Reprogrammed chondrocytes engineered to produce IL-12 provide novel ex vivo immune-gene therapy for cancer.

AIM: The somatic cell reprogramming technology was applied to a novel and promising ex vivo immune-gene therapy strategy for cancer. To establish a novel ex vivo cytokine gene therapy of cancer using the somatic cell reprogramming procedures.

METHODS: Mouse fibroblasts were converted into chondrocytes and subsequently transduced with IL-12 gene. The resultant IL-12 induced chondrogenic cells were irradiated with x-ray and inoculated into mice bearing CT26 colon cancer.

RESULTS: The irradiation at 20 Gy or higher totally eliminated the proliferative potential of the cells, while less significantly influencing the IL-12 production from the cells. An inoculation of the irradiated IL-12 induced chondrogenic cells significantly suppressed tumor by inducing tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes, enhancing natural killer tumoricidal activity and inhibiting tumor neoangiogenesis in the mice.

CONCLUSION: The somatic cell reprogramming procedures may provide a novel and effective means to treat malignancies.