Gomar, C. (Celia)

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Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
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    An oncolytic adenovirus controlled by a modified telomerase promoter is attenuated in telomerase-negative cells, but shows reduced activity in cancer cells
    (Springer, 2005) Gomar, C. (Celia); Qian, C. (Cheng); Kramer, M.G. (María Gabriela); Farinati, F. (F.); Prieto, J. (Jesús); Bortolanza, S. (Sergia); Hernandez-Alcoceba, R. (Rubén)
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    Enhancement of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity of cetuximab by a chimeric protein encompassing interleukin-15
    (Taylor & Francis, 2018) Berraondo, P. (Pedro); Gomar, C. (Celia); Etxeberria, I. (Iñaki); Perez-Ruiz, E. (Elisabeth); Rodriguez, I. (Inmaculada); Mayer, J.P. (Jan Peter); Garasa, S. (Saray); Inoges, S. (Susana); Lopez, A. (Ascensión); Ochoa, M.C. (María Carmen); Melero, I. (Ignacio); Vasquez, M. (Marcos); Wirtz, P. (Peter); Minute, L. (Luna)
    Enhancement of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) may potentiate the antitumor efficacy of tumor-targeted monoclonal antibodies. Increasing the numbers and antitumor activity of NK cells is a promising strategy to maximize the ADCC of standard-of-care tumor-targeted antibodies. For this purpose, we have preclinically tested a recombinant chimeric protein encompassing the sushi domain of the IL15Rα, IL-15, and apolipoprotein A-I (Sushi-IL15-Apo) as produced in CHO cells. The size-exclusion purified monomeric fraction of this chimeric protein was stable and retained the IL-15 and the sushi domain bioactivity as measured by CTLL-2 and Mo-7e cell proliferation and STAT5 phosphorylation in freshly isolated human NK and CD8+ T cells. On cell cultures, Sushi-IL15-Apo increases NK cell proliferation and survival as well as spontaneous and antibody-mediated cytotoxicity. Scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-B1) is the receptor for ApoA-I and is expressed on the surface of tumor cells. SR-B1 can adsorb the chimeric protein on tumor cells and can transpresent IL-15 to NK and CD8+ T cells. A transient NK-humanized murine model was developed to test the increase of ADCC attained by the chimeric protein in vivo. The EGFR+ human colon cancer cell line HT-29 was intraperitoneally inoculated in immune-deficient Rag2-/-γc-/- mice that were reconstituted with freshly isolated PBMCs and treated with the anti-EGFR mAb cetuximab. The combination of the Sushi-IL15-Apo protein and cetuximab reduced the number of remaining tumor cells in the peritoneal cavity and delayed tumor engraftment in the peritoneum. Furthermore, Sushi-IL15-Apo increased the anti-tumor effect of a murine anti-EGFR mAb in Rag1-/- mice bearing subcutaneous MC38 colon cancer transfected to express EGFR. Thus, Sushi-IL15-Apo is a potent tool to increase the number and the activation of NK cells to promote the ADCC activity of antibodies targeting tumor antigens.
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    Harnessing high density lipoproteins to block transforming growth factor beta and to inhibit the growth of liver tumor metastases
    (Public Library of Science, 2014-05) Dotor, J. (Javier); Berraondo, P. (Pedro); Gomar, C. (Celia); Diaz-Valdes, N. (Nancy); Frank, K. (Kathrin); Umansky, V. (Viktor); Aranda, F. (Fernando); Ardaiz, N. (Nuria); Prieto, J. (Jesús); Medina-Echeverz, J. (José); Fioravanti, J. (Jessica)
    Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) is a powerful promoter of cancer progression and a key target for antitumor therapy. As cancer cells exhibit active cholesterol metabolism, high density lipoproteins (HDLs) appear as an attractive delivery system for anticancer TGFβ-inhibitory molecules. We constructed a plasmid encoding a potent TGF-β-blocking peptide (P144) linked to apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I) through a flexible linker (pApoLinkerP144). The ApoLinkerP144 sequence was then incorporated into a hepatotropic adeno-associated vector (AAVApoLinkerP144). The aim was to induce hepatocytes to produce HDLs containing a modified ApoA-I capable of blocking TGF-β. We observed that transduction of the murine liver with pApoLinkerP144 led to the appearance of a fraction of circulating HDL containing the fusion protein. These HDLs were able to attenuate TGF-β signaling in the liver and to enhance IL-12 -mediated IFN-γ production. Treatment of liver metastasis of MC38 colorectal cancer with AAVApoLinkerP144 resulted in a significant reduction of tumor growth and enhanced expression of IFN-γ and GM-CSF in cancerous tissue. ApoLinkerP144 also delayed MC38 liver metastasis in Rag2-/-IL2rγ-/- immunodeficient mice. This effect was associated with downregulation of TGF-β target genes essential for metastatic niche conditioning. Finally, in a subset of ret transgenic mice, a model of aggressive spontaneous metastatic melanoma, AAVApoLinkerP144 delayed tumor growth in association with increased CD8+ T cell numbers in regional lymph nodes. In conclusion, modification of HDLs to transport TGF-β-blocking molecules is a novel and promising approach to inhibit the growth of liver metastases by immunological and non-immunological mechanisms.
