RESUMEN
Objective:To investigate the effects of viral infection and starvation on the transcription of syncytin 1 and glial cell missing 1 (GCM1), and the modulation of GCM1 on the transcription of syncytin 1 in different cells thereof. Methods:The mRNA levels of GCM1 and syncytin 1 were measured with real time RT-PCR. Furthermore, the possible modulation of GCM1 on the transcription of syncytin 1 was explored in astrocytes by RNA interference against GCM1.Results:The transcriptional levels of GCM1 and syncytin 1 were up-regulated in different cells at various levels under the stimulation of both viral infection and starvation. Accompany with the reduction of GCM1 mRNA levels(P ＜ 0.05, as compared to controls) induced by GCM1 RNA interference, the mRNA level of syncytin 1 reduced significantly in JEG-3 cells compared to that of controls (P ＜ 0.01). However, the syncytin 1 mRNA level had no obvious change in CCF-STTG1 cells notwithstanding the significant reduction of GCM1 mRNA level induced by GCM1 RNA interference. Conclusion: This study suggests that viral infection and starvation could up-regulate the transcription of GCM1 and syncytin 1, and GCM1 may not directly modulate the transcription of syncytin 1 in astrocytes.