AIM:To obtain an efficient delivery system for transportingendostatin gene to mouse liver tumor xenografts byadministration of aerosol.METHODS:Recombinant plasmid pcDNA3.0/endostatincontaining human endostatin gene together with signalpeptide from alkaline phosphatase were transferred intohuman umbilical vein endothelial cell(HUVEC)by transferrin(TF)-liposome-endostatin complex.Western blot was usedto detect the expression of human endostatin in transfectedHUVEC cells and its medium.After the tumor-bearing micewere administrated with TF-liposome-endostatin complex,the lung tissue was analyzed by immunohistochemicalmethod for expression of endostatin and the tumors weretreated with CD-31 antibody to detect the density ofmicrovesseles in tumor tissues.The inhibition of tumorgrowth was estimated by the weight of tumors from groupstreated with different doses of TF-liposome-endostatincomplex.DNA fragmentation assay was used to detect theapoptosis of the cells from primary liver tumor.RESULTS:Western blot analysis and immunohistochemicalmethod confirmed the expression of endostatin protein invitro and in vivo.After the tumor sections were treated withCD-31 antibody,the positive reaction cells appeared brownwhile the negative cells were colorless.The positively stainedarea of the TF-liposome-endostatin treated group wassignificantly smaller(P<0.01,645.8±55.2 μm~2)than that ofthe control group(1 325.4±198.5μm~2).The data showed asignificant inhibition of angiogenesis.After administrationof TF-liposome-endostatin,comparing with the control groupadministrated with TF-liposome-pcDNA3.0,liver tumorgrowth in the mice treated with 50,250 and 500 mg DNA/kg was inhibited by 36.6 %,40.8 %,and 72.8 %,respectively(P<0.01).And a typical DNA fragmentation of apoptosis wasfound in the cells from tumor tissues of the mice treatedwith TF-liposome-endostatin but none in the control group.CONCLUSION:Endostatin gene could be efficientlytransported into the mice with TF-liposome-DNA delivery system by administration of aerosol.TF-liposome-mediatedendostatin gene therapy strongly inhibited angiogenesis andthe growth of mouse xenograft liver tumors.It also couldpromote the development of apoptosis of tumors withoutdirect influence on tumor cells. AIM: To obtain an efficient delivery system for transportingendostatin gene to mouse liver tumor xenografts by administration of aerosol. METHODS: Recombinant plasmid pcDNA3.0 / endostatincontaining human endostatin gene together with signal peptide from alkaline phosphatase were transferred intohuman umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) by transferrin (TF) -liposome-endostatin complex. Western blot was used to detect the expression of human endostatin in transfected HUVEC cells and its medium. After the tumor-bearing micewere administrated with TF-liposome-endostatin complex, the lung tissue was analyzed by immunohistochemical method for expression of endostatin and the tumors were treated with CD-31 antibody to detect the density of microvesseles in tumor tissues. the inhibition of tumorgrowth was estimated by the weight of tumors from group staged with different doses of TF-liposome-endostatin complex. DNA fragmentation assay was used to detect theapoptosis of the cells from primary liver tumor. RESUL TS: Western blot analysis and immunohistochemical method identified the expression of endostatin protein invitro and in vivo. After the tumor sections were treated with CD-31 antibody, the positive reaction cells have brown the the negative cells were colorless. The staple stained tissue of the TF-liposome- compared with that of the control group (1 325.4 ± 198.5μm ~ 2). data showed asignificant inhibition of angiogenesis. After administration of TF-liposome-endostatin, comparing with the control group administered with TF-liposome-pcDNA3.0, liver tumorgrowth in the mice treated with 50,250 and 500 mg DNA / kg was inhibited by 36.6%, 40.8%, and 72.8%, respectively (P <0.01) fragmentation of apoptosis was found in the cells from tumor tissues of the mice treated with TF-liposome-endostatin but none in the control group. CONCLUSION: Endostatin gene could be transtracted into the mice with TF-liposome-DNA deliv erysystem by administration of aerosol. TF-liposome-mediate dendostatin gene therapy strongly inhibited angiogenesis and the growth of mouse xenograft liver tumors. It also couldpromote the development of apoptosis of tumors withoutdirect influence on tumor cells.