Effect of in situ retroviral interleukin-4 transfer on established intracranial tumors

Abstract

Background: Current therapies for malignant gliomas remain largely ineffective. We have previously demonstrated that interleukin 4 (IL-4) exhibits antitumorigenic activity in athymic nude mice by promoting both eosinophil infiltration and inhibition of tumor angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels). In this study, we investigated treatment of established rat C6 cell gliomas by retroviral delivery of IL-4 in situ. Methods: Tumors grown subcutaneously in athymic nude mice or implanted intracranially in immunocompetent Wistar rats were implanted with ecotropic retrovirus (i.e., will replicate only in cells of closely related species) packaging cells (RPCs) that were transfected with a retr..