[Antisense RNA for urokinase receptor inhibits the invasiveness and metastasis of lung carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To inhibit invasion and metastasis of human lung carcinoma cell line 95D by antisense RNA for urokinase receptor (uPAR). METHODS: Antisense RNA expression plasmid for uPAR was introduced into the highly metastatic human lung carcinoma cells 95D. Modified Boyden's chamber was used to detect the invasion ability, and nude mice were used to determine metastasis. RESULTS: Two transfected clones were found to integrate the antisense expression plasmid into genomic DNA and to express antisense RNA for uPAR. Antisense RNA blocked the uPAR expression in the transfected clones. The evident reductions of the invasiveness of antisense clones were observed by comparison with control cells, 95D cells and cells transfected with pcDNA3 vector. The metastatic potential of these two antisense clones decreased significantly in comparison with the controls (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that antisense RNA for uPAR inhibits uPAR expression and leads to a decrease of metastatic potential of 95D cells. Antisense RNA technique may have a valuable application in anti-metastatic therapy of human lung carcinoma.