The Influence of Recombinant Interferon α2b Synthesized in Plants on the Reparative Enzyme MGMT Expression in Human Somatic Cells in vitro

Abstract

We investigated the influence of transgene interferon α2β synthesized in plants on human repair enzyme O⁶-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) in both cancer and non-cancer originated cells. Using Western-blot analysis we determined MGMT quantity in cancer-originated Hеp-2 cells (epidermoid carcinoma of the larynx) and non-cancer E8 ones (derived in our laboratory from germline cells) were treated with purified transgene interferon α2β in serum-free medium. Interferon α2β caused decrease of the MGMT protein amount in the cancer-originated Hеp-2 cells at all treated concentrations (2, 20, 200, 2000 IU/mL) relative to the control. In human non-cancer originated E8 cells we revealed a decrease in MGMT levels at the both highest concentrations: 200 and 2000 IU/mL, although only at 200 IU/mL the downregulation effect was statistically significant. Thus, the transgenic interferon inhibitory effect was more noticeable in the cancer-originated cells compared to the non-cancer ones.