[MTHFR gene silencing affects mouse embryonic palatal mesenchymal cell proliferation and apoptosis].
OBJECTIVE
RNA interference (RNAi) was applied to knock down MTHFR in mouse embryonic palatal mesenchymal (EPM) cells,in order to understand the role of MTHFR gene variants in pathogenesis of non-syndromic cleft lip and palate(NCLP).


METHODS
The primary cultures of EPM cells were transfected into construction of MTHFR ShRNA expression vector, the effects of MTHFR gene silencing on the proliferation of MEPM cells were measured with an MTT assay and cell apoptosis assay by FCM. The results of the experiment were analyzed using SPSS software package. ANOVA was used to analyze the cell proliferation and U test was used to detect the apoptosis rate.


RESULTS
The results showed the cells of MTHFR gene silencing grew more slowly than the cells of control group. MTHFR gene silencing resulted in significant reduction in cell proliferation rate (P<0.001) and a significant increase in apoptotic cell number (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that MTHFR gene silencing effect EPM cell proliferation and cell apoptosis in the state of both MTHFR gene variants and insufficient folic acid supplement. It may be the pathologic basis for the correlation between MTHFR gene mutation and NCLP.
Xiao
Wen-lin
WL
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Medical School of Qingdao University, Qingdao 266003, Shandong Province, China. wenlinxiao@sina.com.cn
Shi
Bing
B
Zheng
Qian
Q
Zheng
Qian
Q
Wang
Yan
Y
Huang
Lei
L
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D020868:Gene Silencing; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells; D051379:Mice; D010159:Palate; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D014162:Transfection
D034741:RNA, Small Interfering