title: bcl-xs gene therapy induces apoptosis of human mammary tumors in nude mice.
abstract: Bcl-xs is a dominant negative repressor of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, both of which inhibit apoptosis. We used a replication-deficient adenoviral vector to transiently overexpress Bcl-xs in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells, which overexpress Bcl-xL. Infection with this vector induced apoptosis in vitro. We then determined the effects of intratumoral injection of bcl-xs adenovirus on solid MCF-7 tumors in nude mice. Tumors injected four times with the bcl-xs adenovirus showed a 50% reduction in size. Using terminal transferase-mediated dUTP-digoxigenin nick end labeling, we observed apoptotic cells at sites of bcl-xs adenoviral injection. These experiments demonstrate the feasibility of using bcl-xs gene therapy to induce apoptosis in human breast tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ann Arbor 48109-0724, USA.
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Ealovega
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: McGinnis
authors.forename: V N
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Sumantran
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Wicha
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051020:bcl-X Protein
chemical_list: C494811:BCL2L1 protein, human; C494812:Bcl2l1 protein, mouse; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051020:bcl-X Protein