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A potential role for ajulemic acid in treatment of the Ewing family of tumors
Author(s) -
Daly Sean W.,
Sims John R.,
Evans Emily A.,
Prescott Amber E.,
Tull Cameron A.,
Suva Larry J.,
Hensley Lori L.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.23.1_supplement.925.13
Subject(s) - sarcoma , in vivo , ewing's sarcoma , cancer research , luciferase , apoptosis , medicine , cancer , osteosarcoma , firefly protocol , transfection , oncology , biology , pathology , cell culture , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , genetics , zoology
Ewing's Sarcoma is a bone cancer that primarily affects children and teenagers. With a five‐year survival rate of approximately 30%, improved treatment options are needed. Our research has focused on the ability of the synthetic cannabinoid, ajulemic acid, to induce death in Ewing's sarcoma cells in vitro . We find ajulemic acid induces apoptosis in Ewing's sarcoma cells and several other tumor types in the Ewing family of tumors. In order to test the efficacy of ajulemic acid in vivo , we developed Ewing's sarcoma cells that express a firefly luciferase expression system as a handle by which to monitor tumor growth and drug response in living mice. SK‐ES Ewing's sarcoma cells were transiently transfected with firefly luciferase and then injected into the tibiae of nude mice. Tumors were allowed to develop and the growth of the bioluminescent tumors tracked using in vivo imaging techniques. The effect of different doses of ajulemic acid (and other potential therapies) can be used in these mice and tumor responses in individual mice can be monitored and measured. We hypothesize that these experiments provide the rationale for the development of improved therapies for this devastating cancer . The project described was supported by NIH Grant Number P20 RR‐16460 from the IDeA Networks of Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) Program of the National Center for Research Resources.