ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the role of survivin gene in the invasive behavior of glioma cells and explore the possible mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The mRNA and protein expressions of survivin in glioma cell line SNB19 transfected by small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting survivin were determined by real time RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. The anchorage-independent growth of the cells was examined by clone formation assay in soft agar, and their invasiveness was evaluated using a Boyden chamber model. The protein level of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) was also determined by western blotting.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Survivin siRNA dose-dependently inhibited the anchorage-independent growth and invasiveness and reduced the expression of uPA protein in SNB19 cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>RNA interference targeting survivin can inhibit the invasiveness of glioma cells in vitro possibly by down-regulating uPA expression.</p>