Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell-facilitated TRAIL expression in melanoma treatment in vitro

Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) may be useful as an efficient vehicle in cell-based gene therapy of human diseases due to their ability to migrate to disease lesions. This study investigated the ability of ADSC-harbored human tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) cDNA to facilitate TRAIL expression and induce A375 melanoma cell apoptosis as observed using a Transwell co-culture system. A cell migration assay was used to observe ADSC migration ability. In addition, TRAIL protein expression was successfully detected by western blot analysis in ADSCs after stable transfection of TRAIL cDNA. The Transwell co-culture system data showed that TRAIL-ADSCs could induce A375 cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. At the gene level, the killing activity of TRAIL-ADSCs was associated with activation of caspase-4 and caspase-8. Collectively, the data from the current study provides preclinical support of ADSC-facilitated TRAIL expression in the treatment of melanoma. Further investigation is required to evaluate and confirm the in vivo ability of TRAIL-ADSCs in therapy of melanoma in animal models.