Adenoviral tumor diagnostics

Abstract

Compositions and methods for detecting a cancer in a subject using a recombinant reporter adenovirus are described. In particular, recombinant adenovirus is used to diagnose a cancer in a patient and further used for screening compounds effective in treating the cancer in said patient.

1 . A recombinant reporter adenovirus, comprising a cancer cell reporter module and a cancer cell binding module, wherein said cancer cell reporter module comprises a cancer responsive promoter operably linked to a reporter gene. 
     
     
         2 . The recombinant reporter adenovirus of  claim 1 , further comprising an immune evasion module. 
     
     
         3 . The recombinant reporter adenovirus of  claim 1 , wherein said reporter gene is a fluorescent reporter gene. 
     
     
         4 . The recombinant reporter adenovirus of  claim 1 , wherein said cancer cell reporter module is a first cancer cell reporter module and said recombinant reporter adenovirus further comprises a second cancer cell reporter module and a third cancer cell reporter module. 
     
     
         5 . The recombinant reporter adenovirus of  claim 4 , wherein said first cancer cell reporter module is capable of expressing a first reporter gene phenotype, said second cancer cell reporter module is capable of expressing a second reporter gene phenotype, and said third cancer cell reporter module is capable of expressing a third reporter gene phenotype. 
     
     
         6 . The recombinant reporter adenovirus of  claim 5 , wherein said first reporter gene phenotype, said second reporter gene phenotype, and said third reporter gene phenotype are each detectably different. 
     
     
         7 . The recombinant reporter adenovirus of  claim 5 , wherein said first reporter gene phenotype is indicative of a first cancer, said second reporter gene phenotype is indicative of a second cancer, and said third reporter gene phenotype is indicative of a third cancer. 
     
     
         8 . The recombinant adenovirus of  claim 7 , wherein said first cancer, said second cancer and said third cancer are independently different. 
     
     
         9 . The recombinant reporter adenovirus of  claim 5 , wherein said first reporter gene phenotype, said second reporter gene phenotype and said third reporter gene phenotype are indicative of a single cancer. 
     
     
         10 . A method of detecting a cancer in a subject, said method comprising:
 (i) administering the recombinant reporter adenovirus of  claim 1  to a subject;   (ii) allowing said recombinant reporter adenovirus to infect a cancer cell within said subject thereby forming a reporter infected cancer cell;   (iii) obtaining from said subject a sample comprising said reporter infected cancer cell; and   (iv) detecting said reporter infected cancer cell thereby detecting a cancer in said subject.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising administering a cancer treatment to said subject. 
     
     
         12 . A method of  claim 10 , wherein said cancer is a lung cancer, a skin cancer or a breast cancer. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said detecting comprises detecting a reporter gene phenotype. 
     
     
         14 . A method of detecting a cancer in a subject, the method comprising:
 (i) obtaining from a subject a sample comprising a cancer cell;   (ii) contacting the recombinant reporter adenovirus of  claim 1  with said cancer cell;   (iii) allowing said recombinant reporter adenovirus to infect said cancer cell thereby forming a reporter infected cancer cell; and   (iv) detecting said reporter infected cancer cell thereby detecting a cancer in said subject.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising administering a cancer treatment to said subject. 
     
     
         16 . A method of  claim 14 , wherein said cancer is a lung cancer, a skin cancer or a breast cancer. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said detecting comprises detecting a reporter gene phenotype. 
     
     
         18 . A method of determining whether a test compound inhibits growth of a cancer cell from a cancer patient, said method comprising:
 (i) obtaining from a subject a sample comprising a cancer cell;   (ii) contacting the recombinant reporter adenovirus of  claim 1  with said cancer cell;   (iii) allowing said recombinant reporter adenovirus to infect said cancer cell thereby forming a reporter infected cancer cell;   (iv) allowing said reporter infected cancer cell sufficient time to grow;   (v) determining a level of growth of said reporter infected cancer cell; and   (vi) comparing said level to a control level, wherein a low level compared to said control level indicates said test compound inhibits growth of said cancer cell from said patient.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said cancer is a lung cancer, a skin cancer or a breast cancer. 
     
     
         20 . A kit for detecting cancer, for screening a cancer drug and/or for isolating a cancer cell, said kit comprising the recombinant reporter adenovirus of  claim 1  and (i) reagents for separating cells from a tissue or cell sample from a subject; (ii) a cancer inhibiting compound; and/or (iii) a device for detecting an expressed reporter gene phenotype.