Vaccinia virus-mediated expression of wild-type p53 suppresses glioma cellgrowth and induces apoptosis

The use of vaccinia virus vectors for cancer gene therapy may become a powe rful method to achieve efficient anti-tumor effects. We used recombinant va ccinia virus expressing wild-type p53 (rVV-p53) to examine the biological e ffects of exogenous tumor suppressor p53 in human (U-373MG, U-87MG, LN-Z308 ) and rat glioma cells (9L, CG) in vitro. All glioma cell lilies infected w ith rVV-p53 exhibited growth inhibition and underwent apoptosis as demonstr ated by morphological studies using nuclear staining and now cytometry. The key role of p53 in cell growth inhibition was confirmed as measured by col ony forming efficiency. Growth inhibition and apoptosis were independent of the endogenous p53 status of the glioma cell lines.