SMARCB1 Gene Therapy Using a Novel Tumor-Targeted Nanomedicine Enhances Anti-Cancer Efficacy in a Mouse Model of Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumors

Abstract

Sang-Soo Kim,1,2 Manish Moghe,1 Antonina Rait,1 Kathryn Donaldson,1 Joe B Harford,2 Esther H Chang1 1Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA; 2SynerGene Therapeutics, Inc, Potomac, MD, USACorrespondence: Esther H Chang, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, 3970 Reservoir Road N.W., Research Building E420, Washington, DC, 20057, USA, Email [email protected]: Atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (ATRT) is a deadly, fast-growing form of pediatric brain cancer with poor prognosis. Most ATRTs are associated with inactivation of SMARCB1, a subunit of the chromatin remodeling complex, which is involved in developmental processes. The recent identification of SMARCB1 as a tumor suppressor gene suggests that restoration of SMARCB1 could be an effective therapeutic approach.Methods: We tested SMARCB1 gene therapy in SMARCB1-deficient rhabdoid tumor cells using a novel tumor-targeted nanomedicine (termed scL-SMARCB1) to deliver wild-type SMARCB1. Our nanomedicine is a systemically administered immuno-lipid nanoparticle that can actively cross the blood-brain barrier via transferrin receptor-mediated transcytosis and selectively target tumor cells via transferrin receptor-mediated endocytosis. We studied the antitumor activity of the scL-SMARCB1 nanocomplex either as a single agent or in combination with traditional treatment modalities in preclinical models of SMARCB1-deficient ATRT.Results: Restoration of SMARCB1 expression by the scL-SMARCB1 nanocomplex blocked proliferation, and induced senescence and apoptosis in ATRT cells. Systemic administration of the scL-SMARCB1 nanocomplex demonstrated antitumor efficacy as monotherapy in mice bearing ATRT xenografts, where the expression of exogenous SMARCB1 modulates MYC-target genes. scL-SMARCB1 demonstrated even greater antitumor efficacy when combined with either cisplatin-based chemotherapy or radiation therapy, resulting in significantly improved survival of ATRT-bearing mice.Conclusion: Collectively, our data suggest that restoring SMARCB1 function via the scL-SMARCB1 nanocomplex may lead to therapeutic benefits in ATRT patients when combined with traditional chemoradiation therapies. Keywords: lipid nanoparticle, nanodelivery, SMARCB1, gene therapy, atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor

Keywords

• lipid nanoparticle
• nanodelivery
• smarcb1
• gene therapy
• atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor