Abstract:
Objective: To investigate the efficacy of replication-deficient adenovirus carrying the HSV-TK gene under the control of the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) promoter and ganciclovir (GCV) in a mouse xenograft model of renal carcinoma. Methods:Researchers established the model of human renal carcinoma cell line786 -0 xeno-grafts in BALB/C nude mice and administered peritoneal injections of GCV and tail vein injections of Ad-hTERT-HSV-TK at the dose of 1.0 × 109 pfu/kg. Then measured tumor size and tumor weight every 5 days. After 30days, all nude mice were killed and all tumors were completely resected. Then the antitumor efficacy was evaluated by relative tumor volume, tumor weight, tumor proliferation and tumor apoptosis. All these factors were compared with those of the negative control group and single therapy group. Results: This study has established the model of human renal carcinoma cell line786 -0 xeno-grafts in BALB/C nude mice successfully. The Ad-hTERT-HSV-TK GCV system could suppress tumor growth in nude mice more effectively while having no significant damage to heart, lung, liver, brain and spleen. Ad-TK or GCV alone caused inhi-bition of tumor growth, but this was not statistically significant as compared to the negative control group (P>0.05). The tu -mor volume and weight were significantly smaller than the negative group and single therapy group (P<0.05). The prolifera -tion index of the Ad-hTERT-HSV-TK/GCV group was 3.2 ± 0.3(%),while other groups were 0.1 ± 0.1(%), 0.2 ± 0.1 (%), 0.2 ± 0.1 (% ), respectively, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The apoptosis index of the Ad-hTERT-HSV-TK/GCV group was 27.57± 9.36(%),while other groups were 71.2 ± 13.1(%), 69.8 ± 11.6(%), 72.4 ± 12.3(%), respectively, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.01). Conclusion:Significant inhibition of tumor proliferation,promotion of apoptosis and pro-longed mice survival time were observed in renal carcinoma xenografts in vivo. This system did not damage normal tissue. These findings indicate that Ad-hTERT-HSV-TK/GCV system is safe, effective and highly specific. The results presented here are encouraging and will lead to a further clinical evaluation of the potential therapeutic benefits of this strategy.