Secretory production of biologically active rat interleukin-2 by Clostridium acetobutylicum DSM792 as a tool for anti-tumor treatment

The search for effective means of selectively delivering high therapeutic doses of anti-cancer agents to tumors has explored a variety of systems in the last decade. The ability of intravenously injected clostridial spores to infiltrate and thence selectively germinate in the hypoxic regions of solid tumors is exquisitely specific, making this system an interesting addition to the anti-cancer therapy arsenal. To increase the number of therapeutic proteins potentially useful for cancer treatment we have tested the possibility of Clostridium acetobutylicum to secrete rat interleukin-2 (rIL2). Therefore, rIL2 cDNA was placed under the control of the endo-β-1,4-glucanase promoter and signal sequence of C. saccharobutylicum. Recombinant C. acetobutylicum containing the relevant construct secreted up to 800 μg l−1 biologically active rIL2. The obtained yield should be sufficient to provoke in vivo effects.