Korean J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg.  2003 Nov;36(11):852-857.

A Experimental Study of PTEN (Phosphatase and Tensin) Role in Mesothelioma

• Lee SK
• Kim KC

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Conventional treatment for mesothelioma is largely ineffective. We evaluated the novel approach of adenoviral gene transfection of PTEN gene in mesothelioma cancer cell lines, inflammatory and epithelial subtype, which are sensitive to adenoviral p53. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Binary adenoviral PTEN and LacZ (Ad/GT-LacZ and Ad/GV16) vectors were used for transduction of the mesothelioma cell lines, REN (p53 sensitive). Protein levels were determined by Western blotting assay. Apoptosis was assessed by fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis of subdiploid populations. Cell viability was determined with the XTT assay. Statistical analysis was performed with analysis of variance and the Student t test. RESULT: 72 hours after the treatment of adenoviral PTEN gene, cell killing were 32.9% for REN compared to control cell (2.5%) at MOI of 20. Also we observed the over-expression of proapoptotic protein, bax and decreased expression of bcl-2 protein in REN cells. But the expression of BCL-xl, Bak, Bad proteins were not altered.
CONCLUSION
Adenovirus Pten-mediated overexpression of the Bax gene induces apoptosis and decreased cellular viability in p53-sensitive mesothelioma cells. These data suggest that the transfection of PTEN gene may represent a alternative gene therapy strategy to treat mesothelioma.

Keyword

Mesothelioma; Gene therapy; Cell death

MeSH Terms

Adenoviridae
Apoptosis
bcl-Associated Death Protein
Blotting, Western
Cell Death
Cell Line
Cell Survival
Genetic Therapy
Homicide
Humans
Mesothelioma*
Transfection
bcl-Associated Death Protein