Gene transfection pattern of hepatoma cell lines with high and low alfa-fetoprotein gene expressions

ABSTRACT

Depletion of chloramphenicol acetyl transferase [CAT] activity was clearly observed in Hu-h7 [high alpha fetoprotein [AFP]] cultured cells, when the cells were transfected with thymidine Kinase [TK] CAT plasmid. On the contrary, Hu-h1/Cl-2 cells [low AFP] had high CAT activity after transfection with the same plasmid. Hu-h7 and Hu- hl/Cl-2 cells exhibited high and very low CAT positive reaction, respectively, when the cells were transfected with AFP 7300 plasmid. Both cell lines showed negative CAT reaction, when the cells were transfected with albumin-CAT as well as AFP 1000 plasmids [AFP deleted enhancers]. The results revealed some differences between human hepatoma cell lines characterized by high and low AFP gene expression in term of gene transfection patterns indicated by CAT assay. This finding could open new avenues for better differential diagnosis of patients suffering from liver cancer