title: Fas ligand gene transfer effectively induces apoptosis in head and neck cancer cells.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  Fas ligand (FasL) gene therapy may provide a new efficient therapeutic model for head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC). Acid ceramidase (AC) may not play an important role in the sensitivity of HNSCC cell lines to Fas-induced apoptosis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aims of this study were to investigate the efficacy of FasL gene therapy for HNSCC in vitro and to determine whether the expression of AC in different kinds of HNSCC cell lines is related to the sensitivity of HNSCC cell lines to Fas-mediated apoptotic induction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three HNSCC cell lines (Hep-2, MMSI, and SCCVII) were transfected with pEGFP-FasL, a plasmid containing a modified human FasL gene fused to enhanced green fluorescent protein (GFP). pEGFP-C1, a plasmid containing the GFP gene alone, was used as a control. Cell death was observed by fluorescence imaging and quantified using a tetrazolium-based (MTS) assay. SCCVII cells were analyzed by flow cytometry to determine the presence of apoptotic induction. Hep-2 and MMSI cells were evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR to evaluate the expression of AC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Transfection of pEGFP-FasL plasmid was shown to be able to induce cell death, the sensitivity of Fas-mediated apoptosis in HNSCC was different, and the level of AC did not correlate with the sensitivity of HNSCC cells to Fas-induced apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xiaojun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Yuhe
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Dingfang
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bu
authors.forename: Shuifang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xiao
mesh_terms: D055573:Acid Ceramidase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein / Q000235:genetics*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D055573:Acid Ceramidase