Effect of SUV39H1 siRNA silence on apoptosis and proliferation of acute myelogenous leukemia KG-1 cell line

Abstract

This study was aimed to investigate the effects of SUV39H1 siRNA on proliferation and apoptosis of acute myelogenous leukemia KG-1 cell line. The small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting SUV39H1 gene was designed and transfected into KG-1 cells by Lipofectamine(TM) 2000. Cell growth affected by SUV39H1 siRNA was determined by MTS method. Cell apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry. The expressions of P15 and anti-apoptosis protein such as BCL-2, procaspase-9, procaspase-3 and C-MYC were detected by Western blot. The results indicated that siRNA targeting SUV39H1 inhibited proliferation of KG-1 cells. Proliferated rates were (76.43 ± 1.98)%, (51.31 ± 1.84)%, (37.31 ± 1.61)%, (18.94 ± 3.22)% respectively after transfection with SUV39H1 siRNA at 30, 60, 120, 240 nmol/L for 48 h, while P15 expression was upregulated. Apoptotic cells significantly increased, apoptotic rates were (40.2 ± 5.1)%, (56.8 ± 4.8)%, (71.6 ± 5.6)% respectively after transfection with siRNA targeting SUV39H1 at 30, 60, 120 nmol/L (P < 0.05). The protein expression of BCL-2, procaspase-9, procaspase-3, C-MYC was downregulated after transfection. It is concluded that the siRNA targeting SUV39H1 inhibits cell growth and induces cell apoptosis of KG-1 cell line, which may be a new therapeutic target in human leukemia.