High-level transgene expression mediated by the piggyBac transposon enhances transgenic therapeutic effects in cervical cancer xenografts

Oncol Rep. 2010 Oct;24(4):897-907. doi: 10.3892/or.2010.897.

Abstract

The piggyBac (PB) transposon is a recently identified, active and flexible transgene vector, combining the advantages of non-viral gene delivery with genomic integration and persistent transgene expression. In this study, we utilized the PB transposon to carry the herpes simplex thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) and red fluorescent protein (mRFP1) reporter genes into the HeLa cervical cancer cell line or tumor xenografts of cervical cancer. Our data showed that HSV-tk and mRFP1 were expressed in HeLa cells and tumor xenografts three weeks after intratumoral injection. The mRNA and protein levels of HSV-tk and mRFP1 were increased by using the PB transposon vector. Our system also demonstrated that sensitivity of transfected HeLa cells to the pro-drug ganciclovir (GCV) was enhanced in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, our data indicated that the enhanced transgenic therapeutic effect was strongly associated with high-level transgene expression mediated by the PB transposon. Our results suggest that applying the PB transposon in HSV-tk gene delivery and GCV treatment is a promising gene therapy strategy in the treatment of cervical cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Apoptosis / physiology
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Separation
  • DNA Transposable Elements / genetics*
  • Female
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Ganciclovir / therapeutic use
  • Gene Expression
  • Genes, Reporter / genetics
  • Genetic Therapy / methods*
  • Genetic Vectors / genetics
  • Genetic Vectors / therapeutic use*
  • HeLa Cells
  • Humans
  • Luminescent Proteins / genetics
  • Luminescent Proteins / therapeutic use
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Prodrugs / therapeutic use
  • Red Fluorescent Protein
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Thymidine Kinase / genetics*
  • Transgenes
  • Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • DNA Transposable Elements
  • Luminescent Proteins
  • Prodrugs
  • Thymidine Kinase
  • Ganciclovir