[siRNA targeted against survivin induces apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of a sequence-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) in suppressing survivin expression and cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis of PC-2 cells.


METHODS
The plasmid expression vector of siRNA targeted against survivin was constructed and transfected into PC-2 cells with Lipofectamine 2000. The changes of survivin expression were detected by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemical SP methods. The effect of siRNA in suppressing the proliferation of PC-2 cells was detected by MTT assay, and its role in inducing PC-2 cell apoptosis evaluated by flow cytometry.


RESULTS
The sequence-specific siRNA effectively suppressed survivin expression at both mRNA and protein levels with inhibition rate of 81.25% at mRNA level and 74.24% at protein level. Survivin expression suppression significantly inhibited the proliferation of PC-2 cells, and at 24 and 48 h after cell seeding, the proliferation inhibition rate was 28.00% and 33.38% respectively; 24, 48 h after the transfection, apoptosis occurred in 8.46% and 7.53% of the cells, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The plasmid expression vector for the siRNA against survivin constructed in the study can effectively and specifically suppress survivin expression in PC-2 cells, and blocking survivin expression suppresses PC-2 cell proliferation and induces cell apoptosis. siRNA targeted against survivin has a potential value in gene therapy for pancreatic cancer.
Guan
Hai-tao
HT
Department of Oncologic Surgery, Second Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710004, China.
Xue
Xing-huan
XH
Wang
Xi-jing
XJ
Li
Ang
A
Qin
Zhao-yin
ZY
D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D034622:RNA Interference; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics*; D000077022:Survivin; D014162:Transfection
C107489:BIRC5 protein, human; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D000077022:Survivin