ABSTRACT
【Objective】 To investigate the effects of silencing AEG-1 gene by shRNA on vasculogenic mimicry (VM) of a glioma xenograft model. 【Methods】 U87 glioma cells were infected with AEG-1 shRNA lentivirals. Real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to detect the mRNA and protein expressions of AEG-1 in U87 cells after infected by the AEG-1 shRNA lentivirals. A glioma xenograft model was generated and CD 34/PAS double-staining was performed to detect the VM channels in vivo. The immunohistochemical assay was performed to evaluate the expressions of MMP-2, MMP-9, VE-cadherin, and VEGF in glioma xenograft models. 【Results】 AEG-1 shRNA lentivirals could significantly inhibit the AEG-1 expression in glioma cells (P<0.01). Meanwhile, they also decreased the number of VM in the glioma xenograft model (P<0.01). Furthermore, the expressions of MMP-2, MMP-9, VE-cadherin, and VEGF in glioma significantly decreased in vivo (P<0.01). 【Conclusion】 These results suggest that silencing AEG-1 gene by shRNA can significantly inhibit VM of glioma in vivo, the mechanism of which may partly be through regulating MMP-2, MMP-9, VEGF, and VE-cadherin expressions.