Effects of insulin-like growth factors-IR and -IIR antisense gene transfection on the biological behaviors of SMMC-7721 human hepatoma cells.
OBJECTIVE
Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are closely related to hepatocellular carcinoma growth. The study aim was to investigate the effects of IGF-IR and IGF-IIR antisense gene transfection on the biological behaviors of SMMC-7721 human hepatoma cells.


METHODS
7721-IGF-IR-AS cells (human hepatoma SMMC-7721 cells transfected with IGF-IR antisense gene in our previous study) were transfected with a plasmid vector expressing IGF-IIR cDNA in the antisense orientation by DOTAP liposome.7721-IGF-R-AS cells were obtained by selection with G418 and hygromycin. Morphological changes of the cells were observed with optic and electron microscopes. In vitro growth of the 7721-IGF-R-AS cells was observed with a soft agar test, MTT test and with naked mice inoculation test in vivo.


RESULTS
The following changes were found in the SMMC-7721 cells after being transfected with the IGF-IR and IGF-IIR antisense genes: (i) the degree of malignancy of the tumor cells as revealed by cell morphology was ameliorated; (ii) the growth capability of the tumor cells in soft agar and their tumorigenicity in naked mice were significantly depressed. However, in the control groups, the SMMC-7721 cells transfected both with IGF-IR and IGF-IIR sense cDNA and SMMC-7721 cells transfected without any external genes, had no such changes. However, the cell growth curves had no significant differences among these three groups.


CONCLUSIONS
IGF-IR and IGF-IIR antisense genes could significantly restrain the malignant behavior of human hepatoma cells and might be useful in investigating a potential route for hepatocellular carcinoma gene therapy.
Yang
Jian-Min
JM
Gastroenterology Research Center, Southwest Hospital, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China. jianminyang@hotmail.com
Chen
Wen-Sheng
WS
Liu
Zhi-Peng
ZP
Luo
Yuan-Hui
YH
Liu
Wei-Wen
WW
D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015197:Carcinogenicity Tests; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002681:China; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure; D016373:DNA, Antisense / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000166:cytology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D051379:Mice; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D017526:Receptor, IGF Type 1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017527:Receptor, IGF Type 2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017451:Receptors, Somatomedin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D014410:Tumor Stem Cell Assay
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016373:DNA, Antisense; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D017527:Receptor, IGF Type 2; D017451:Receptors, Somatomedin; D017526:Receptor, IGF Type 1