To ensure cancer-specific targeting, efficient delivery, and efficacy, we developed an ovarian cancer-specific construct (Survivin-VISA-hEndoyCD) composed of the cancer specific promoter survivin in a transgene amplification vector (VISA; VP16-GAL4-WPRE integrated systemic amplifier) to express a secreted human endostatin-yeast cytosine deaminase fusion protein (hEndoyCD) for advanced ovarian cancer treatment. hEndoyCD contains an endostatin domain that has tumor-targeting ability for anti-angiogenesis and a cytosine deaminase domain that converts the prodrug 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) into the chemotherapeutic drug, 5-fluorouracil.
Knockdown experiments using siRNAs showed that the cancer cell-selective killing induced by HVJ-E was mediated by retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) and mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS).