title: Suppressing the growth of rectal cancer xenografts derived from patient tumors by an adenovector expressing small hairpin RNA targeting Bcl-XL.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bcl-XL, a mitochondria membrane protein, is overexpressed in colorectal cancers and promotes cell survival. We have previously shown that the adenovector expressing small hairpin (sh)RNA targeting Bcl-XL could induce significantly apoptosis in colon cancer cells. In the present study, we aimed to further detect the anti-cancer effect of adenovector expressing the shRNA targeting Bcl-XL (Ad/Bcl-XL shRNA) on rectal cancer xenografts that were derived from patient tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  We first established three rectal cancer xenografts. These xenografts were subsequently treated with Ad/Bcl-XL shRNA alone or in combination with 5-fluouracil (5-Fu). Finally, the inhibition of tumor growth, survival time and induction of apoptosis were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results obtained demonstrated that Ad/Bcl-XL shRNA could effectively suppress the tumor growth of all three rectal cancer xenografts and prolong their survival time. After being combined with 5-Fu, the suppressing effect of Ad/Bcl-XL shRNA was enhanced further. In addition, the data also showed that Ad/Bcl-XL shRNA combined with 5-Fu could significantly increase the apoptotic ratio in the rectal cancer xenograft.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data indicate that Ad/Bcl-XL shRNA with or without 5-Fu has effective anti-tumor effects on the patient tumor-derived rectal cancer xenografts, suggesting that it could be a potential strategy for rectal cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Colorectal Surgery, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Hongbo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Jingzi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Zhongting
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Weifeng
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lao
authors.forename: Xuefeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015870:Gene Expression; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D047368:Tumor Burden / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays; D051020:bcl-X Protein / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D051020:bcl-X Protein