[A study on characterization and tumorigenesis of an interleukin 2 gene transduced human breast carcinoma cell line]

Since interleukin 2 (IL-2) can stimulat host immune response, the cDNA encoding human IL-2 (hIL-2), mediated by retroviral vector, was transferred into human breast carcinoma cell line "MDA-MB-435". The characterization and tumorigenesis of hIL-2 gene transduced cells were studied. The results showed that provirus genome had been inserted to the genome of transduced cells demonstrated by Southern hybridization. One million transduced cells secreted up to 15ng hIL-2 in 24 hours with ELISA method specific to hIL-2. The mRNA expression of hIL-2 was identified by RT-PCR. The hIL-2 gene modified cells lost their tumorigenesis and the tumorigenesis by mixed injection with their parent tumor cells was inhibited in nude mouse. These data suggest that hIL-2 gene transduced tumor cells may represent a potential vaccine in the management of cancer patients.