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Düchs MJ, Kratzer RF, Vieyra-Garcia P, Strobel B, Schönberger T, Groß P, Aljayyoussi G, Gupta A, Lang I, Klein H, Morilla SM, Hopf S, Park J, Kreuz S, Klugmann M, Igney FH. Riboswitch-controlled IL-12 gene therapy reduces hepatocellular cancer in mice. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1360063. [PMID: 38558809 PMCID: PMC10979303 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1360063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and solid cancers with liver metastases are indications with high unmet medical need. Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is a proinflammatory cytokine with substantial anti-tumor properties, but its therapeutic potential has not been realized due to severe toxicity. Here, we show that orthotopic liver tumors in mice can be treated by targeting hepatocytes via systemic delivery of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors carrying the murine IL-12 gene. Controlled cytokine production was achieved in vivo by using the tetracycline-inducible K19 riboswitch. AAV-mediated expression of IL-12 led to STAT4 phosphorylation, interferon-γ (IFNγ) production, infiltration of T cells and, ultimately, tumor regression. By detailed analyses of efficacy and tolerability in healthy and tumor-bearing animals, we could define a safe and efficacious vector dose. As a potential clinical candidate, we characterized vectors carrying the human IL-12 (huIL-12) gene. In mice, bioactive human IL-12 was expressed in a vector dose-dependent manner and could be induced by tetracycline, suggesting tissue-specific AAV vectors with riboswitch-controlled expression of highly potent proinflammatory cytokines as an attractive approach for vector-based cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias J. Düchs
- Research Beyond Borders, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Ramona F. Kratzer
- Cancer Immunology and Immune Modulation, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Pablo Vieyra-Garcia
- Cancer Immunology and Immune Modulation, Boehringer Ingelheim RCV GmbH & Co. KG, Vienna, Austria
| | - Benjamin Strobel
- Drug Discovery Sciences, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Tanja Schönberger
- Drug Discovery Sciences, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Peter Groß
- Drug Discovery Sciences, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Ghaith Aljayyoussi
- Drug Discovery Sciences, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Aradhana Gupta
- Nonclinical Drug Safety, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Ridgefield, CT, United States
| | - Isabel Lang
- Research Beyond Borders, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Holger Klein
- Global Computational Biology and Digital Sciences, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Sandra Martinez Morilla
- Cancer Immunology and Immune Modulation, Boehringer Ingelheim RCV GmbH & Co. KG, Ridgefield, CT, United States
| | - Stefan Hopf
- Cancer Immunology and Immune Modulation, Boehringer Ingelheim RCV GmbH & Co. KG, Vienna, Austria
| | - John Park
- Cancer Immunology and Immune Modulation, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Sebastian Kreuz
- Research Beyond Borders, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Matthias Klugmann
- Research Beyond Borders, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
| | - Frederik H. Igney
- Cancer Immunology and Immune Modulation, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Biberach an der Riss, Germany
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