Shedding (Killer) Light on Tumors

Real-time fluorescence imaging of the DNA damage repair response during mitosis

The response to DNA damage during mitosis was visualized using real-time fluorescence imaging of focus formation by the DNA-damage repair (DDR) response protein 53BP1 linked to green fluorescent protein (GFP) (53BP1-GFP) in the MiaPaCa-2(Tet-On) pancreatic cancer cell line. To observe 53BP1-GFP foci during mitosis, MiaPaCa-2(Tet-On) 53BP1-GFP cells were imaged every 30 min by confocal microscopy. Time-lapse imaging demonstrated that 11.4 ± 2.1% of the mitotic MiaPaCa-2(Tet-On) 53BP1-GFP cells had increased focus formation over time. Non-mitotic cells did not have an increase in 53BP1-GFP focus formation over time. Some of the mitotic MiaPaCa-2(Tet-On) 53BP1-GFP cells with focus formation became apoptotic. The results of the present report suggest that DNA strand breaks occur during mitosis and undergo repair, which may cause some of the mitotic cells to enter apoptosis in a phenomenon possibly related to mitotic catastrophe.

A Fluorescence-Guided Laser Ablation System for Removal of Residual Cancer in a Mouse Model of Soft Tissue Sarcoma

The treatment of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) generally involves tumor excision with a wide margin. Although advances in fluorescence imaging make real-time detection of cancer possible, removal is limited by the precision of the human eye and hand. Here, we describe a novel pulsed Nd:YAG laser ablation system that, when used in conjunction with a previously described molecular imaging system, can identify and ablate cancer in vivo. Mice with primary STS were injected with the protease-activatable probe LUM015 to label tumors. Resected tissues from the mice were then imaged and treated with the laser using the paired fluorescence-imaging/ laser ablation device, generating ablation clefts with sub-millimeter precision and minimal underlying tissue damage. Laser ablation was guided by fluorescence to target tumor tissues, avoiding normal structures. The selective ablation of tumor implants in vivo improved recurrence-free survival after tumor resection in a cohort of 14 mice compared to 12 mice that received no ablative therapy. This prototype system has the potential to be modified so that it can be used during surgery to improve recurrence-free survival in patients with cancer.

Imaging UVC-induced DNA damage response in models of minimal cancer

We have previously demonstrated that the ultraviolet (UV) light is effective against a variety of cancer cells in vivo as well as in vitro. In the present report, we imaged the DNA damage repair response of minimal cancer after UVC irradiation. DNA-damage repair response to UV irradiation was imaged on tumors growing in 3D culture and in superficial tumors grown in vivo. UV-induced DNA damage repair was imaged with GFP fused to the DNA damage response (DDR)-related chromatin-binding protein 53BP1 in MiaPaCa-2 human pancreatic cancer cells. Three-dimensional Gelfoam® histocultures and confocal imaging enabled 53BP1-GFP nuclear foci to be observed within 1 h after UVC irradiation, indicating the onset of DNA damage repair response. A clonogenic assay showed that UVC inhibited MiaPaCa-2 cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner, while UVA and UVB showed little effect on cell proliferation. Induction of UV-induced 53BP1-GFP focus formation was limited up to a depth of 40 µm in 3D-culture of MiaPaCa-2 cells. The MiaPaCa-2 cells irradiated by UVC light in a skin-flap mouse model had a significant decrease of tumor growth compared to untreated controls. Our results also demonstrate that 53BP1-GFP is an imageable marker of UV-induced DNA damage repair response of minimal cancer and that UVC is a useful tool for the treatment of residual cancer since UVC can kill superficial cancer cells without damage to deep tissue.