1. Assessment of α-Fetoprotein Targeted HSV1-tk Expression in Hepatocellular Carcinoma with In Vivo Imaging
- Author
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Joo Hyun Kang, Sang Moo Lim, Ju Hui Park, Kwang Il Kim, Tae Sup Lee, Wee Sup Chung, Kyo Chul Lee, and Yong Jin Lee
- Subjects
Ganciclovir ,Cancer Research ,Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ,viruses ,Mice, Nude ,Herpesvirus 1, Human ,Biology ,Thymidine Kinase ,Mice ,In vivo ,Cell Line, Tumor ,Gene expression ,medicine ,Animals ,Humans ,Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and imaging ,MTT assay ,Viability assay ,Enhancer ,Promoter Regions, Genetic ,neoplasms ,Pharmacology ,Mice, Inbred BALB C ,Liver Neoplasms ,General Medicine ,Original Articles ,Hep G2 Cells ,medicine.disease ,digestive system diseases ,Oncology ,Hepatocellular carcinoma ,Positron-Emission Tomography ,Cancer research ,Female ,alpha-Fetoproteins ,HT29 Cells ,Preclinical imaging ,medicine.drug - Abstract
Tumor-specific enhancer/promoter is applicable for targeting gene expression in tumors and helpful for tumor-targeting imaging and therapy. We aimed to acquire α-fetoprotein (AFP)-producing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) specific images using adenovirus containing HSV1-tk gene controlled by AFP enhancer/promoter and evaluate in vivo ganciclovir (GCV)-medicated therapeutic effects on AFP-targeted HSV1-tk expression with (18)F-FDG positron emission tomography (PET). Recombinant adenovirus expressing HSV1-tk under AFP enhancer/promoter was produced (AdAFP-TK) and the expression levels were evaluated by RT-PCR and (125)I-IVDU uptake. GCV-mediated HSV1-tk cytotoxicity was determined by MTT assay. After the mixture of AdAFP-fLuc and AdAFP-TK was administrated, bioluminescent images (BLIs) and (18)F-FHBG PET images were obtained in tumor-bearing mice. In vivo therapeutic effects of AdAFP-TK and GCV in the HuH-7 xenograft model were monitored by (18)F-FDG PET. When infected with AdAFP-TK, cell viability in HuH-7 was reduced, but those in HT-29 and SK-Hep-1 were not significantly decreased at any GCV concentration less than 100 μM. AFP-targeted fLuc and HSV1-tk expression were clearly visualized by BLI and (18)F-FHBG PET images in AFP-producing HCC, respectively. In vivo GCV-mediated tumor growth inhibition by AFP-targeted HSV1-tk expression was monitored by (18)F-FDG PET. Recombinant AdAFP-TK could be applied for AFP-targeted HCC gene therapy and imaging in AFP-producing HCC.
- Published
- 2015