Growth inhibition of human glioma cells modulated by retrovirus gene transfection with antisense IL-8.

The human glioma cell line, NP-1, expresses IL-8 mRNA and constitutively secretes IL-8 protein. Administration of recombinant IL-8 increased the proliferation of NP-1 cells in a dose-dependent manner. In the presence of anti-IL-8 antiserum, the IL-8 mediated proliferation of NP-1 cell growth was inhibited. Further, NP-1 cell growth was inhibited by transfection of retroviral constructs encoding antisense IL-8 both in vitro and in vivo models. These results suggest that antisense IL-8 gene therapy could be beneficial in gliomas where autocrine stimulation by IL-8 is implicated.