Neuron specific enolase gene silencing suppresses proliferation and promotes apoptosis of lung cancer cells in vitro / 南方医科大学学报

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effects of neuron specific enolase (NSE) gene silencing on the cell proliferation and apoptosis of lung cancer cells in vitro.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>NSE protein expression was detected in human small cell lung cancer cell line NCI-H446 and non-small cell lung cancer cell line A549 by immunocytochemistry, and a small interference RNA (siRNA) was transfected into the cells to inhibit NSE gene expression. The changes in the cell cycle, apoptosis, Ki67 protein and caspase-3 activity in the transfected cells were observed by flow cytometry, Western blotting and colorimetric assay, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Both A549 and NCI-H446 cells expressed NSE protein. Transfection of siRNA for NSE gene significantly inhibited the expression of NSE gene in the cells, resulting in an inhibition rate exceeding 90%. NSE gene silencing caused significantly decreased cell percentage in S phase and the expression of Ki67 protein, and increased the cell apoptotic rate and caspase-3 activity.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>NSE gene expression promotes the cell proliferation and inhibits the cell apoptosis in lung cancer cells with neuroendocrine differentiation, which might be a causative factor contributing to increased malignancy of the cells.</p>