title: [A pleiotrophin-specific siRNA and its effect on PTEN-/- MEF241 cells].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pleiotrophin (Ptn), a secretive growth/differentiation factor, has diverse functions involved in cell activities, including adhesion, migration, survival, growth, and differentiation. Ptn has been suggested to be a potential target for the treatment of several types of cancer. Studies have showed that rRibozyme targeting Ptn suppresses the growth, angiogenesis, and metastasis of melanoma and pancreatic cancer cells. This study was to produce a small interfering RNA (siRNA) to inhibit Ptn expression.
  
  
  METHODS
  A group of double strand oligonucleotide fragments were synthesized and cloned into pSilencer 3.1-H1 hygro vector. siRNA-expressing vectors were transiently transfected into 3T3 cells to observe the inhibitory effects of different siRNAs on Ptn expression. Lipofectamine 2000 transfection and hygromycin B screening were used to establish PTEN-/- MEF241 cell line which could stably express silenced Ptn. The expression of Ptn was measured by Northern blot. Cell proliferation was measured. Tumorigenecity in nude mice was also measured to test if silencing the expression of Ptn can change the malignant phenotypes of PTEN-/- MEF241 cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three Ptn-specific siRNAs were designed and cloned into pSilencer 3.1-H1 hygro vector. One of them, PTEN siRNA-B, was proven to be able to effectively inhibit Ptn gene expression in PTEN-/- MEF241 cells; the inhibition rate was over 95%. The growth of PTEN-/- MEF241 cell clones was significantly slowed. Moreover, inhibiting the expression of Ptn by siRNA suppressed tumor growth and prolonged tumorigenesis duration in PTEN-/- MEF241 cell-grafted nude mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ptn-specific siRNA could inhibit the proliferation of PTEN-/- MEF241 cells and inhibit tumorigenesis, therefore, may be a potential target of antitumor gene therapy.
authors.affiliation: Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, 100850, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Ying-Chun
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Min-Li
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yan-Ying
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Huo
authors.forename: De-Chang
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D015197:Carcinogenicity Tests; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008819:Mice, Nude; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D016207:Cytokines; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; C066845:pleiotrophin; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase; C494929:PTEN protein, human