Gene expression and antitumor effect following im electroporation delivery of human interferon alpha 2 gene.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the gene expression and antitumor effect following im electroporation delivery of human interferon alpha 2 (hIFN-alpha 2) gene.


METHODS
The pcD2/hIFN-alpha 2 was injected into the middle of the quadriceps muscle of female BALB/c mice or the leukemia-bearing female BALB/c nude mice, and then electroporation was given to the injection site. Optimal electrical parameters and the efficiency of gene transfer was studied with hIFN-alpha 2 ELISA kit. The HL-60 tumor model in BALB/c nude mice was used to investigate therapeutic effects of im electroporation delivery of pcD2/hIFN-alpha 2.


RESULTS
The optimal conditions for the electric pulses were as follows: voltage at 200 V/cm; pulse duration at 40 ms per pulse; number of pulse at 6 pulses and frequency at 1 Hz. Under optimal conditions, the serum hIFN-alpha 2 levels in electroporation group (160 microg/L+/-31 microg/L) were 45-fold higher than those of nonelectroporation group (3.6 microg/L+/-1.6 microg/L, P<0.01). The growth of leukemia was inhibited more obviously and the survival time of the leukemia-bearing nude mice was prolonged after im electroporation delivery of pcD2/hIFN-alpha 2 100 microg or 200 microg.


CONCLUSIONS
Electroporation was an efficient method for the delivery of plasmid DNA and im electroporation delivery of pcD2/hIFN-alpha 2 was effective in treating leukemia.
Zhang
Guo-Hua
GH
Institute of Cardivascular Basic Research, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100083, China.
Tan
Xiao-Fan
XF
Shen
Dong
D
Zhao
Shu-Yuan
SY
Shi
Yan-Li
YL
Jin
Cai-Ke
CK
Sun
Wei-Gu
WG
Guo
Yan-Hong
YH
Chen
Kuang-Hueih
KH
Tang
Jian
J
D000818:Animals; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018274:Electroporation; D005260:Female; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D018922:HL-60 Cells; D006801:Humans; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015473:Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / Q000628:therapy*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics
D016898:Interferon-alpha