title: Silencing of Rac3 inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis of human lung cancer cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rac3, a member of the Rac family of small guanosine triphosphatases (GTPases), regulates a variety of cell functions, including the organization of the cytoskeleton, cell migration, and invasion. Overexpression of Rac3 has been reported in several human cancers. However, the role of Rac3 in lung cancer (LC) has not been determined in detail. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of silencing of Rac3 expression in human LC cells and the consequences for cell survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lentivirus small hairpin RNA (shRNA) interference techniques were utilized to knock down the Rac3 gene. Gene and protein expression was quantified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting. LC cell apoptosis was examined by annexin V-APC /propidium iodide staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Efficient silencing of Rac3 strongly inhibited A549 cell proliferation and colony formation ability, and significantly decreased tumor growth. Moreover, flow cytometry analysis showed that knockdown of Rac3 led to G2/M phase cell cycle arrest as well as an excess accumulation of cells in the G1 and S phase.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thus, functional analysis using shRNAs revealed a critical role for Rac3 in the tumor growth of LC cells. shRNA silencing of Rac3 could provide an effective strategy to treat LC.
authors: Department of Thoracic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, China E-mail : 237267352@qq.com.
authors: Tie-Qin
authors: TQ
authors: Liu
authors: Ge-Bang
authors: GB
authors: Wang
authors: Zheng-Jun
authors: ZJ
authors: Li
authors: Xiang-Dong
authors: XD
authors: Tong
authors: Hong-Xu
authors: HX
authors: Liu
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000235:genetics; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000235:genetics*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016086:Lentivirus / Q000235:genetics; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics; D020744:rac GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C411563:RAC3 protein, human; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D020744:rac GTP-Binding Proteins