Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Heat-directed tumor cell fusion.

Anthony M Brade1, Paul Szmitko, Duc Ngo

  • 1Division of Experimental Therapeutics, Ontario Cancer Institute, University Health Network, University of Toronto, 610 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M5G 2M9, Canada.

Human Gene Therapy
|April 15, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Mild hyperthermia activates a gene expression system to target tumor cells. This heat-directed therapy causes cancer cell fusion and tumor regression, significantly increasing survival in mice.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

HPV Serology and Circulating Viral DNA for Detection, Genotyping, and Measurement of Disease Burden in Oropharyngeal Cancer.

International journal of cancer·2026
Same author

The role of stereotactic body radiotherapy in oligoprogressive breast cancer: A site-specific analysis of the prospective, phase-II RADIANT trial.

Clinical and translational radiation oncology·2026
Same author

HSP72 interacts with PRDX6 to deubiquitinate mitochondrial PINK1, activating mitophagy to treat MASLD: [RETRACTED].

Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.)·2026
Same author

Spiroeutypetides A and B, Polyketides with 5/6/5 and 6/6/5 Tricyclic Ring Systems Produced by the Marine-Derived Fungus <i>Eutypella</i> sp. F0219.

Journal of natural products·2026
Same author

Supplementation of L-aspartate corrects MASLD and MASH in mice by inhibiting platelet-hepatocyte interaction-mediated mitochondrial fragmentation via the ATP-P2X7-NEK7-DRP1 axis.

Experimental & molecular medicine·2026
Same author

Identification of a Cytokine Biomarker for Prognostic Modeling of Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema.

Cancer research communications·2026

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Biotechnology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • A modified human heat shock protein 70b promoter (HSE.70b) enables targeted gene expression in tumor cells post-mild hyperthermia (41.5-44°C).
  • This system shows low basal activity at 37°C, high induction (950-fold) after heat treatment (43°C/30 min), and returns to baseline within 12-24 hours.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate heat-directed targeting of Gibbon ape leukemia virus env protein (GALV FMG) to tumor cells for cancer therapy.
  • To evaluate the efficacy of GALV FMG-mediated cell fusion and bystander effects in vitro and in vivo.

Main Methods:

  • Transient and stable transfection of HSE70b.GALV FMG minigene into human cancer cell lines (HeLa, HT-1080).
  • In vitro assessment of syncytia formation and cell viability following mild hyperthermia.

Related Experiment Videos

  • In vivo studies using HG5 xenograft tumors in SCID mice, treated with mild hyperthermia.

    • Main Results:

    • Transient transfection induced extensive syncytia formation in HeLa and HT-1080 cells after heat treatment (44°C/30 min).
    • Stable transfection generated HG5 cell line showing massive syncytia formation and 60% reduced viability post-heat treatment.
    • Mild hyperthermia treatment of HG5 xenografts resulted in syncytia, necrosis, complete tumor regression, and increased median survival from 12.5 to 52 days.

    Conclusions:

    • Heat-directed tumor cell fusion via GALV FMG is a potent anti-cancer strategy.
    • This approach shows significant therapeutic potential as an adjunct to existing cancer treatments, leveraging synergistic effects with radiation or chemotherapy.