ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the effect of down-regulation of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 (IGFBP7) on the proliferation and invasiveness of leukemia cell line U937 cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Three pairs of double-strand siRNA targeting IGFBP7 gene were transfected into SMMC7721 cells to select the most efficient one for U937 cells. qRT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression of IGFBP7 in U937 cells after transiently transfected with siRNA of IGFBP7. Cell proliferation, adhesion, trans-endothelial migration and invasion were performed in transfected cells and control groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After transfected with siRNA of IGFBP7 in U937 cells, the ability of cell proliferation was significantly decreased at 24 h (0.580 ± 0.159) compared to that of parental cells and scramble negative control (1.049 ± 0.274, 0.946 ± 0.195, respectively) (P < 0.01). Adhesion of U937 cells transfected with IGFBP7 gene specific siRNA to ECV304 cells was significantly lower than that of the control groups (0.247 ± 0.031 vs 0.406 ± 0.023 and 0.395 ± 0.011) (P < 0.01). Transendothelial membrane of U937 cells into the bottom of the 24-well plate for experimental group were less than those in the control groups \[(0.387 ± 0.021)×10(5) vs (1.017 ± 0.031)×10(5) and (0.908 ± 0.027)×10(5)\]. Cells adherent to the matrigel for experimental group were less than those in the control groups \[(0.197 ± 0.098)×10(5) vs (0.493 ± 0.067)×10(5) and (0.469 ± 0.083)×10(5)\]. The difference was significant (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>IGFBP7 gene plays a contributing role in leukemogenesis involving in leukemic cells' proliferation and interaction with endothelial cells through adhesion, invasion and migration.</p>