[Adenovirus-mediated CDglyTK fusion gene system driven by KDR promoter selectively kills colorectal cancer cells]

To observe the selective killing effect of adenovirus (Ad)-mediated double suicide gene driven by kinase domain-containing receptor(KDR) promoter on human colorectal cancer LoVo cells and human umbilical vein endothelial ECV304 cells.

The plasmid pAdEasy-KDR-CDglyTK was transfected into 293 packaging cells for amplification of the infectious Ad and used to infect the KDR-producing cells (ECV304 and LoVo) and the KDR-nonproducing cells (LS174T) respectively. The three cells were treated with the prodrugs 5-flurocytosine (5-FC) and ganciclovir (GCV) at different concentrations after infection. The killing effects of the fusion gene system on the cells were evaluated. The distribution of cell cycle was detected by flow cytometry.

The infection rates of the recombinant Ad were similar among the 3 cells, gradually increasing with the increment of multiplicity of infection (MOI) and reaching 100% with the MOI of 200. The LoVo cells and ECV304 cells infected with Ad-KDR-CDglyTK were highly sensitive to both of the prodrugs (P>0.1), whereas the infected LS174T cells failed to exhibit similar sensitivity (P<0.001). The killing effect of CD/TK fusion gene on the target cells was much stronger than that of either suicide gene (P<0.001). The cell cycle of LoVo cells was arrested at G1 phase.

The CD/TK fusion gene system driven by KDR promoter can selectively kill KDR-expressing human colorectal cancer LoVo cells and endothelial cells.