Adenovirus-mediated transfer of p53 augments hyperthermia-induced apoptosis in U251 glioma cells.
OBJECTIVE
Hyperthermia kills glioma cells by inducing apoptosis and is thereby an effective therapeutic modality for the treatment of malignant gliomas. However, cells harboring mutated p53 are refractory to hyperthermia-induced apoptosis. In this study, we assessed whether or not adenovirus (Adv)-mediated transduction of p53 overrides this resistant mechanism.


METHODS
We transduced the p53 wild-type tumor suppressor gene into U251 glioma cells harboring mutated p53 using Adv vectors in combination with hyperthermia (43, 44.5 degrees C), and evaluated the degree of cell death and apoptosis.


RESULTS
The percentage of cells that had died, as measured by trypan blue staining, among U251 cells infected with the Adv for p53 (Adv-p53) and treated with hyperthermia, was significantly higher than the percentage of cells that had died among U251 cells infected with Adv-p53 and not treated with hyperthermia, or those infected with the control Adv for dE (Adv-dE) and treated with hyperthermia. The degree of apoptosis, measured at 24 h after treatment, in hyperthermia-treated U251 cells infected with Adv-p53 (43 degrees C, 73%; 44.5 degrees C, 92%) was much higher than that infected with Adv-p53 (41%), or that infected with control Adv-dE and treated with hyperthermia (43 degrees C, 1.3%; 44.5 degrees C, 19%). Treatment with combined hyperthermia and Adv-p53 infection induced cleavage of caspase-3 in U251 cells.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that Adv-mediated transduction of p53 would render glioma cells highly sensitive to hyperthermia.
Okamoto
K
K
Department of Neurosurgery, Komagome Metropolitan Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Shinoura
N
N
Egawa
N
N
Asai
A
A
Kirino
T
T
Shibasaki
F
F
Shitara
N
N
D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D016158:Genes, p53 / Q000235:genetics*; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D005910:Glioma / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced; D009154:Mutation; D014161:Transduction, Genetic; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53