title: [Lentivirus-mediated RNA interference suppresses APRIL expression and enhances chemosensitivity in colorectal cancer cells].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effects of lentivirus-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) targeting a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) on the chemosensitivity to 5-FU of colorectal cancer cell line LoVo.
  
  
  METHODS
  The lentiviral vector siRNA-APRIL was constructed and verified by PCR and DNA sequencing. LoVo cells were transfected with siRNA-APRIL plasmid, non-targeting siRNA plasmid, or empty plasmid. Forty-eight hours after the transfection, the cells were examined for APRIL expression using Western blot. Seventy-two hours after treatment with 10 µg/ml 5-FU, flow cytometry was used to detect the cell apoptosis and cell cycle changes. The cell growth inhibition rate following 5-FU exposure was detected by MTT assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PCR analysis and DNA sequencing demonstrated that the RNAi sequence targeting APRIL gene was successfully inserted into the lentiviral vector. siRNA-APRIL transfection resulted in obviously reduced expression of APRIL in LoVo cells. After 5-FU exposure, the apoptosis rate of siRNA-APRIL-transfected cells were increased to (21.12∓3.35)%, significantly higher than that in cells transfected with the non-targeting plasmid or the empty plasmid [(13.06∓1.92)% and (12.28∓1.79)%, respectively, P<0.01]; the cell number in G0/G1 phase increased while that in G2/M phase decreased in siRNA-APRIL-transfected cells. The growth inhibition rate in siRNA-APRIL group was (59.67∓5.03)%, significantly higher than that in the other two groups [(42.33∓4.16)% and (39.67∓4.73)%, respectively, P<0.01].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lentivirus-mediated RNAi targeting APRIL can effectively suppress the expression of APRIL in LoVo cells and enhance the chemosensitivity of the cells to 5-FU.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China. guanj530@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Ai-min
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Li-hui
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Mei-rong
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D016086:Lentivirus / Q000235:genetics*; D034622:RNA Interference; D053300:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D053300:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 13; D005472:Fluorouracil