RESUMO
Objective: To investigate the effects of receptor interacting protein kinase 4 (RIPK 4) gene-silencing on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of osteosarcoma U-2OS cells. Methods: The specific siRNA targeting RIPK 4 gene was transfected into U-2OS cells by liposome to establish RIPK 4 gene-silencing U-2OS cell line. Then the change of RIPK4 expression level was detected by Western blotting. The migration and invasion abilities of U-2OS cells after RIPK 4 gene-silencing were detected by Transwell chamber assay. The morphological changes of U-2OS cells were observed under an inverted optical microscope. Finally, the expression levels of EMT makers E-cadherin and vimentin in U-2OS cells were detected by Western blotting. Results: After transfection with RIPK4-siRNA, the expression level of RIPK4 protein was significantly decreased in U-2OS cells (P < 0.05). The migration and invasion abilities of U-2OS cells in RIPK4-siRNA transfection group were significantly reduced (both P<0.05). The morphology of U-2OS cells conversed from mesenchymal phenotype to epithelial phenotype. The expression level of E-cadherin was significantly up-regulated in RIPK4-siRNA transfection group (P < 0.05), whereas the expression level of vimentin was significantly down-regulated (P < 0.05). Conclusion: RIPK 4 gene-silencing can inhibit the occurrence of EMT in osteosarcoma U-2OS cells, and reduce the migration and invasion abilities of osteosarcoma cells.