Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 16, 2025
Development and Maintenance of a Preclinical Patient Derived Tumor Xenograft Model for the Investigation of Novel Anti-Cancer Therapies
Published on: September 30, 2016
PTEN and p53 Combined Gene Therapy Promote Apoptosis and Chemosensitivity to Oxaliplatin in Colorectal Cancer: An In
Narjes Nakhaee1, Sirous Zeinali2, Mahboubeh Kabiri1
1Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran.
Purpose:
Cancer is a complex condition and gene therapy has evolved as a promising method for cancer treatment. Studies have demonstrated that PTEN and p53 proteins have remarkable antitumor effects but combined up-regulation of both PTEN and p53 genes has not been reported. We thus investigated their therapeutic potential in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells.
Methods:
PTEN, p53, and blank vectors were purchased from Addgene, and transfected in SW480 cell line. Cell viability and apoptosis was assayed by MTT and flow cytometric analysis respectively. Real-time PCR assay was applied to assess changes in the expression of genes. To evaluate the effect on drug sensitivity of transfected cells, flow cytometric analysis was conducted.
Results:
PTEN are more able to induce apoptosis than p53 in SW480 and PTEN and p53 demonstrated a synergistic anticancer impact. Further tests showed that both genes increased the change in the expression of genes related to cell cycle and apoptotic factors. Co-expression of these genes can also increase the susceptibility of CRC cells to the chemotherapeutic agent oxaliplatin.
Conclusion:
According to our findings, cancer gene therapy targeting two tumor suppressors, like PTEN and p53 genes, might be a potent therapeutic approach for treating colorectal and other cancers.
Insights
Combining PTEN and p53 gene therapy shows synergistic anticancer effects in colorectal cancer cells. This dual-gene approach enhances apoptosis and increases sensitivity to chemotherapy, offering a promising new treatment strategy.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Cancer Genetics
Background:
- Gene therapy is an evolving and promising approach for cancer treatment.
- PTEN and p53 proteins are known to possess significant antitumor properties.
- The combined therapeutic potential of up-regulating both PTEN and p53 genes remains largely unexplored, particularly in colorectal cancer.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the combined therapeutic potential of PTEN and p53 gene up-regulation in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells.
- To assess the synergistic anticancer impact of co-expressing PTEN and p53.
- To evaluate the effect of combined PTEN and p53 expression on CRC cell apoptosis, cell cycle, and chemosensitivity.
Main Methods:
- SW480 colorectal cancer cell line was transfected with PTEN, p53, and blank vectors.
- Cell viability was assessed using MTT assays.
- Apoptosis and drug sensitivity were analyzed via flow cytometry.
- Gene expression changes were quantified using real-time PCR.
Main Results:
- PTEN demonstrated a greater capacity to induce apoptosis than p53 in SW480 cells.
- Co-expression of PTEN and p53 exhibited a synergistic anticancer effect.
- Combined gene expression significantly altered genes related to cell cycle regulation and apoptosis.
- Co-expression of PTEN and p53 enhanced the sensitivity of CRC cells to oxaliplatin.
Conclusions:
- Targeting both PTEN and p53 tumor suppressor genes via gene therapy presents a potent therapeutic strategy for colorectal cancer.
- This dual-gene approach may also be applicable to the treatment of other cancer types.
- The synergistic action of PTEN and p53 highlights their importance in cancer therapy.
More Related Videos
08:35Therapeutic Gene Delivery and Transfection in Human Pancreatic Cancer Cells using Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-targeted Gelatin Nanoparticles
Published on: January 4, 2012
10:27Testing Targeted Therapies in Cancer using Structural DNA Alteration Analysis and Patient-Derived Xenografts
Published on: July 25, 2020
Related Concept Videos
02:23Abnormal Proliferation
02:57Targeted Cancer Therapies
There are several types of targeted therapies against...
02:50Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
02:49Cancer Therapies
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...