Impact of parvovirus H‐1 infection on the expression of genes related to the MAPK signaling pathway in gastric cancer cells

OBJECTIVE:  To investigate the cell cytotoxicity induced by the antineoplastic parvovirus H-1 in gastric carcinoma cells. METHODS:  The cytotoxicity of the H-1 virus in the gastric cancer cell strain HGC27 was measured by MTT test and FACS analysis. The mRNA expressions of genes related to the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling transduction pathway were measured by RT-PCR in HGC27 cells infected by the H-1 virus. RESULTS:  HGC27 cells were sensitive to the cytotoxicity of the H-1 virus, although the cell cycle distribution was not significantly changed. The RT-PCR results showed that 48 h after H-1 virus infection of HGC27 cells the expression of creb was increased and that of erk1, stat2, p38-γ, mek2, B-raf and mtk1 was remarkably decreased. However, the expression of each of jnk2, ets and erk2 was unchanged. CONCLUSIONS:  The mechanism of the cytotoxic effect of parvovirus H-1 in HGC27 cells might be interference with specific cellular signaling trans­duction pathways, which would induce cell death. A modified and reconstructed parvovirus H-1 could be a very useful tool for antitumor biochemical therapy.