Concurrent induction of T-cell activation and apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells by adenovirus-mediated B7-1/Fas chimeric gene transfer

To establish an effective B7-based gene therapy against osteosarcoma, we transferred B7-1/Fas chimeric gene adenovirally into poorly immunogenic osteosarcoma cells. We found that adenovirus-mediated rat B7-1/Fas gene transfer induced (i) expression of rat B7-1/Fas chimeric molecules in osteosarcoma cells, (ii) activation of murine T cells, (iii) apoptosis of murine osteosarcoma cells in the presence of anti-rat B7-1 mAb in vitro, and (iv) therapeutic effects more prominently than B7-1 gene transfer on the development of pulmonary metastasis and survival of mice. These findings collectively support the therapeutic value of adenovirus-mediated B7-1/Fas gene transfer on poorly immunogenic osteosarcoma, which is resistant to a treatment protocol using transduction of B7-1 alone.