AIM To explore the therapeutic potential of antisense oligodeoxynucleotides on hepatcellular cacinoma(HCC).METHODS Four antisense phosphorothioated oligodeoxynucleotides (asON), complementary to differentsites of HBV, were synthesized and assayed for their anti-HBV activity in HepG22. 2.15 cells with ELISA.The most effective asON was chosen for the following study: FACSCAN, TRAP and immuno-staining wereused respectively for checking apoptosis, telomerase activity and expression of oncogene p21ras and p62C-myc inHepG2.2.15 cells after treated by asON.RESULTS The oligomer directed against the initiator of pre-S2 was the most effective one with aninhibitory rate of 66% on HBsAg and 91% on HBeAg (P<0.02). Two inhibitory peaks (bimodal)appeared. Telomerase activity as well as the expression of p21fas and p62C-myc decreased drastically 3 days afterasON-HBpreS2 treatment. Meanwhile, apoptosis appeared in the experiments.CONCLUSION The inhibitory effects of as-preS2 on the HBV gene expression and the reversion of somemalignant behaviour in HepG2.2.15 cells were the significant, effective therapy against HBV infection andhepatocellular carcinoma.

Advances in molecular biology made possible the discovery of the virus that causes hepatitis C. However,little is known about the fundamental aspects of hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication, primarily because arobust cell culture has not been established. As a result, the currently available drugs for the treatment ofhepatitis C are not specifically directed against HCV. Based on what is known about the molecular biology ofHCV, however, drugs can now be developed against specific viral and cellular targets. The next generationof drugs for the treatment of hepatitis C will likely be directed against non-structural HCV proteins withknown enzymatic activities, such as the proteases, RNA helicase and RNA polymerase. Others agentstargeted against the viral RNA, core protein that assembles into the virion capsid and putative cellular“receptors” that bind HCV envelope proteins are also being developed. These drugs should have fewer sideeffects than those currently available and be much more effective for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C.

INTRODUCTION According to the therapeutic effect and strategy of antisense RNA for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we have specifically synthesized partial cDNA of human insulin-like growth factor Ⅱ (IGFⅡ ) and constructed IGF-Ⅱ cDNA antisense eukaryotic expression vector. The constructed vector was introduced into hepatoma cell line SMMC-7721 to block the intrinsic IGF- Ⅱexpression. The biological behavior changes of hepatoma cells were observed. All these would provide scientific basis for IGF- Ⅱ antisense RNA in the treatment of HCC.

Objective:　To explore the effect of homeobox B2 (HOXB2) antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (asodn) on the proliferation and expression of primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). 　　Methods:　Various concentrations of HOXB2 asodn modified by thiophosphate transfected the induction of liposome into HUVECs. MTT and RT-PCR methods were employed to determine the effect of different concentrations of asodn on the endothelial proliferation and the expression level of HOXB2 mRNA.　　Results:　After the transfection of HOXB2 asodn, the endothelial proliferation was inhibited in a dose-dependent fashion. Simultaneously, the expression of HOXB2 mRNA decreased significantly.　　Conclusions:　HOXB2 plays an important role in the proliferation of endothelia.