ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine the effects of noncoding repressor of NFAT (NRON) overexpression or silencing on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) functions.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Stable HUVECs cell lines with NRON overexpression and short hairpin RNA (shRNA) interference were obtained. HUVECs, the empty vector pBABE-cell line and the empty vector pSuper-cell line served as controls. Cell proliferations of these cell lines were tested using MTS method, tube formation capacity and migration function were also examined.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>MTS experiments evidenced dose-dependent cells proliferations in all cell lines after 48 h culture with fetal bovine serum (HUVECs, r = 0.91;pBABE empty vectors cell-line, r = 0.88;NRON overexpression cell-line, r = 0.89;pSuper empty vectors cell-line, r = 0.95;shRNA infererence cell-line, r = 0.97). Proliferation capacity was lower in NRON overexpressed HUVECs and was higher in NRON silencing HUVECs compared with pBABE empty vectors treated and normal HUVECs (all P < 0.05). Tube formation and migration functions were also reduced in NRON overexpressed HUVECs [(8.33 ± 0.12) roots, (1857 ± 65) cells] and increased in shRNA infererence of NRON treated HUVECs [(36.00 ± 0.51) roots, (6987 ± 50) cells] compared with pBABE empty vectors treated HUVECs [(19.67 ± 1.42) roots, (4411 ± 117) cells], pSuper empty vectors treated HUVECs [(17.33 ± 2.93) roots, (3883 ± 109) cells] and normal HUVECs [(23.33 ± 3.01) roots, (5145 ± 72) cells, all P < 0.05].</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>NRON overexpression could reduce and NRON silencing could increase proliferation, tube formation and migration capacities of HUVECs.</p>