title: [Suppression of tumor formation and induction of natural killer cell activity in BALB/c nude mice by human B7-1 (CD80) gene transfer subcutaneously injected with human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (Huh-7)].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Immunogene therapy is extensively studied for a therapeutic modality of various cancers. This study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of immunogene therapy using the T-cell costimulatory molecule and human B7-1 (CD80, hB7-1) in an in vivo human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) model.
  
  
  METHODS
  The stable HCC cell line expressing hB7-1 gene was established using retroviral vector (Huh-7/hB7-1). Of fourteen BALB/c nude mice, 7 were subcutaneously injected with 2 X 10(6) Huh-7/hB7-1 cells, while the other 7 were injected with 2 X 10(6) Huh-7/mock cells as a control group. After the injection, the mice were observed weekly for three months for subcutaneous tumor formation. Assay for natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity and serum IFN-gamma was performed at 1 and 2 weeks after inoculation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In BALB/c nude mice inoculated with Huh-7/hB7-1 cells, no tumor growth was observed. BALB/c nude mice inoculated with Huh-7/hB7-1 cells showed significantly increased NK cell activities of splenocytes compared with those with Huh-7/mock cells. Serum IFN-gamma was not measurable at 1 week, but significantly increased at 2 weeks after inoculation to the level of 470 pg/ml in BALB/c nude mice with Huh-7/mock cells and 521 pg/ml in BALB/c nude mice with Huh-7/hB7-1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results demonstrate the in vivo anti-tumor immunity and NK cell activation by transfer of hB7-1 gene into human HCC in xenogeneic BALB/c nude mice model. This approach may provide a tool for the development of immunogene therapies against human malignant tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Kew
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Tai Gyu
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hyun Il
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Bong Soo
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Se Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Nam Ik
authors.initials: NI
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Young Sok
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jeong Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Kyu Won
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Hee Sik
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Boo Sung
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018122:B7-1 Antigen / Q000235:genetics*; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation
chemical_list: D018122:B7-1 Antigen; D007371:Interferon-gamma