Numerical simulation of avascular tumor growth based on p27 gene regulation

A multi-scale continuous-discrete model based on the effects of the p27 gene control is built to simulate the avascular tumor growth. At the tissue level, the continuous Eulerian model is adopted to determine the distribution of the concentration of oxygen, the extracellular matrix （ECM）, and the matrix-degradative enzyme （MDE）. At the cellular level, the discrete Lagrangien model is adopted to determine the movement, the proliferation, and the death of single tumor cells （TCs）. At the genetic level, whether a cell is committed to mitosis is determined by solving a set of equations modeling the effects of the p27 gene control. The avascular morphological evolution of the solid tumor growth is simulated, including the radius the oxygen distribution over time, and the expression. of the solid tumor, the number of the TCs, inhibiting effect＇ of the up-regulating p27 gene

Effect of p27 Gene Combined with Pientzehuang (片仔癀) on Tumor Growth in Osteosarcoma-Bearing Nude Mice

Objective： To observe the effect of p27 gene recombinant adenovirus combined with Chinese medicine Pientzehuang （片仔癀） on the growth of xenografted human osteosarcoma in nude mice. Methods： Tissue transplantation was used to construct the orthotopic model of human osteosarcoma Saos-2 cell in nude mice. Thirty tumor-bearing nude mice were randomly divided into 5 groups with 6 mice in each group： blank control group （model of osteosarcoma）, empty vector group （recombinant adeno-associated virus-multiple cloning site）, Pientzehuang group, p27 gene group and combined treatment group （p27 gene combined with Pientzehuang）. The effect of combined treatment on human osteosarcoma was analyzed through the tumor formation, tumor volume and inhibition rate of tumor growth. The expression of p27 was measured by immunohistochemical staining and Western blot. Results： The orthotopic model of osteosarcoma in nude mice was successfully constructed. The general appearance of tumor-bearing nude mice in Pientzehuang and p27 gene groups was markedly improved compared with the blank control group; and in the combined treatment group it was significantly improved compared with the Pientzehuang and p27 gene groups. The tumor growth in the Pientzehuang and p27 gene groups was significantly inhibited compared with the blank control group （P〈0.05）; while in the combined treatment group it was markedly inhibited compared with the Pientzehuang and p27 gene groups （P〈0.05）. The rates of tumor growth inhibition were 34.1%, 56.5% and 63.8% in the Pientzehuang, p27 gene and combined treatment groups, respectively. Meanwhile, the protein expression of p27 gene in the p27 gene group was significantly increased compared with the blank control group （P〈0.05）; and it was significantly increased in the combined treatment group compared with the p27 gene and Pientzehuang groups （P〈0.05）. Conclusion： p27 gene introduced by adenovirus combined with Pientzehuang can inhibit the growth of human osteosarcoma cell Saos-2 in nude mice.

Effect of adenovirus-mediated p27 gene expression on the proliferation and apoptosis of HL-60 and Raji cell lines

Background p27 is an essential mediator of cell cycle control,which plays a key negative role in the proliferation and tumorigenesis of certain cell types. Here, we designed this study to explore the possible effects of p27 on the proliferation and apoptosis of HL-60 and Raji cell lines.Methods HL-60 and Raji cells were transfected with p27 via an adenovirus-mediated approach. The efficiency of Adp27 infection and the expression of p27 mRNA and protein were evaluated by X-gal staining, RT-PCR, and flow cytometry. The proliferation and apoptosis of HL-60 and Raji cells were estimated by means of trypan blue staining, MTT assay, Annexin V/PI, and DNA ladder electrophoresis. Results The infection efficiencies in HL-60 and Raji cells were 40.3% and 32.0%, respectively. RT-PCR and flow cytometry showed that there was significant expression of p27 mRNA and protein in HL-60 and Raji cells infected with Adp27; on the other hand, uninfected HL-60 cells showed faint traces of p27 mRNA and protein and Raji cells showed nearly no signs of p27 mRNA and protein. As demonstrated by a cell growth curve and by an MTT assay, strong time-dependent proliferation inhibition was apparent in HL-60 and Raji cells infected by Adp27. After 72 hours of infection, the Annexin V+/PI- apoptotic cell rates in HL-60 and Raji cell lines were 46.9% and 35.7%, respectively, significantly higher than in the control groups (4.7% and 5.6%, respectively). Typical DNA ladder bands were detectable in HL-60 and Raji cells after 48 hours of Adp27 infection. Conclusions Adenoviral vector-mediated p27 gene transfection of HL-60 and Raji cells leads to the inhibition of cellular proliferation and the promotion of cell apoptosis. This technique may provide an approach to gene therapy for leukemia or lymphoma.