title: Down-regulation of survivin expression by small interfering RNA induces pancreatic cancer cell apoptosis and enhances its radiosensitivity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the inhibitory effect of small interfering RNA (siRNA) on the expression of survivin in pancreatic cancer cell line PC-2 and the role of siRNA in inducing PC-2 cell apoptosis and enhancing its radiosensitivity.
  
  
  METHODS
  A siRNA plasmid expression vector against survivin was constructed and transfected into PC-2 cells with Lipofectamine 2000. The down regulation of survivin expression was detected by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemical SP method and the role of siRNA in inducing PC-2 cell apoptosis and enhancing its radiosensitivity was detected by flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sequence-specific siRNA efficiently and specifically down-regulated the expression of survivin at both mRNA and protein levels. The expression inhibition ratio was 81.25% at mRNA level detected by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and 74.24% at protein level detected by immunohistochemical method. Forty-eight hours after transfection,apoptosis was induced in 7.03% cells by siRNA and in 14.58% cells by siRNA combined with radiation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The siRNA plasmid expression vector against survivin can inhibit the expression of survivin in PC-2 cells efficiently and specifically. Inhibiting the expression of survivin can induce apoptosis of PC-2 cells and enhance its radiosensitivity significantly. RNAi against survivin is of potential value in gene therapy of pancreatic cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncosurgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University Medical College, 157 West 5th Road, Xi'an 710004, Shaanxi Province, China. guanhaitao@csco.org.cn
authors.forename: Hai-Tao
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Xing-Huan
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Zhi-Jun
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Xi-Jing
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ang
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhao-Yin
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Qin
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D015316:Genetic Therapy; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D010957:Plasmids; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011836:Radiation Tolerance / Q000502:physiology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000077022:Survivin; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: 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