Dacarbazine (
DTIC) is one of the most popular
alkylating agents used for the treatment of
malignant melanoma.
DTIC induces apoptosis of
melanoma cells via double-strand breaks (DSBs).
Melanoma cells, however, tend to increase their expression of DNA repair molecules in order to be resistant to
DTIC. Here, we show that
DTIC increases expression of Rad51, but not Ku70, in a cultured B16-F10 mouse
melanoma cell line in dose- and time-dependent manners. On introducing Rad51
short interfering RNA (
siRNA) with the hemagglutinating virus of Japan envelope (HVJ-E) to B16-F10 cells, DSBs induced by
DTIC treatment were not efficiently repaired and resulted in enhanced apoptotic cell death. Colony formation of B16-F10 cells that received Rad51
siRNA was significantly decreased by
DTIC treatment as compared with cells that received scramble
siRNA. In
melanoma-bearing mice, the combination of three intratumoral
injections of HVJ-E containing Rad51
siRNA and five
intraperitoneal injections of
DTIC at a clinical dose synergistically suppressed the
tumors. Moreover, HVJ-E demonstrated anti-
tumor immunity by inducing cytotoxic T lymphocytes to B16-F10 cells on administration of
DTIC. These results suggest that the combination of
chemotherapy with HVJ-E containing therapeutic molecules will provide a promising therapeutic strategy for patients bearing malignant
tumors resistant to chemotherapeutic agents.