Complete inhibition of in vivo glioma growth by oncostatin M

We describe here the oncostatin M (OSM)-dependent inhibition of in vivo tum our formation after intracerebral inoculation of glioblastoma cells in mice . We generated human glioblastoma cells transfected with the OSM gene under the control of a tetracycline-response promoter. Upon removal of tetracycl ine from the medium, cells exhibited a differentiated cell morphology, whil e proliferation was significantly inhibited. After implantation of these ce lls into nude mice brains, large tumours developed in animals lacking OSM e xpression, whereas no tumour formation was observed in mice with induced OS M expression. Our results suggest that OSM exerts pronounced antitumorigeni c effects on glioblastoma cells in vivo and provide arguments for a therape utic application of OSM in humans.