ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect of liposomal transfection of cyclin A antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (ASON) on HL-60 cell proliferation and apoptosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>By liposomal transfection, cyclin A ASON was co-cultured with HL-60 cells, the cell growth curve was determined by MTT assay and cell apoptosis electron-microscopy in situ cell apoptosis detection kit (POD), the protein and mRNA of cyclin A and bcl-2 were measured by FACS and RT-PCR, the role of cyclin A ASON in the development of leukemia was tested by the tumor formation in nude mice.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>(1) In the cyclin A ASON liposomal transfection group (group A), the proliferation of HL-60 cell was significantly inhibited as compared to those in cyclin A ASON group (group B) (68.9% vs 24.8%) (P < 0.01). (2) The expressions of cyclin A and bcl-2 of group A were significantly lower than those in the control group (1.1% vs 38.8%, P < 0.01; 21.9% vs 65.0%, P < 0.01, respectively), and the DNA ladder and apoptosis body was displayed. (3) In group A, the rate of tumor formation in nude mice was lower, the time for tumor formation was longer and the volume of tumor was smaller than those in control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Liposomal transfection of cyclin A ASON can inhibit in vitro proliferation of leukemia cells and induce in vivo apoptosis of the tumor cell, which might provide a new target for gene therapy.</p>