Partial reversion of transformed phenotype of B104 cancer cells by antisense nucleic acids

We used antisense RNA to inhibit the expression of oncogene neu and investigated the effects of diminished neu expression on the phenotypes of B104 cells containing activated oncogene neu. Antisense MT-neu and pSV-neo plasmids were cotransfected into neuroblastoma B104 cells. Southern analysis showed the integration of antineu DNA into B104 cells. The expression of neu was inhibited up to 90% as quantitated by immunoprecipitation. The growth rate and the potential to differentiate in these transfectants were not affected as compared to the parental cell lines. The ability to grow in soft agar was inhibited more than 90% in these transfectants. Our results indicated that antisense-RNA against a specific oncogene can decrease the tumorigenicity of tumor cells but may not be able to revert it to normal cells completely.