Reports summarize cancer gene therapy research from Sichuan University

   "Clonogenic cell assay, western blotting assay, 3'(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, flow cytometer (FCM) assay, and immunocytochemical technique were designed to examine the inhibition of proliferation, protein expression of p14(ARF) and EGFR and induction of differentiation, respectively. Furthermore the synergistic effect of Ad-p14(ARF) and Ad-antisense EGFR on Hep-2 cell was examined. We successfully used AdEasy-1 vector system to construct recombinant adenoviruses Ad-p14(ARF) and Ad-antisense EGFR. The activity of proliferation of Hep-2 cells was inhibited markedly by infecting Ad-p14(ARF) or Ad-antisense EGFR by comparing Ad-sense EGFR (P = 0.005) with vector control (Ad-Ctrl) (P = 0.005) and with PBS (P = 0.003). This effect, combining Ad-antisense-EGFR with Ad-p14(ARF) became more noticeable than alone (P = 0.01, P = 0.02, respectively). P14 (ARF) protein overexpression, EGFR protein down expression, and inhibition of proliferation were observed in Hep-2 cells infected by either Ad-p14(ARF) or Ad-antisense EGFR. FCM revealed that the proportion of apoptosis cells transfected by Ad-p14(ARF) and Ad-antisense EGFR increased more obviously than the control. The proportion of (Hep-2 cells in) G(0)/G(1) phases was increased by up to 78.5, 77.7, and 86.9% in Ad-antisense EGFR, Ad-p14(ARF), and Ad-antisense EGFR + Ad-p14(ARF), respectively. Our findings demonstrated that not only EGFR but p14(ARF) also plays a major role on the genesis and in modulating the cell growth and differentiation of human laryngocarcinoma," wrote J.M. Xian and colleagues, Sichuan University.

   The researchers concluded: "They efficaciously blocked the signal transduction of human laryngocarcinoma cell, and may therefore, be an effective potential target of gene therapy to prevent human laryngocarcinoma cell proliferation."

   Xian and colleagues published their study in European Archives of Oto - Rhino - Laryngology (Signal transduction-related gene transfer leads to inhibition of proliferation and induction of differentiation in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma in vitro. European Archives of Oto - Rhino - Laryngology, 2007;264(12):1467-1473).

   For additional information, contact S.X. Liu, Sichuan University, W China Hospital, State Key Laboratory Biotherapy, Dept. of Otolaryngology, 37 Guoxue St., Chengdu 610041, People's Republic of China.

   Publisher contact information for the journal European Archives of Oto - Rhino - Laryngology is: Springer, 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013, USA.

   Keywords: People's Republic of China, Chengdu, Adenoviridae, Antisense Technology, Biotechnology, Cancer Gene Therapy, Drug Development, Genetics, Genomics, Laryngology, Oncology, Pharmaceuticals, Protein Expression, Proteins, Proteomics, Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Treatment, Vector Systems, Sichuan University.

   This article was prepared by Biotech Business Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2007, Biotech Business Week via NewsRx.com.

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