Raf-1
protein serine/threonine kinase plays an important role in cell proliferation and cell survival. We have previously described a novel cationic
liposome-entrapped formulation of raf
antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotide (
LErafAON) and its use as a radiosensitizer. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of combination of
LErafAON and a chemotherapeutic agent on growth of human prostate (PC-3) and pancreatic
tumor xenografts in athymic mice (Aspc-1 and Colo 357). In PC-3
tumor-bearing mice, administration of a combination of
LErafAON (i.v., 25 mg/kg/dose, x10/16) and
cisplatin (i.v., 11.0 mg/kg/dose, x3),
epirubicin (EPI) (i.v., 9.0 mg/kg/dose, x3) or
mitoxantrone (MTO) (i.v., 2.5 mg/kg/dose, x3) led to enhanced
tumor growth inhibition as compared with single agents (LErafAON+cisplatin versus
cisplatin, p<0.0002, n=8; LErafAON+EPI versus EPI, p<0.0001, n=6; LErafAON+MTO versus MTO, p<0.05, n=5). In prostate or pancreatic
tumor-bearing mice, combination of
LErafAON (i.v., 25 mg/kg/dose, x10/13) with
docetaxel (
Taxotere) (i.v., 5, 7.5 or 10 mg/kg/dose, x2/4) led to
tumor regression or enhanced growth inhibition as compared with single agents (PC-3: LErafAON+Taxotere versus
Taxotere, p<0.02, n=7; Aspc-1: LErafAON+Taxotere versus
Taxotere, p<0.03, n=5; Colo 357: LErafAON+Taxotere versus
Taxotere, p<0.04, n=7). Combination of
LErafAON (i.v., 25 mg/kg/dose, x10/13) with
gemcitabine (i.v., 75 mg/kg/dose, x4/6) also caused a significant
tumor growth inhibition in the two
pancreatic carcinoma models studied (Aspc-1: LErafAON+gemcitabine versus
gemcitabine, p<0.0001, n=7; Colo 357: LErafAON+gemcitabine versus
gemcitabine, p<0.002, n =5).
LErafAON treatment (i.v., 25 mg/kg/dose, x10) caused inhibition of Raf-1
protein expression in these
tumor tissues (around 25-60%, n=4-7). Interestingly,
Taxotere treatment per se also led to decreased steady state level of Raf-1
protein in PC-3 and Aspc-1
tumor tissues (i.v., 10 mg/kg/dose, x1 or 7.5 mg/kg/dose, x2; around 25-80%, n=2/6). Present studies demonstrate enhanced
tumor growth inhibition or regression in response to a combination of a chemotherapeutic
drug and
LErafAON. These data provide a proof-of-principle for the clinical use of
LErafAON in combination with
chemotherapy for
cancer treatment.