Effects of siRNA-mediated NFBD1 silencing on cellular apoptosis in HepG2 cells

Objective:To investigate the role and rationale of NFBD1 in cell apoptosis,and to examine the role of caspase pathway in the apoptosis process,by using the specific siRNA duplexes to inhibit NFBD1 expression in HepG2 cells.Methods: Using flow cytometry(FCM) and RT-PCR to check the expression of apoptosis-associated genes and effect of cell apoptosis in HepG2 cells with NFBD1 siRNA.The inhibitory actions of HepG2 cell growth with NFBD1 siRNA are measured by MTT assay.Results: The expression of NFBD1 mRNA of transfection group was lower than that of negative control group and blank group at 48 h after transfection.The expression of NFBD1 mRNA of transfection group fell 74.75 percent.when compared to that of blank group.The expression of antiapoptotic mitochondrial gene bcl—xl decreased,and proapoptotic gene bid and caspase-3 increased in transfection group(P 0.05).MTT assay suggests that NFBD1 siRNA can inhibit the growth of HepG2 cell seriously,and the inhibiting rate of it is 92.131±0.893%.The result of flow cytometry(FCM)shows that apoptosis rate of transfection group was higher than that of negative control group and blank group obviously.Conclusion:NFBD1 may induce HepG2 cell apoptosis through alteration of the ratio of Bc1-xl/Bid and activation of caspase-3.