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Published on: July 30, 2018
Antitumor effect of recombinant human interferon-β adenovirus on esophageal squamous cell cancer in vitro
Abstract:
Interferon (IFN)-β has efficient antitumor effect both in vitro and in vivo, but its clinical implication is limited by short half-life and systemic toxicities. Gene therapy could be the choice to avoid the defects. Adenovirus vector containing human IFN-β gene was transfected into esophageal squamous cell carcinoma KYSE150 cells. Expression of human (h)IFN-β was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunocytochemistry in KYSE150 cells. Cell growth and clonogenic assays, and flow cytometry were used to observe the antiproliferation effect and apoptosis on tumor cells, respectively. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunocytochemistry showed obvious hIFN-β expression in KYSE150 cells after transfection and the tumor cell proliferation was obviously inhibited through cell proliferation and clonogenic assays. Flow cytometry analysis showed 27.3% cell apoptosis in adenovirus vector containing human IFN-β gene transfection group compared with 1.12% in empty vector control group. These findings indicate that hIFN-β gene mediated by recombinant adenovirus may have antitumor activity against human esophageal carcinoma cell by inducing apoptosis in vitro.
Insights
Gene therapy using adenovirus delivered human interferon-beta (IFN-β) gene to esophageal cancer cells, inhibiting tumor growth and inducing apoptosis. This approach shows promise for treating esophageal carcinoma.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Gene Therapy
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Interferon-beta (IFN-β) exhibits potent antitumor effects but faces clinical limitations due to short half-life and systemic toxicity.
- Gene therapy presents a potential strategy to overcome these limitations for IFN-β delivery.
- Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma remains a significant health concern requiring novel therapeutic approaches.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential of gene therapy using adenovirus vectors to deliver the human IFN-β gene into esophageal carcinoma cells.
- To evaluate the in vitro antitumor activity of human IFN-β gene therapy in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma KYSE150 cells.
- To assess the impact of gene therapy on tumor cell proliferation and apoptosis.
Main Methods:
- Adenovirus vector carrying the human IFN-β gene was used for transfection into KYSE150 cells.
- Human IFN-β expression was confirmed using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunocytochemistry.
- Antiproliferative effects were assessed via cell growth and clonogenic assays.
- Apoptosis was quantified using flow cytometry.
Main Results:
- Successful transfection and expression of human IFN-β in KYSE150 cells were confirmed by RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry.
- Significant inhibition of tumor cell proliferation was observed in cells treated with the IFN-β gene therapy.
- Flow cytometry revealed a substantial increase in apoptosis, with 27.3% in the IFN-β group compared to 1.12% in the empty vector control group.
Conclusions:
- Recombinant adenovirus-mediated delivery of the human IFN-β gene demonstrates significant in vitro antitumor activity against human esophageal carcinoma cells.
- The observed antitumor effect is associated with the induction of apoptosis in cancer cells.
- This gene therapy approach holds potential for the treatment of esophageal carcinoma.

