title: Small interfering RNA-mediated down-regulation of SPAG9 inhibits cervical tumor growth.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The expression of the SPAG9 is associated with various human malignancies. Earlier work revealed a significant association of SPAG9 expression with the early spread of cervical cancer, making it an attractive therapeutic target. Here, the authors investigated the role of SPAG9 in carcinogenesis of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the cervix. Furthermore, they sought to determine whether ablation of SPAG9 expression reduces the tumor growth of cervical SCC in vivo.
  
  
  METHODS
  A plasmid-based small interfering RNA approach was used to specifically knock down the expression of SPAG9 in SiHa cells derived from SCC of the cervix in vitro and in vivo. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescence staining, flow cytometry, cellular growth, colony formation, migration, invasion, and wound healing assays were studied to characterize SPAG9 in vitro. Furthermore, a cervical cancer xenograft model in nude mice was established to investigate whether knockdown of SPAG9 reduces the tumor growth of cervical SCC in vivo.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results demonstrated that silencing the SPAG9 by small interfering RNA resulted in inhibition of cell growth, colony formation, migration, and invasion. The authors showed for the first time that the knockdown of SPAG9 expression by small interfering RNA significantly suppressed the tumor growth of cervical SCC in vivo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that SPAG9 expression may play a pivotal role in tumor growth and could contribute to the early spread of cervical cancer. Small interfering RNA-mediated down-regulation of SPAG9 represents a promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of cervical cancer.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Microarray, Genes and Proteins Laboratory, National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: Manoj
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garg
authors.forename: Deepika
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kanojia
authors.forename: Sushma
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suri
authors.forename: Anil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suri
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000517:prevention & control; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; C111047:SPAG9 protein, human