Study on Inhibition of Growth and Proliferation in Prostate Cancer Cell by the shRNA of hTERT

Objective To investigate the effect of the short hairpin RNA (shRNA) against human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) on the proliferation and apoptosis of prostate cancer cells PC-3m in vitro. Methods The recombinant plasmid psilencer-TRT was transfected into prostate cancer cell line PC-3m via liposome reagent. The level of hTERT mRNA was examined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The expressions of hTERT and c-myc protein were detected by western blot analysis. The effect of hTERT shRNA on the cellular proliferation capacity of PC-3m cells was assayed by the growth curve. The cell apoptosis was detected by Hoechst33258 staining, electron microscope, and flow cytometry analysis. Results The vector-mediated shRNA significantly reduced the level of hTERT mRNA by 89.02% after psilencer-TRT transduction in PC-3m cells. Meanwhile, the levels of hTERT and c-myc protein were also decreased in transfected cells. The cell proliferation was markedly inhibited compared with the control cells. Partial cancer cells presented morphological changes of apoptosis, and the apoptosis rate was (19.69±4.75)%. Conclusion hTERT shRNA can suppress hTERT expression and cell proliferation, in addition to acceleration of apoptosis. This implied the possibility of RNA interfering to hTERT as the potential method for gene therapy of prostate cancer.