Effects of HSV-TK/GCV suicide gene system in cervix cancer Hela cells

Objective:To investigate the killing effect and the bystander effect of HSV-TK/GCV suicide gene system on cervix cancer cell line Hela in vitro study. Methods: GINaTK retroviral vector containing HSV-TK gene was transduced into PA317 packaging cell by lipofectin. cervix cancer cell line Hela was infected by high titer viral supernatant. Hela /TK cells and Hela cells were used in vitro study. Sensitivity of Hela /TK cells to GCV and bystander effect were observed by MTT test. Results:Hela cells transfered with GINaTK gene displayed a higher tumor cell-killing effect than the parent cells. when Hela /TK cells ratio reached to 10%,the tumor cell-killing proportion was about 50 %. The group of Hela /TK cells exhibiting high sensitivity to GCV, the hallmark of apoptosis as typical mono-and-oligonucleosomal length DNA fragmentation ladder could be verified by agrose gel electrophoresis. Conclusion: The result of study shows that the HSV-TK gene can be transducted into cervix cancer Hela cell under the mediation of retrovirus and demonstrates stable expressing, HSV-TK/GCV suicide gene therapy system may improve the antitumoral efficiency . The bystander effect can be observed in HSV-TK/GCV system in in vitro.