Anti-colorectal cancer effect of interleukin-2 and interferon-β fusion gene driven by carcinoembryonic antigen promoter

Abstract

Yan Wang, Mengchun Wang, Yan LiDepartment of Gastroenterology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, People’s Republic of ChinaAbstract: This study was designed to investigate the antitumor effects of combined interleukin-2/interferon-β-based gene therapy in colorectal cancer. Transfection of the fusion gene expression plasmid induced significant apoptosis of Lovo cells. Additionally, the fusion gene exhibited strong inhibitory activity against tumor growth and apoptosis when being injected into the nude mice implanted with human colon cancer cells. Furthermore, the tail-vein injection showed a more notable effect than direct injection into tumor. These results suggest that the combined interleukin-2/interferon-β-based gene therapy with the carcinoembryonic antigen promoter might be an effective antitumor strategy.Keywords: apoptosis, interferon-β, interleukin-2, antitumor, combined gene therapy

Keywords

• apoptosis
• colorectal cancer
• interferon β
• interleukin-2