Inhibition of rat hepatocellular carcinoma tumor growth after multiple infusions of recombinant Ad.AFPtk followed by ganciclovir treatment.

Background/aims: The antitumor efficiency of thymidine kinase (tk) in Herpes Simplex virus-tk-based gene therapy of rat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was examined by specific transcriptional targeting of tk to tumor cells by the alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) gene promoter and by multiple infusions of recombinant adenovirus Ad.AFPtk.

Methods: We developed a surgical procedure that allows efficient, non-invasive delivery (during 2 months) of recombinant Ad via the intra-hepatic artery (IHA) route.