Bax mRNA therapy using cationic liposomes for human malignant melanoma.

Background: Bax is a pro-apoptotic molecule that functions as a tumor suppressor and Bax gene therapy has been examined for various cancers. Gene transfer by mRNA lipofection is more efficient than plasmid DNA lipofection and, in the present study, we examined the anti-tumor effects in human malignant melanoma cells (HMGs) using Bax mRNA lipofection.

Methods: Bax protein expression, cell growth inhibition, caspase-3 activity and apoptosis were examined in vitro.

A case of submandibular gland mucocele.

Submandibular Gland Mucocele:The mucocele occuring in the submandibular region is rare, most cases originate in the sublingual gland. Here, we report a rare case of mucocele originating in the submandibular gland. In this report, we present such a case in a 7-year-old boy, who was treated by an extirpation of cyst with submandibular and sublingual gland

Bax gene therapy for human osteosarcoma using cationic liposomes in vivo.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the anti-tumor effect of human osteosarcoma (HOSM-1) tumor xenografts in nude mice via transfer of the Bax gene using cationic liposomes. The HOSM-1 tumors transplanted into nude mice grew to 5-6 mm in diameter. Following growth of the tumor to this size, liposomes with the Bax plasmid were applied locally to the peripheral tumor (day 0) and were applied 3 times per week for 2 weeks (6 times in total).

G3139 induces cell death by caspase-dependent and -independent apoptosis on human melanoma cell lines.

G3139 is an 18-mer phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) which has been targeted on the initiation codon region of the bcl-2 gene. Currently, clinical trials on G3139 for diverse tumors are underway in phase II and phase III. However, basic investigations of bcl-2 antisense ODN (G3139) and reverse ODN (G3622) have not been fully examined.

mHFE7A, a newly identified monoclonal antibody to Fas, induces apoptosis in human melanoma cells in vitro and delays the growth of melanoma xenotransplants.

The Fas receptor is a potentially valuable therapeutic target in cancer treatment. However, the clinical application of antibodies directed to this target is hindered by their serious side effects in vivo, including liver toxicity. One murine monoclonal antibody, mHFE7A, binds both to human Fas and murine Fas, without inducing any obvious side effects.

The influence of oral tumor cell proliferation activity and membrane potential on the transfection efficiency of a cationic liposome.

The transfection efficiency of cationic liposomes varies according to cell type, but the specific cellular characteristics that affect transfection efficiency have not yet been defined. We investigated whether the transfection efficiency of cationic liposomes correlates with cell proliferation activity or cell membrane potential in oral malignant melanoma (HMG) and oral osteosarcoma cell lines (HOSM-1 and HOSM-2). The cell membrane potential was assessed by uptake of a cationic probe.

Experimental therapy using interferon-gamma and anti-Fas antibody against oral malignant melanoma cells.

The Fas/FasL signalling system plays an important role in chemotherapy-induced apoptosis in several different cell types. After interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) treatment, we have previously reported a significant increase in Fas expression in oral malignant melanoma cell lines (MMN9, PMP, MAA, HMG) in vitro, and combination therapy using IFN-gamma and anti-Fas antibody (CH-11) has shown a synergistic anti-proliferative effect in MMN9 cells. There have been several in-vitro studies using CH-11, but there are few reports of its anti-tumour effect in vivo.

Antitumor activity of cationic liposome-mediated Bax gene transfer in osteosarcoma cells: induction of apoptosis and caspase-independent cell death.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the anti-tumor effects of osteosarcoma (HOSM-1) cells via transfer of the Bax gene using a cationic liposome. We evaluated the levels of Bax, Bcl-xL, Bcl-2 and cytochrome c expression by Western blot analysis, and caspase-9 and -3 activities were determined in a colorimetric assay. Apoptosis was detected using a TUNEL assay, and cell growth inhibition was determined in an MTT assay.

p53 gene therapy of human osteosarcoma using a transferrin-modified cationic liposome.

Gene delivery via transferrin receptors, which are highly expressed by cancer cells, can be used to enhance the effectiveness of gene therapy for cancer. In this study, we examined the efficacy of p53 gene therapy in human osteosarcoma (HOSM-1) cells derived from the oral cavity using a cationic liposome supplemented with transferrin. HOSM-1 cells were exposed to transferrin-liposome-p53 in vitro, and the growth inhibition rate, expression of p53 and bax, and induction of apoptosis were measured 48 hours later.