title: Downregulation of Ezh2 expression by RNA interference induces cell cycle             arrest in the G0/G1 phase and apoptosis in U87 human glioma cells.
abstract: The Ezh2 gene is an important member of the polycomb-group (PcG) family.             As a newly identified oncogene, the expression of Ezh2 has been shown to be significantly             increased in prostate cancer, breast cancer, renal cell carcinoma and hepatic             cancer; however, a role for Ezh2 in the occurrence of glioma has not yet been             reported. In this study, we found that the Ezh2 gene is highly expressed in U87             human glioma cells. Using RNA interference, we demonstrated that the downregulation             of Ezh2 expression in U87 human glioma cells resulted in apoptosis and a cell             cycle arrest in the G0/G1 phase. In addition, we found that silencing of the Ezh2             gene altered the mitochondrial membrane potential and promoted the release of             cytochrome c from the mitochondria. Furthermore, the reduced expression of Ezh2             altered the Bax and Bcl-2 protein levels and led to the activation of caspase             9 and 3. These results indicate that the apoptosis induced in U87 human glioma             cells by the silencing of the Ezh2 gene is related to the mitochondrial pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Inner Mongolia People's Hospital, Hohhot, PR China.
authors.forename: Ruijian
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ruijun
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Chuntao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Dongfeng
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Wenhai
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D053453:Caspase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015536:Down-Regulation; D000071221:Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 Protein; D059585:G1 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000235:genetics*; D005910:Glioma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D063151:Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D050998:bcl-2 Homologous Antagonist-Killer Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D050998:bcl-2 Homologous Antagonist-Killer Protein; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D045304:Cytochromes c; C498409:EZH2 protein, human; D000071221:Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 Protein; D063151:Polycomb Repressive Complex 2; D053148:Caspase 3; D053453:Caspase 9