoptosis was established as a mechanism of cell death by demonstrating increased production of the p17 activated fragment of caspase-3 by cancer cells in response to Fv-FOXP3 and inhibition of cell killing by the caspase inhibitor, Z-VAD-FMK. Fv-FOXP3 treatment resulted in clinically significant reduction in tumor burden in a syngeneic model of colon cancer metastasis to liver in Balb/c mice. These results represent the first demonstration of effective full-length FOXP3 protein therapy and emphasize the clinical potential of mAb 3E10 as an intracellular and intranuclear delivery vehicle of FOXP3 for prevention and treatment of cancer metastasis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / genetics
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Breast Neoplasms / immunology
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Caspase 3 / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / immunology
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / secondary
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Female
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / pharmacology*
  • Humans
  • Immunoconjugates / pharmacology*
  • Immunoglobulin Fragments / genetics
  • Immunoglobulin Fragments / pharmacology*
  • Liver Neoplasms / immunology
  • Liver Neoplasms / prevention & control*
  • Liver Neoplasms / secondary
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / immunology
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / pathology
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / pharmacology
  • Transfection

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • FOXP3 protein, human
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • Immunoconjugates
  • Immunoglobulin Fragments
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • CASP3 protein, human
  • Caspase 3