title: Lentivirus-mediated gene silencing of beta-catenin inhibits growth of human tongue cancer cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Beta-catenin is one of the key components of Wnt signaling pathway. Increased level of this protein has been proved to be associated with enhanced cellular proliferation and the development of many kinds of cancers. But its role in the carcinogenesis in human tongue squamous cell carcinoma, one of the most common carcinomas of the human oral cavity, remains poorly characterized.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, we used lentivirus-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) targeted against beta-catenin to determine the effects of decreasing the high constitutive level of this protein in human tongue carcinoma cell line Tca8113.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our studies demonstrated that RNAi directly against beta-catenin markedly decreased beta-catenin gene expression and inhibited cellular proliferation as reflected in the reduced growth of tongue cancer cells both in vitro and in nude mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RNA interference (RNAi) targeting against beta-catenin can induce cell growth suppression of tongue cancer and may have the potential as a therapeutic modality to treat human tongue cancer.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST), School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Mingwen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D020868:Gene Silencing; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006801:Humans; D016086:Lentivirus; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental; D034622:RNA Interference; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D051176:beta Catenin