Suppression of VEGF via RNA interference modulates the biological features of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE-2 cell line

Objective:To study the effect of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) down-regulation by small interfering RNA(RNAi) on the biological features of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line CNE-2.Methods:CNE-2 cells were transfected with synthetic small interfering RNA(siRNA) targeting VEGF.Transfection efficiencies were monitored by fluorescent microscopy.Expression of VEGF mRNA and protein were respectively measured by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) and Western blot.The distribution of cell cycle phases was determined using flow cytometry.The proliferative and invasive ability of CNE-2 cells was evaluated by the colony-forming unit assay and transwell migration assay,respectively.Results:Both VEGF mRNA and protein expression were significantly decreased in the experimental group compared with the control group(P0.05).The cell cycle was arrested in the G1 phase.The proliferation and invasiveness of treated CNE-2 cells were inhibited in vitro.Conclusion:Delivery of siRNA targeting VEGF seems efficient in down-regulating VEGF expression and diminishing the growth,proliferation and invasiveness of CNE-2 cells,suggesting that siRNA-based strategy targeting VEGF may lay a foundation for the clinical management of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.