Temozolomide (TMZ) is widely used to treat melanoma; however, response rates to TMZ are low because of rapid and frequent resistance.,Conditionally, replicative adenoviruses (CRAds) are an effective and promising approach.,The receptor for adenovirus is coxsackie‐adenovirus receptor (CAR), which is poorly expressed in most cells.,However, CD46, which is the receptor of species B adenoviruses (Ads), is highly expressed in many cells.,We constructed CRAd F5/35‐ZD55‐IL‐24, which uses the viral receptors CAR and CD46 for entry into cells.,We investigated the antitumor effect of F5/35‐ZD55‐IL‐24 in combination with TMZ to treat melanoma in vitro and in vivo.,The \results indicated that F5/35‐ZD55‐IL‐24 in combination with TMZ produced additive or synergistic antitumor and pro‐apoptotic effects in melanoma cells.,The combination of F5/35‐ZD55‐IL‐24 and TMZ significantly inhibited the growth of melanoma in vivo.,In addition, the antitumor effect of F5/35‐ZD55‐IL‐24 was superior to that of ZD55‐IL‐24 and ZD55‐IL‐24 combined with TMZ.,The use of F5/35‐ZD55‐IL‐24 in conjunction with TMZ is a promising approach for anti‐melanoma therapy.,Our results indicated that F5/35‐ZD55‐IL‐24 in combination with TMZ produced additive or synergistic antitumor effect and pro‐apoptotic effect in melanoma cells highly expressed CD46.,The combination of F5/35‐ZD55‐IL‐24 and TMZ significantly inhibited the growth of melanoma in vivo.,We also found the antitumor effect of F5/35‐ZD55‐IL‐24 was superior to ZD55‐IL‐24, the combination of F5/35‐ZD55‐IL‐24 and TMZ had a more significant antitumor effect than ZD55‐IL‐24 combining with TMZ.
Molecular-genetic imaging is advancing from a valuable preclinical tool to guiding patient management.,The strategy involves pairing an imaging reporter gene with a complementary imaging agent in a system that can be used to measure gene expression, protein interaction or track gene-tagged cells in vivo.,Tissue-specific promoters can be used to delineate gene expression in certain tissues, particularly when coupled with an appropriate amplification mechanism.,Here we show that the progression elevated gene-3 promoter (PEG-Prom), derived from a rodent gene mediating the malignant phenotype, can be used to drive imaging reporters selectively to enable detection of micrometastatic disease in murine models of human melanoma and breast cancer using bioluminescence and radionuclide-based molecular imaging techniques.,Because of its strong promoter, tumor specificity and capacity for clinical translation, PEG-Prom-driven gene expression may represent a practical, new system for facilitating cancer imaging and therapy.