title: Interference of Notch 2 inhibits the progression of gliomas and induces cell apoptosis by induction of the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase.
abstract: Glioblastoma is the most common type of malignant brain tumor with a poor prognosis. The Notch signaling pathway is often aberrantly activated in glioma cells. In order to determine the expression of Notch 2 and to evaluate its possible prognostic value in malignant glioblastoma, specimens from 32 patients and 20 controls were analyzed using immunohistochemical staining and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The expression of Notch 2 in the glioma tissues was significantly higher compared with that in the normal brain tissues (P<0.01). Subsequently, endogenous Notch 2 interference was effectively performed by specific small hairpin (sh)RNA in the glioma cancer cell line U251. The results from an MTT assay and from Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide staining indicated that interference of Notch 2 significantly inhibited the proliferation and induced the apoptosis of U251 cells. In addition, the cell cycle was analyzed using flow cytometry and the results revealed that Notch 2 shRNA induced cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase in U251 cells. Additionally, proteins associated with the cell cycle and cell proliferation were detected using western blot analysis. The data demonstrated that the expression of P21, cyclin D and phosphorylated retinoblastoma was significantly inhibited in the Notch 2 shRNA-transfected U251 cells. The results of the present study provide further insights into the effects of Notch 2 and a molecular reference for brain tumor therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hui-Ping
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Song-Tao
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wen-Feng
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510515, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Guo-Zhong
authors.initials: GZ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The First Hospital of Quanzhou Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian 362000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: He-Ping
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The First Hospital of Quanzhou Affiliated to Fujian Medical University, Quanzhou, Fujian 362000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jin-Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Tian
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000235:genetics*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D018450:Disease Progression; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D005910:Glioma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics; D051883:Receptor, Notch2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D051883:Receptor, Notch2