title: Effects of an adenoviral vector containing a suicide gene fusion on growth characteristics of breast cancer cells.
abstract: The herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase/ganciclovir (HSV‑TK/GCV) and the cytosine deaminase/5‑fluorocytosine (CD/5‑FC) systems have been widely applied in suicide gene therapy for cancer. Although suicide gene therapy has been successfully used in vitro and in vivo studies, the number of studies on the effects of recombinant adenoviruses (Ads) containing suicide genes on target cancer cells is limited. The aim of this study was to examine whether recombinant Ads containing the CD/TK fusion gene affect cell proliferation of breast cancer cells in vitro. In the present study, we explored the use of a recombinant adenoviral vector to deliver the CD/TK fusion gene to the breast cancer cell line MCF‑7. We found that the recombinant adenoviral vector efficiently infected MCF‑7 cells. Western blot analysis revealed that CD and TK proteins are expressed in the infected cells. The infected breast cancer cells did not show any significant changes in morphology, ultrastructure, cell growth, and cell‑cycle distribution compared to the uninfected cells. This study revealed that the Ad‑vascular endothelial growth factor promoter (VEGFp)‑CD/TK vector is non‑toxic to MCF‑7 cells at the appropriate titer. Our results indicate that it is feasible to use a recombinant adenoviral vector containing the CD/TK fusion gene in suicide gene therapy to target breast cancer cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Shenzhen Sixth People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518052, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Heng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.affiliation: Department of Special Care Center, Shenzhen Sixth People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518052, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chunli
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, Shenzhen Sixth People's Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518052, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510282, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zonghai
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510282, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Liucheng
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510282, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000256:Adenoviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D043525:Cytosine Deaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005437:Flucytosine / Q000494:pharmacology; D015774:Ganciclovir / Q000494:pharmacology; D050939:Gene Fusion / Q000235:genetics; D041722:Genes, Transgenic, Suicide / Q000235:genetics*; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D061986:MCF-7 Cells; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D013937:Thymidine Kinase / Q000378:metabolism; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D005437:Flucytosine; D013937:Thymidine Kinase; D043525:Cytosine Deaminase; D015774:Ganciclovir