[Experimental studies in vitro on the alpha-fetoprotein-specific promoter mediated target gene therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-specific promoter mediated target gene therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro.


METHODS
Retroviral vector (LX2.2CD) in which the cytosine deaminase (CD) gene was driven by the 2.2 kb recombinant human AFP TRS. After transfecting three human hepatoma cell lines and one non-hepatoma cell line with LX2.2 CD, anti-G418 clones integrated CD gene were selected, and inhibitory experiment of cell growth was performed.


RESULTS
5-fluorocytosine (5FC) could confer the chemosensitivity to transduced AFP-producing hepatoma cells (HuH-7 and huH-1/c1-2), but not to AFP-nonproducing hepatoma cells (HLE) or nonhepatoma cells (GLC). On the other hand, when transfecting the above four tumor cell lines with another retroviral vector pCD2 (CD gene was driven by 5'LTR internal promoter), no cell selection was found in 5FC-induced cell grow inhibition.


CONCLUSIONS
Recombinant retrovival transfer of the CD gene under the control of the AFP TRS followed by 5FC may well be a promising trageted gene therapy for hepatoma.
Quan
S
S
Department of Gastroenterology, PUMC Hospital, CAMS and PUMC, Beijing 100730.
Pan
G
G
Lu
C
C
Liu
D
D
Fang
F
F
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D043525:Cytosine Deaminase; D005437:Flucytosine / Q000494:pharmacology; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D009700:Nucleoside Deaminases / Q000235:genetics*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000235:genetics; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000235:genetics*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D005437:Flucytosine; D009700:Nucleoside Deaminases; D043525:Cytosine Deaminase