INHIBITION OF THE GROWTH OF PRE-ESTABLISHED SUBCUTANEOUS TUMOR NODULES OF HUMAN PROSTATE-CANCER CELLS BY SINGLE INJECTION OF THE RECOMBINANT ADENOVIRUS P53 EXPRESSION VECTOR

We have previously described potent growth-inhibitory effect of a reco mbinant adenovirus expressing wild type p53 (AdWTp53) in metastatic pr ostate cancer cells via activation of cellular p53 pathways. We have e xtended these observations to analyze the effects of AdWTp53 on primar y cultures of radical prostatectomy specimens (RPS) and have also eval uated the gene therapeutic potential of the AdWTp53 in a nude mice mod el. Infection of primary cultures of prostate cancer specimens resulte d in about 80% cell growth inhibition in comparison with cultures trea ted with control adenovirus d1312. Single injection of AdWTp53 into pr e-established tumor nodules of DU145 prostate cancer cells suppressed tumor growth significantly (p = 0.0407) as determined by comparison of tumor volumes of the AdWTp53-treated vs. control vector (d1312) or PB S-treated groups. Moreover, there was no significant difference in tum or growth inhibition between single vs. multiple injections of AdWTp53 . Our observations support the potential of AdWTp53 for gene therapy o f prostate cancer. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.