Targeted gene therapy of nasopharyngeal cancer <it>in vitro </it>and <it>in vivo </it>by enhanced thymidine kinase expression driven by human TERT promoter and CMV enhancer

• Main Authors: Mu Shao-Feng, Qian Yu-Hong, Wen Zhong, Shen Cong-Xiang, Guan Xiao-Fang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2010-07-01
• Series: Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research
• Online Access: http://www.jeccr.com/content/29/1/94

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background/Aim</p> <p>To explore the therapeutic effects of thymidine kinase (TK) expressed by enhanced vector pGL3-basic- hTERTp-TK-EGFP-CMV driven by human telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter (hTERTp) as well as cytomegalovirus immediate early promoter enhancer (CMV).</p> <p>Materials/Methods</p> <p>Enhanced TK-EGFP expression was confirmed by fluorescent microscopy, real time PCR and telomerase activity. Its effects were examined by survival of tumor cells NPC 5-8F and MCF-7, index of xenograft implanted in nude mice and histology.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Compared with non-enhanced vector pGL3-basic-TK-hTERTp-EGFP, TK expressed by the enhanced vector significantly decreased NPC 5-8F and MCF-7 cell survival rates after ganciclovir (GCV) treatment (p < 0.001) and tumor progress in nude mice with NPC xenograft and treated with GCV, without obvious toxicity to mouse liver and kidney.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The enhanced TK expression vector driven by hTERTp with CMV enhancer has brighter clinical potentials in nasopharyngeal carcinoma therapy than the non-enhanced vector.</p>