HER-2-targeted antisense oligonucleotide results in sensitization of head and neck cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents

Existing HER-2 targeted therapies for human head and neck cancers, usually administered in combination with chemotherapeutic drugs or irradiation, include monoclonal antibodies to HER-2, receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors and HER-2 specific immunotoxins. Instead of targeting the existing protein, interference with HER-2 mRNA translation by antisense oligonucleotides may be a more efficient method to downregulate levels of HER-2 protein for combination therapy. To test this hypothesis we have used a phosphorothioate pentadecamer, complementary to the HER-2 mRNA initiation codon region (AS HER-2 ODN), to increase sensitivity to four chemotherapeutic agents in human head and neck cancer cell lines, all of which express low levels of the HER-2 protein. To improve delivery into tumor cells, the AS HER-2 ODN was complexed with our previously established folate-liposome delivery system. Cell survival assays and Western blot analysis data demonstrated that folate-liposome mediated AS HER-2 oligonucleotide treatment inhibited cell growth and HER-2 expression, and induced apoptosis in SCC-25CP cells. Moreover, there was a synergistic effect on the percent of apoptotic cells. Additionally, the combination of foiate-liposome-AS HER-2 ODN and CDDP had a synergistic effect on the induction of apoptosis. Using confocal microscopy, FITC labeled ODN (FITC-ODN) in complex with folate-liganded, rhodamine (Rh) labeled, cationic liposomes was observed to enter SCC-25CP head and neck tumor cells within 3 to 6 h. Intracellularly, the FITC-ODN separated from the Rh-folate-liposomes, and FITC-ODN accumulated in the nucleus while Rh-liposomes remained in punctate cytoplasmic structures. Thus, folate-liposome-mediated delivery of AS HER-2 ODN has potential as a new means of increasing the responsiveness of head and neck cancer to conventional chemotherapy.