Search

Objective: To study the effect of antisense VEGF RNA on rat C6 gliomas in vivo and find out the feasibility of antiangiogenesis therapy with antisense VEGF RNA for malignant gliomas. Methods: Parental rat C6 glioma cells and C6 cells transfected with antisense VEGF cDNA were implanted intracerebrally and subcutaneously into SD rats as control and transfected group. Rats bearing cerebral and subcutaneous C6 gliomas were treated with antisense VEGF cDNA as treated group and sense VEGF cDNA and empty vector as control of treated group. The general manifestation, survival time, MRI and histopathological changes of all rats were observed. The volume of subcutaneously implanted tumors was determined regularly.In situ hybridization and immunohistochemical staining were used for detection of VEGF gene expression of gliomas while PCNA immunostaining and TUNEL method for examination of proliferation activity and apoptosis of gliomas, respectively. Results: The survival of the rats in transfected and treated group was prolonged. There were two rats surviving over 90 d in the treated group and their tumors disappeared. The VEGF gene expression, the number of microvessels and the proliferation activity were decreased and a large amount of apoptotic cells could be found in cerebral and subcutaneous gliomas in treated and transfected groups. Conclusion: VEGF is one of the candidate genes for gene therapy of malignant gliomas. Antisense VEGF RNA combined with other therapies should be studied further for enhancing the therapeutic effect of malignant gliomas.

Objective: To study the role of connexin gene (Cx 43) on the development of glioma and the feasibility of using Cx43cDNA as a target of gene therapy of gliomas. Methods: Parental rat C6 cells and C6 cells transfected with Cx43cDNA were implanted into right caudate nucleus of SD rats as control and transfected group. Rats bearing cerebral C6 gliomas were treated with Cx43cDNA and empty vector as treated group and empty vector group. The general manifestation, survival time, MRI dynamic scanning and histopathological changes of all rats were observed.In situ hybridization and immunohisto- chemistry were used for examination of Cx43mRNA and its protein in gliomas. Average number of AgNOR staining was used for detection of cell proliferation activity, and TUNEL method for determination of cell apoptosis. Results: All rats in control and empty vector group died of cerebral gliomas within 3 weeks after implantation of C6 cells. Six out of nine rats in the transfected group and eight out of ten rats in treated group kept alive beyond 120 days with totally disappearing of the tumor foci, except one treated rat having a little residue of tumor. In gliomas of transfected and treated groups Cx43 gene expression was upregulated, proliferation activity was lowered, However, the apoptotic cells did not increase. Conclusion: The present study indicates that Cx43 gene is of crucial importance in the development of malignant glioma. It can be an effective target for gene therapy of gliomas.