Biomaterial Database

Neural differentiation of glioblastoma cell lines via a herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase/ganciclovir system driven by a glial fibrillary acidic protein promoter. 2021

Elizabeth Wei-Chia Luo, and Meng-Lin Liao, and Chung-Liang Chien

Graduate Institute of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.

Glioblastoma is a malignant brain tumor with poor prognosis that rapidly acquires resistance to available clinical treatments. The herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase/ganciclovir (HSVtk/GCV) system produces the selective elimination of HSVtk-positive cells and is a candidate for preclinical testing against glioblastoma via its ability to regulate proliferation and differentiation. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to establish a plasmid encoding the HSVtk/GCV system driven by a glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) promoter and verify its possibility of neural differentiation of glioblastoma cell line under the GCV challenge. Four stable clones-N2A-pCMV-HSVtk, N2A-pGFAP-HSVtk, U251-pCMV-HSVtk, and U251-pGFAP-HSVtk-were established from neuronal N2A and glioblastoma U251 cell lines. In vitro GCV sensitivity was assessed by MTT assay for monitoring time- and dosage-dependent cytotoxicity. The capability for neural differentiation in stable glioblastoma clones during GCV treatment was assessed by performing immunocytochemistry for nestin, GFAP, and βIII-tubulin. Under GFAP promoter control, the U251 stable clone exhibited GCV sensitivity, while the neuronal N2A clones were nonreactive. During GCV treatment, cells underwent apoptosis on day 3 and dying cells were identified after day 5. Nestin was increasingly expressed in surviving cells, indicating that the population of neural stem-like cells was enriched. Lower levels of GFAP expression were detected in surviving cells. Furthermore, βIII-tubulin-positive neuron-like cells were identified after GCV treatment. This study established pGFAP-HSVtk-P2A-EGFP plasmids that successfully ablated GFAP-positive glioblastoma cells, but left neuronal N2A cells intact. These data suggest that the neural differentiation of glioblastoma cells can be promoted by treatment with the HSVtk/GCV system.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009363	Neoplasm Proteins	Proteins whose abnormal expression (gain or loss) are associated with the development, growth, or progression of NEOPLASMS. Some neoplasm proteins are tumor antigens (ANTIGENS, NEOPLASM), i.e. they induce an immune reaction to their tumor. Many neoplasm proteins have been characterized and are used as tumor markers (BIOMARKERS, TUMOR) when they are detectable in cells and body fluids as monitors for the presence or growth of tumors. Abnormal expression of ONCOGENE PROTEINS is involved in neoplastic transformation, whereas the loss of expression of TUMOR SUPPRESSOR PROTEINS is involved with the loss of growth control and progression of the neoplasm.	Proteins, Neoplasm
D002454	Cell Differentiation	Progressive restriction of the developmental potential and increasing specialization of function that leads to the formation of specialized cells, tissues, and organs.	Differentiation, Cell,Cell Differentiations,Differentiations, Cell
D004305	Dose-Response Relationship, Drug	The relationship between the dose of an administered drug and the response of the organism to the drug.	Dose Response Relationship, Drug,Dose-Response Relationships, Drug,Drug Dose-Response Relationship,Drug Dose-Response Relationships,Relationship, Drug Dose-Response,Relationships, Drug Dose-Response
D005904	Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein	An intermediate filament protein found only in glial cells or cells of glial origin. MW 51,000.	Glial Intermediate Filament Protein,Astroprotein,GFA-Protein,Glial Fibrillary Acid Protein,GFA Protein
D005909	Glioblastoma	A malignant form of astrocytoma histologically characterized by pleomorphism of cells, nuclear atypia, microhemorrhage, and necrosis. They may arise in any region of the central nervous system, with a predilection for the cerebral hemispheres, basal ganglia, and commissural pathways. Clinical presentation most frequently occurs in the fifth or sixth decade of life with focal neurologic signs or seizures.	Astrocytoma, Grade IV,Giant Cell Glioblastoma,Glioblastoma Multiforme,Astrocytomas, Grade IV,Giant Cell Glioblastomas,Glioblastoma, Giant Cell,Glioblastomas,Glioblastomas, Giant Cell,Grade IV Astrocytoma,Grade IV Astrocytomas
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013937	Thymidine Kinase	An enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of ATP and thymidine to ADP and thymidine 5'-phosphate. Deoxyuridine can also act as an acceptor and dGTP as a donor. (From Enzyme Nomenclature, 1992) EC 2.7.1.21.	Deoxythymidine Kinase,Deoxypyrimidine Kinase,Kinase, Deoxypyrimidine,Kinase, Deoxythymidine,Kinase, Thymidine
D014764	Viral Proteins	Proteins found in any species of virus.	Gene Products, Viral,Viral Gene Products,Viral Gene Proteins,Viral Protein,Protein, Viral,Proteins, Viral
D015774	Ganciclovir	An ACYCLOVIR analog that is a potent inhibitor of the Herpesvirus family including cytomegalovirus. Ganciclovir is used to treat complications from AIDS-associated cytomegalovirus infections.	BIOLF-62,BW-759,Cytovene,Ganciclovir Sodium,Ganciclovir, Monosodium Salt,Gancyclovir,RS-21592
D045744	Cell Line, Tumor	A cell line derived from cultured tumor cells.	Tumor Cell Line,Cell Lines, Tumor,Line, Tumor Cell,Lines, Tumor Cell,Tumor Cell Lines