Silencing survivin expression to induce apoptosis in pancreatic carcinoma cells by RNA interference

Objective To investigate the influence of gene therapy using survivin as a gene target on biological behavior of pancreatic carcinoma cell line. Methods Chemically synthesized siRNA and shRNA in pGCSi vector were used to silence survivin expression of pancreatic carcinoma cell line PaTu8988. The therapeutical effects of survivin as a gene target were evaluated through determination of the down-regulation of survivin gene expression, cellular shape, cell apoptosis, cell viability and apoptosis signal pathway changes. Results After transfection of different arrays of siRNA and shRNA vectors to silence the survivin expression, survivin mRNA and protein levels were significantly decreased (P < 0.05) ; PI staining revealed the presence of karyopyknosis, the cell apoptosis index was more than 20%; hypodiploid DNA content before G0/G1 detected by flow cytometry ; cell viability measured by MTT assay was significantly decreased (P <0.05) ; the activity of caspase-3 remarkably increased (P < 0. 05). Conclusions The pancreatic carcinoma cell line PaTu8988 be induced to promote spontaneous apoptosis procedure through silencing survivin expression by RNAi, which could accelerate carcinoma cell apoptosis and improve therapeutic effect on pancreatic carcinoma. Key words: Pancreatic neoplasms;  RNA interference;  Apoptosis;  Survivin