[Induction of apoptosis in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells by adenoviral-mediated transfer of human multigenes].

Objective: To investigate the apoptosis induced by adenovirus-mediated transduction of human genes (p53, B(7-1), GM-GSF, IL-2) in liver cancer cells and the effects of tumorigenicity in nude mice.

Methods: Using light microscopy and electron microscopy and TUNEL assay, apoptosis in Ad-multigenes-transduced liver cancer cell lines was detected. The tumorigenicity of HepG(2) cells transduced with Ad-multigenes was detected.

Results: Ad-multigenes could induce apoptosis, and elevated sensitivity of human liver cancer cells to chemotherapy drugs. After cells with transduced Ad-multigenes were treated with 10mg/L cisplatin for 24 h, apoptosis was seen in nearly 30% of them. The tumorigenicity of Ad-multigenes-transduced was reduced.

Conclusion: Apoptosis induced by adenovirus-mediated multigenes acts synergetically with cisplatin in promotion of inducing apoptosis in liver cancer cell lines.