In order to analyse the functional importance of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) in the prolliferation of human medulloblastoma cells, antisense LIF oligonucleotides were used to block LIF gene expression in established medulloblastoma cell line Med-3. The effects of this measure on Med-3 cells were then investigated by using different approaches. The results revealed that LIF expression in the cells treated by antisense LIF reduced below the threshold being detectable with RT-CPR and anti-LIF immunocytochemistry also showed a negative lebelling. Meanwhile, proliferation rate of antisense treated cells decreased distinctively. In contrast, the LIF gene expression as well as proliferation of Med-3 cells treated by sense oligonucleotides remained similar as that of the normally cultured cells. The data suggest a LIF oriented gene/immune trial for the therapy of medulloblastomas and other LIF growth-associated tumors of humans.
Adolescent Brain Neoplasms