Antitumor efficacy induced by human ovarian cancer cells secreting IL-21 alone or combination with GM-CSF cytokines in nude mice model

Immunobiology. 2009;214(6):483-92. doi: 10.1016/j.imbio.2008.11.002. Epub 2009 Jan 3.

Abstract

The ovarian cancer cells (SKOV3) secreting IL-21 alone or combination with GM-CSF cytokines was developed and its antitumor effect was evaluated in the nude mice. The gene of IL-21 was amplified from plasmid pRSC-IL-21 by PCR, cloned into the plasmid pRSC-GM-CSF, and the plasmid pRSC-GM-CSF-IL21 was constructed. The plasmids of pRSC-GM-CSF, pRSC-IL21, pRSC-GM-CSF-IL21 and pRSC were respectively transfected into the SKOV3 cells and antitumor efficacy induced by the SKOV3 cells secreting IL-21 or combination with GM-CSF was evaluated by surveying the tumor growth and the nude mice's survival. The results indicated that the secreted IL-21 and GM-CSF were functional because the culture supernatant of SKOV3 cells transfected with the plasmid pRSC-GM-CSF-IL21 enhanced NK cytotoxicity in vitro. The expressions of MIC A/B, NKG2D and ICAM-1 molecules on the SKOV3 cells were up-regulated. The level of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha, the NK cytotoxicity and the antitumor efficacy were significantly increased in the null mice inoculated with the SKOV3 cells secreting both IL-21 and GM-CSF in comparison with the nude mice inoculated with the other different SKOV3 cells. We concluded that the SKOV3 cells genetically engineered to secrete biologically active IL-21 and GM-CSF elicited antitumor immunity effectively through enhancing NK cytotoxicity, promoting the expressions of MIC A/B , ICAM-1 and NKG2D molecules as well as elevating level of IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha in the nude mice model.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cytotoxicity, Immunologic*
  • Female
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / genetics
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / immunology
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / metabolism*
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / genetics
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / immunology
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / genetics
  • Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / immunology
  • Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / metabolism
  • Interferon-gamma / metabolism
  • Interleukins / genetics
  • Interleukins / immunology
  • Interleukins / metabolism*
  • Killer Cells, Natural / immunology
  • Killer Cells, Natural / metabolism*
  • Killer Cells, Natural / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K / genetics
  • NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K / immunology
  • NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K / metabolism
  • Neoplasm Transplantation
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / genetics
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / immunology*
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / pathology
  • Ovarian Neoplasms / therapy
  • Protein Engineering
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / immunology
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism

Substances

  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I
  • Interleukins
  • MHC class I-related chain A
  • NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1
  • Interferon-gamma
  • Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor
  • interleukin-21