Inhibition of choriocarcinoma by Fe(3)O(4)-dextran-anti-β-human chorionic gonadotropin nanoparticles containing antisense oligodeoxynucleotide of heparanase

OBJECTIVE: To observe the influence of Fe(3)O(4)-dextran-anti-β-human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) carrying heparanase (Hpa) antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (ASODN), via the invasion, proliferation, and Hpa expression of JEG-3 cell lines and inhibitory effect of transplanted choriocarcinoma tumor growth. METHODS: The different abilities of invasion and proliferation between transfected JEG-3 and untransfected JEG-3 were measured by Matrigel invasion assay and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay in vitro. The effect of Hpa ASODN transfection on the expression of Hpa mRNA and protein was measured by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. The transplanted choriocarcinoma tumors were taken out to calculate the inhibitory effect on tumor growth of Hpa ASODN. RESULTS: In this study, we found that: (1) the invasive ability of JEG-3 cells was inhibited sufficiently (P < 0.05) after JEG-3 cells were transfected by Fe(3)O(4)-dextran-anti-βHCG carrying Hpa ASODN; (2) after JEG-3 cells were transfected by Fe(3)O(4)-dextran-anti-βHCG carrying Hpa ASODN at 48 and 72 hours, the proliferative ability of JEG-3 cells was inhibited sufficiently (P < 0.05); (3) the expression of Hpa mRNA and protein in JEG-3 cells was inhibited efficiently after JEG-3 cells were transfected by Fe(3)O(4)-dextran-anti-βHCG carrying Hpa ASODN (P < 0.05); and (4) Fe(3)O(4)-dextran-anti-βHCG carrying Hpa ASODN had an inhibitory effect on the transplanted choriocarcinoma tumor growth (P < 0.05) and was harmless on nude mice. CONCLUSION: Fe(3)O(4)-dextran-anti-βHCG carrying Hpa ASODN weakened the invasive and proliferative ability of choriocarcinoma, with a significant inhibitory effect on the transplanted choriocarcinoma tumor. Therefore, Fe(3)O(4)-dextran-anti-βHCG carrying Hpa ASODN is an effective gene therapy, and Fe(3)O(4)-dextran-anti-βHCG nanoparticles are a harmless and effective gene vector.