Effects of RNA interference targeting four different genes on the growth and proliferation of nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE-2Z cells

Abstract

To explore the effects of RNA interference targeting four different genes (VEGF, C-myc, Survivin, hTERT) on the growth and proliferation of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) CNE-2Z cells. Fluorescein-labeled short-hairpin (sh)RNA plasmids together and separately targeting VEGF, C-myc, Survivin and hTERT were built and respectively called plasmid-shVEGF-shC-myc-shSurvivin-shhTERT, plasmid-shVEGF, plasmid-shC-myc, plasmid-shSurvivin, plasmid-shhTERT. These plasmids were respectively transfected into human NPC CNE-2Z cells and xenograft tumors in nude mice. The expression of plasmids in NPC CNE-2Z cells and xenograft tumors was observed. Cell proliferation was detected with MTT assay. The mRNA and protein expression were determined by real-time PCR and western blot, respectively. The effects of plasmids on the biological behavior of CNE-2Z cells were observed with transwell invision chamber models. Apoptosis was determined with flow cytometer. The inhibitory effect of plasmids on xenograft tumors was observed in nude mice. The plasmid containing four different shRNAs could significantly inhibit CNE-2Z cell proliferation and decrease invasion ability in vitro compared with plasmids with each single shRNA (P<0.05). The plasmid containing four different shRNAs could simultaneously downregulate VEGF, C-myc, surviving, hTERT mRNA and protein expression in the CNE-2Z cells. The multiple gene shRNA could more significantly induce cell apoptosis than each single shRNA, respectively (P<0.05). The combinative silencing of these four genes had a better inhibitory effect on xenograft tumors than the silencing of each single shRNA (P<0.05). RNA interference targeting multiple genes can effectively inhibit NPC proliferation and induce apoptosis, which provides an experiment basis for NPC gene therapy.