title: Enhanced therapeutic effects of combined chemotherapeutic drugs and midkine antisense oligonucleotides for hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of combined antisense oligonucleotides targeting midkine (MK-AS) and chemotherapeutic drugs [cisplatin(DDP), 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and adriamycin (ADM)] on inhibition of HepG2 cell proliferation, and to analyze the efficacy of MK-AS used in combined ADM in in situ human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) model.
  
  
  METHODS
  HepG2 cells were treated with MK-AS and/or chemotherapeutic drugs mediated by Lipofectin, and cell growth activity was determined by MTS assay. An in situ HCC model was used in this experiment. MK-AS, ADM and MK-AS + ADM were given intravenously for 20 d, respectively. The animal body weight and their tumor weight were measured to assess the effect of the combined therapy in vivo.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Combined treatment with MK-AS reduced the IC50 of DDP, 5-FU and ADM in HepG2 cells. MK-AS significantly increased the inhibition rate of DDP, 5-FU and ADM. Additionally, synergism (Q 1.15) occurred at a lower concentration of ADM, 5-FU and DDP with combined MK-AS. Combined treatment with MK-AS and ADM resulted in the more growth inhibition on in situ human HCC model compared with treatment with chemotherapeutic drugs alone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MK-AS increases the chemosensitivity in HepG2 cells and in situ human HCC model, and the combination of MK-AS and ADM has a much better in vitro and in vivo synergism.
authors.affiliation: Huzhou Key Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Huzhou Central Hospital, Huzhou 313000, Zhejiang Province, China. dlc@hzhospital.com
authors.forename: Li-Cheng
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Yong-Liang
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Jin-Liang
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ping
authors.forename: Jian-Fang
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D000078792:Midkine; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000235:genetics* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D000078792:Midkine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D002945:Cisplatin; D005472:Fluorouracil