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    Kinetic and dynamic computational model-based characterization of new proteins in mice: application to interferon alpha linked to apolipoprotein a-I
    (Public Library of Science, 2012) Berraondo, P. (Pedro); Gomar, C. (Celia); Parra-Guillen, Z.P. (Zinnia Patricia); Troconiz, I.F. (Iñaki F.); Ardaiz, N. (Nuria); Medina-Echeverz, J. (José); Fioravanti, J. (Jessica)
    Interferon alpha linked to apolipoprotein A-I has been recently proposed as an improved interferon-based therapy. In the present study, we aimed to develop a computational model to gain further insight into the in vivo behaviour of this new fusion protein. In order to facilitate in vivo evaluation of interferon and the fusion protein without altering their biological properties, green fluorescent protein was incorporated into their structures. Kinetic and dynamic behaviour of both compounds was successfully described after plasmid hydrodynamic administration and in situ synthesis of the studied proteins. Results from the modelling exercise showed that apolipoprotein A-I conferred a modified kinetic behaviour, varying molecule distribution and prolonging half-life without altering liver dynamic performance. However, differences in the gene expression activity were observed at brain level between both compounds. Those differences could be explained by modifications in the dynamic, but also in the biodistribution properties, which would be worth evaluating in future experiments. Therefore, the modelling approach provided a global comprehension of a complex system and allowed us to compare the in vivo behaviour of both compounds and to identify critical aspects that might be important to understand the system better and suggests a need for new model-based experiments.
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    Increased efficacy and safety in the treatment of experimental liver cancer with a novel adenovirus-alphavirus hybrid vector
    (American Association for Cancer Research, 2006) Gomar, C. (Celia); Rodriguez-Madoz, J.R. (Juan Roberto); Smerdou, C. (Cristian); Guan, M. (Min); Qian, C. (Cheng); Kochanek, S. (Stefan); Alzuguren, P. (Pilar); Kramer, M.G. (María Gabriela); Prieto, J. (Jesús)
    An improved viral vector for cancer gene therapy should be capable of infecting tumors with high efficiency, inducing specific and high-level expression of transgene in the tumor and selectively destroying tumor cells. In the design of such a vector to treat hepatocellular carcinoma, we took advantage of (a) the high infectivity of adenoviruses for hepatic cells, (b) the high level of protein expression and proapoptotic properties that characterize Semliki Forest virus (SFV) replicon, and (c) tumor selectivity provided by alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) promoter. We constructed a hybrid viral vector composed of a helper-dependent adenovirus containing an SFV replicon under the transcriptional control of AFP promoter and a transgene driven by SFV subgenomic promoter. Hybrid vectors containing murine interleukin-12 (mIL-12) genes or reporter gene LacZ showed very specific and high-level expression of transgenes in AFP-expressing hepatocellular carcinoma cells, both in vitro and in an in vivo hepatocellular carcinoma animal model. Infected hepatocellular carcinoma cells were selectively eliminated due to the induction of apoptosis by SFV replication. In a rat orthotopic liver tumor model, treatment of established tumors with a hybrid vector carrying mIL-12 gene resulted in strong antitumoral activity without accompanying toxicity. This new type of hybrid vectors may provide a potent and safe tool for cancer gene therapy.
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    Intracavitary adoptive transfer of IL-12 mRNA-engineered tumor-specific CD8+ T cells eradicates peritoneal metastases in mouse models
    (2023) Berraondo, P. (Pedro); Cirella, A. (Assunta); Fernández-Sendín, M. (Myriam); Gomar, C. (Celia); Etxeberria, I. (Iñaki); González-Gomariz, J. (José); Bolaños, E. (Elixabet); Bella-Carreño, Á. (Ángela); Russo-Cabrera, J. S. (Joan Salvador); Di-Trani, C.A. (Claudia Augusta); Aranda, F. (Fernando); Arrizabalaga, L. (Leire); Melero, I. (Ignacio); Álvarez, M. (Maite); Palencia, B. (Belén); Olivera, I. (Irene); Teijeira, A. (Álvaro)
    Previous studies have shown that local delivery of tumor antigen-specific CD8(+) T lymphocytes engineered to transiently express single-chain IL-12 mRNA is highly efficacious. Peritoneal dissemination of cancer is a frequent and often fatal patient condition usually diagnosed when the tumor burden is too large and hence uncontrollable with current treatment options. In this study, we have modeled intracavitary adoptive T cell therapy with OVA-specific OT-I T cells electroporated with IL-12 mRNA to treat B16-OVA and PANC02-OVA tumor spread in the peritoneal cavity. Tumor localization in the omentum and the effects of local T-cell encounter with the tumor antigens were monitored, the gene expression profile evaluated, and the phenotypic reprogramming of several immune subsets was characterized. Intraperitoneal administration of T cells promoted homing to the omentum more effectively than intravenous administration. Transient IL-12 expression was responsible for a favorable reprogramming of the tumor immune microenvironment, longer persistence of transferred T lymphocytes in vivo, and the development of immunity to endogenous antigens following primary tumor eradication. The efficacy of the strategy was at least in part recapitulated with the adoptive transfer of lower affinity transgenic TCR-bearing PMEL-1 T lymphocytes to treat the aggressive intraperitoneally disseminated B16-F10 tumor. Locoregional adoptive transfer of transiently IL-12-armored T cells appears to offer promising therapeutic advantages in terms of anti-tumor efficacy to treat peritoneal carcinomatosis.