Functional Analysis on the Recombinant of Human α-Fetoprotein Gene cis-Acting Elements

Three human hepatoma cell lines (HuH-7 , huH- 1 /c1-2 and HLE) and one human lung adenocar- cinoma cell line were transfected with the six recombinant eukaryotic expression vectors containing luciferase reporter gene under the control of six human α-fetoprotein transcription-regulatory se- quences (AFP TRSs) . The results showed that the expression of luciferase reporter gene was limited in AFP-producing hepatoma cells , and was associated with the amount ofAFP production . Of the six recombinant AFP TRSS , the 2.2kb AFP TRS without AFP Silencers could drive the luciferase gene expression most efficiently . On the other hand, no luciferase gene expression was found in either AFP-nonproducing hepatoma cells or nonhepatoma cells . Thus , hepatoma-specific AFP TRSs were achieved , which can be used to direct the suicide gene expression in our further hepatoma gene therapy project.