Effect of β -catenin siRNA on proliferation and apoptosis of hepatoma cell line SMMC-7721 and HepG-2.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of expression of siRNA β- catenin silent gene on cell cycle and apoptosis of different hepatoma cells. METHODOLOGY: The effect of the β-catenin-siRNA recombinant plasmid on the growth of different hepatoma cells was observed by MTT assays; and the effect of the recombinant plasmid on proliferation and apoptosis of different hepatoma cells was detected through flow cytometry. RESULTS: Transfection of the β-catenin-siRNA recombinant plasmid into hepatoma cells significantly inhibited β-catenin expression at protein and mRNA levels (p<0.05) as shown by western blotting and RT-PCR, respectively. The MTT assay showed that β-catenin-siRNA can significantly inhibit growth of hepatoma cells. The results of flow cytometry showed that the growth of different hepatoma cells was blocked at G0/G1 phase and compared with the control group there was a significant difference (p<0.05). Flow cytometry also showed that apoptosis of different hepatoma cells, compared with the control group, was significantly different (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Inhibition of β-catenin in hepatoma cells can inhibit growth and promote apoptosis, and there was difference in the effect on proliferation and apoptosis between different hepatoma cells.