Comparative toxicity and efficacy of engineered anthrax lethal toxin variants with broad anti-tumor activities

Diane E. Peters, Benjamin Hoover, Loretta Grey Cloud, Shihui Liu, Alfredo A. Molinolo, Stephen H. Leppla, Thomas H. Bugge

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

We have previously designed and characterized versions of anthrax lethal toxin that are selectively cytotoxic in the tumor microenvironment and which display broad and potent anti-tumor activities in vivo. Here, we have performed the first direct comparison of the safety and efficacy of three engineered anthrax lethal toxin variants requiring activation by either matrix-metalloproteinases (MMPs), urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) or co-localized MMP/uPA activities. C57BL/. 6J mice were challenged with six doses of engineered toxins via intraperitoneal (I.P.) or intravenous (I.V.) dose routes to determine the maximum tolerated dose for six administrations (MTD6) and dose-limiting toxicities. Efficacy was evaluated using the B16-BL6 syngraft model of melanoma; mice bearing established tumors were treated with six I.P. doses of toxin and tumor measurements and immunohistochemistry, paired with terminal blood work, were used to elaborate upon the anti-tumor mechanism and relative efficacy of each variant. We found that MMP-, uPA- and dual MMP/uPA-activated anthrax lethal toxins exhibited the same dose-limiting toxicity; dose-dependent GI toxicity. In terms of efficacy, all three toxins significantly reduced primary B16-BL6 tumor burden, ranging from 32% to 87% reduction, and they also delayed disease progression as evidenced by dose-dependent normalization of blood work values. While target organ toxicity and effective doses were similar amongst the variants, the dual MMP/uPA-activated anthrax lethal toxin exhibited the highest I.P. MTD6 and was 1.5-3-fold better tolerated than the single MMP- and uPA-activated toxins. Overall, we demonstrate that this dual MMP/uPA-activated anthrax lethal toxin can be administered safely and is highly effective in a preclinical model of melanoma. This modified bacterial cytotoxin is thus a promising candidate for further clinical development and evaluation for use in treating human cancers.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)220-229
Number of pages10
JournalToxicology and Applied Pharmacology
Volume279
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 1 2014
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Bacterial cytotoxin
  • Cancer
  • Melanoma
  • Prodrug
  • Protease

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Toxicology
  • Pharmacology

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