RESUMEN

In the past three decades, intravesical instillation of Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) has been used for treating bladder cancer and it still remains at the forefront of immunotherapy for cancer patients. Although BCG-based therapy is the most effective intravesical therapy for this kind of tumor and represents the only agent known to reduce progression into muscle invasive bladder cancer, BCG is ineffective in approximately 30-40 % of cases and disease recurs in up to 50 % of patients. Since that BCG is considered an effective vehicle for delivery of antigens due to its unique characteristics, the genetic manipulation of these mycobacteria has been appealing in the search for less toxic and more potent therapeutic agents for bladder cancer immunotherapy. Herein, we discuss current advances in recombinant BCG construction, research, concerns, and future directions to promote the development of this promising immunotherapeutic approach for bladder cancer.

Asunto(s)

Inmunoterapia/métodos , Mycobacterium bovis/inmunología , Neoplasias de la Vejiga Urinaria/terapia , Humanos , Recurrencia , Resultado del Tratamiento , Neoplasias de la Vejiga Urinaria/patología

RESUMEN

The gene expression of Bax, Bcl-2, survivin and p53, following in vitro maturation of equine oocytes, was compared in morphologically distinct oocytes and cumulus cells. Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COC) were harvested and divided into two groups: G1 - morphologically healthy cells; and G2 - less viable cells or cells with some degree of atresia. Total RNA was isolated from both immature and in vitro matured COC and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to quantify gene expression. Our results showed there was significantly higher expression of survivin (P < 0.05) and lower expression of p53 (P < 0.01) in oocytes compared with cumulus cells in G1. No significant difference in gene expression was observed following in vitro maturation or in COC derived from G1 and G2. However, expression of the Bax gene was significantly higher in cumulus cells from G1 (P < 0.02).

Asunto(s)

Apoptosis/genética , Técnicas de Maduración In Vitro de los Oocitos , Oocitos/fisiología , Animales , Proteínas Reguladoras de la Apoptosis/genética , Células del Cúmulo/citología , Células del Cúmulo/fisiología , Femenino , Regulación de la Expresión Génica , Genes p53 , Caballos/genética , Oocitos/citología , Proteínas Proto-Oncogénicas c-bcl-2/genética , Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa de Transcriptasa Inversa/métodos , Proteína X Asociada a bcl-2/genética