title: Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma: hepatocyte growth factor suppresses graft-vs.-host disease.
abstract: Allogeneic bone-marrow transplantation (BMT) can induce a powerful graft-vs.-tumor (GVT) effect not only on hematological malignancies but also on solid tumors. However, graft-vs.-host disease (GVHD) is a major complication of allogeneic BMT. We assessed GVT effect on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the effects of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) gene transduction on GVHD in HCC transplanted mice. (C57BL/6 x C3H/HeJ)F(1)(B6C3F1, H-2(bxk)) mice were used as recipients and C3H/HeJ(H-2(k)) mice were used as donors. Hepa1-a (a C57L mouse-derived hepatoma cell, H-2(b)) was subcutaneously injected into the recipient mice. Tumor bearing mice were treated in the following ways: group 1, no treatment; group 2, total body irradiation (TBI); group 3, TBI and BMT; group 4, TBI and BMT with empty vector; group 5, TBI and BMT with HGF gene transduction; group 6, TBI and BMT with administration of FK506, a representative immunosuppressive agent. Acute GVHD was assessed by histological examination of the liver, small intestines, and large intestines. Tumor growth was markedly suppressed in mice that received an allogeneic BMT. Donor-derived CD8(+) T cells had infiltrated into the tumor, and cytotoxic CD8(+) T cells against HCC were present. However, among the four groups that received a BMT, this suppressive effect was weaker in group 6 compared with the other three groups (groups 3, 4, and 5). HGF gene transduction improved GVHD while preserving the GVT effects. Allogeneic BMT markedly suppresses the growth of HCC. Simultaneous HGF gene transfer can suppress GVHD while preserving the GVT effect.
authors.affiliation: First Dept. of Surgery, Hyogo College of Medicine, Mukogawacho, Nishinomiya, 663, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuhiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Tadamichi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hirano
authors.forename: Gakuhei
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iimuro
authors.forename: Takehito
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Imado
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwasaki
authors.forename: Jiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor