Downregulation of survivin by RNAi inhibits growth of human gastric carcinoma cells.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the inhibitory effect of a specific small survivin interfering RNA (siRNA) on cell proliferation and the expression of survivin in human gastric carcinoma cell line SGC-7901.


METHODS
To knockdown survivin expression, a small interfering RNA targeting against survivin was synthesized and transfected into SGC-7901 cells with lipofectamine 2000. The downregulation of survivin expression at both mRNA and protein levels were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis. Cell proliferation inhibition rates were determined by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay. The effect of survivin siRNA on cell cycle distribution and cell apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry (FCM).


RESULTS
RNA interference could efficiently suppress the survivin expression in SGC-7901 cells. At 48 h after transfection, the expression inhibition rate was 44.52% at mRNA level detected by RT-PCR and 40.17% at protein level by Western blot analysis. Downregulation of survivin resulted in significant inhibition of tumor cell growth in vitro. The cell proliferation inhibition rates at 24, 48 and 72 h after survivin siRNA and non-silencing siRNA transfection, were 34.06%, 47.61% and 40.36%, respectively. The apoptosis rate was 3.56% and the number of cells was increased in G(0)/G(1) phase from 38.2% to 88.6%, and decreased in S and G(2)/M phase at 48 h after transfection.


CONCLUSIONS
Downregulation of survivin results in significant inhibition of tumor growth in vitro. The inhibition of survivin expression can induce apoptosis of SGC-7901 cells. The use of survivin siRNA deserves further investigation as a novel approach to cancer therapy.
Miao
Guo-Ying
GY
Department of Digestion, The People's Hospital of Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu Province, China. mguoying@tom.com
Lu
Qi-Ming
QM
Zhang
Xiu-Lan
XL
D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000077022:Survivin
C107489:BIRC5 protein, human; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D000077022:Survivin