title: Reduced USP39 expression inhibits malignant proliferation of medullary thyroid carcinoma in vitro.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) constitutes approximately 5 % of all thyroid cancers and carries a worse prognosis than other differentiated thyroid cancers. Targeted therapies are being investigated for systemic treatment of MTC. Ubiquitin-specific peptidase 39 (USP39) functions in pre-mRNA splicing as a component of the U4/U6-U5 tri-snRNP and also participates in spindle checkpoint and cytokinesis. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the potential role in MTC.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used lentivirus-delivered short hairpin RNA (shRNA) to silence USP39 expression in one MTC cell line TT. USP39 expression was detected by qPCR and Western blot. For functional analysis, MTT assay was performed to evaluate the proliferation activity, and FACS was used to assess the cell distribution in the cell cycle. Moreover, the expressions of cell cycle-related proteins were examined by Western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both two shRNA sequences against USP39 could efficiently reduce its expression in TT cells. Knockdown of USP39 significantly decreased cell proliferation and caused cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase. Moreover, G2/M phase-associated proteins, Cyclin B1 and CDK1, were obviously down-regulated in TT cells after USP39 silencing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Therefore, knockdown of USP39 is likely to provide a novel alternative to targeted therapy of MTC and deserves further investigation.
authors: Department of Head & Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 6W of No.3 Building, No.270 DongAn Road, Shanghai, 200223, China.
authors: Yong
authors: Y
authors: An
authors: Department of Head & Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 6W of No.3 Building, No.270 DongAn Road, Shanghai, 200223, China.
authors: Shuwen
authors: S
authors: Yang
authors: Department of Head & Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 6W of No.3 Building, No.270 DongAn Road, Shanghai, 200223, China.
authors: Kai
authors: K
authors: Guo
authors: Department of Head & Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 6W of No.3 Building, No.270 DongAn Road, Shanghai, 200223, China.
authors: Ben
authors: B
authors: Ma
authors: Department of Head & Neck Surgery, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, 6W of No.3 Building, No.270 DongAn Road, Shanghai, 200223, China. yuwang_dr@163.com.
authors: Yu
authors: Y
authors: Wang