Changes of biophysical behavior of k562 cells for p16 gene transfer.

p16 gene was transferred into human erythroleukemia cell line K562 that had been subjected to p16 deletion. The changes of biophysical behavior of K562 cells after gene transfer were studied with the micropipette technique. The micropipette data were analyzed with a standard solid viscoelastic model. In comparison to untransfected control K562 cells and the cells transfected with an empty vector, the p16-transfected K562 cells showed an increase in the elastic element K(1), which is inversely proportional to the maximum deformation over a long period of time, whereas the viscous element mu and the other elastic element K(2) showed no significant difference. The results indicate that K562 cells became more rigid after p16 transfer. The p16-transfected K562 cells also had a higher surface charge density. This study contributes to our knowledge about the suppression effect of p16 gene on tumor cell migration and about its use in gene therapy.