The effects of stathmin on cell proliferation and tumor-related genes expressions in HCCLM3 cells

Abstract

To explore the biological function and possible underlying mechanism of stathmin gene during hepatocarcinogenesis. Three pairs of chemically synthesized small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting on stathmin were transfected into HCCLM3 by LipofectamineTM 2000. After confirming the interfering effects of stathmin siRNAs through reverse transcription PCR and Western blotting, the HCCLM3 cells proliferation and apoptosis were detected by cell count kit-8 (CCK-8) and flow cytometry analysis, and the expressions of tumor-related genes (c-myc, c-fos, p53, etc) were observed by real-time PCR. Stathmin expression was effectively inhibited up to 90% by stathmin silencing in HCCLM3 cells (P is less than to 0.05) . By using CCK8 assay, it was shown that HCCLM3 cells proliferation were obviously depressed by 13.04%+/-0.10%, 28.10%+/-0.41% and 37.36%+/-2.15% at the time point of 24 h, 48 h and 72 h with the comparison to Mock group (F = 4.21, P is less than to 0.05). The results of flow cytometry demonstrated that the percentage of apoptotic cells was increased to 25.11%+/-1.62% in RNAi group, compared with 9.20 %+/-0.64 % in Mock group (F = 44.67, P is less than to 0.01). The results of real-time PCR showed that oncogenes c-myc and c-fos expressions were repressed, proliferation-associated gene ki-67 was down-regulated, and apoptosis-promoting gene caspase-3, bax and p53 were induced (P is less than to 0.05). Stathmin may promote cell proliferation, inhibit cell apoptosis and induce malignant transformation of hepatocytes by regulating some tumor-related genes expressions.