Impact of infection with recombinant adenovirus carrying melittin gene on CD54 expression in HepG2 cells.

OBJECTIVE

To observe the effects of melittin gene transfection on the biological behavior of hepatocarcinoma cells.

METHODS

Melittin gene was recombined into a shuttle plasmid under the control by alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) transcription regulatory element (rAFP), and the gene of interest was then recombined into an adenoviral backbone plasmid through a simplified efficient bacterial homologous recombination system. The recombinant adenoviral plasmids were subsequently linearized with Pac I and transfected into 293 cells mediated by lipofectin to generate the desired recombinant adenoviruses. After infections of the hepatocarcinoma cells with the resultant viruses carrying melittin gene was achieved, melittin gene transcription was verified by way of RT-PCR, and CD54 expression was measured by flow cytometry.

RESULTS

Recombinant adenoviral vectors containing melittin gene were successfully constructed, and melittin gene transcription was approved by RT-PCR. Flow cytometry results showed that melittin gene transfection inhibited CD54 expression in the hepatocarcinoma cells.

CONCLUSION

Melittin gene transfection may result in changes of the biological behavior of hepatocarcinoma cells, thus decreasing the malignancy of the tumor cells.