Effect of interleukin-12 gene modified bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on the growth of ovarian cancer cells / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells are characterized by wide sources and low immunogenicity. Especially, these cells are easy to import and express foreign genes, and thus have obvious superiorities as anti-tumor gene therapy vectors. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of interleukin-12 gene modified bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on the proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis of ovarian cancer cells. METHODS: Interleukin-12 recombinant adenovirus vector was used to transfect bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells. Then, the expression of interleukin-12 mRNA and protien in transfected bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells was detected by RT-PCR and western blot assay, respectively. The level of interleukin-12 in cell supernatant was determined by ELISA. The SKOV3 cells were co-cultured with the supernatant of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells transfected with (transfection group) or without (control group) interleukin-12 recombinant adenovirus vector. The proliferation of SKOV3 cells was determined by MTT assay. Flow cytometry was used to detect the cell cycle and apoptosis of SKOV3 cells. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: RT-PCR and western blot results showed that interleukin-12 mRNA and protein were expressed in transfected bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, but not found in empty vector group and blank control group. ELISA results showed that the content of interleukin-12 in the supernatant of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells was (68.78±12.35) μg/L in the interleukin-12 transfection group after 48 hours culture, and no interleukin-12 expression was detected in the empty vector group and the blank control group, Interleukin-12-transfected bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells significantly inhibited the proliferation of SKOV3 cells, and the proliferation inhibition rate was increased with time (P < 0.05). The proportion of G1-phased SKOV3 cells was higher in the transfection group than in the control group (P < 0.05), and the percentage of G2-phased SKOV3 cells was lower in the transfection group than in the control group (P < 0.05). The apoptosis rate of SKOV3 cells in the transfection group was higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Our experimental findings indicate that bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells transfected with interleukin-12 recombinant adenovirus vector can express interleukin-12, inhibit the proliferation and induce apoptosis of ovarian cancer cells.