Effect of a proliferation-inducing ligand siRNA on cell cycle of colon carcinoma SW480 cells

Objective To investigate the effects of a proliferation-inducing ligand(APRIL)gene silencing by small interfering RNA(siRNA)on cell cycle and proliferation of colon carcinoma SW480 cells.Methods The siRNA plasmid vector targeting APRIL gene,named as siRNA-APRIL,was transfected into SW480 cells,transfected with scrambled vector as a nontargeting control and nontransfected group as another control.APRIL mRNA and protein expression were examined by real-time PCR and Western blot,respectively.Cell proliferation activity was analyzed by cell counting kit-8(CK-8),cell cycle was detected by flow cytometry,and p21 together with p27,two important regulatory genes in cell cycle,were measured by RTPCR.Results Compared with nontargeting control and nontransfected control,APRIL expression was inhibited significantly at both mRNA and protein level by siRNA-APRIL being transfected in SW480 cells(P ＜0.05).Cell proliferation ability was drastically repressed after siRNA-APRIL being transfected at 48 h,72 h and 96 h(P ＜ 0.05).After transfected 48 h,the percent of Go/G1 phase cell was significantly increased,S and G2/M phase cell were significantly decreased,the number of cell in apoptosis was increased and the expression of p21 and p27 mRNA were up-regulated(P ＜ 0.05).There was no significant difference when compared the two control groups each other(P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion siRNA-APRIL can effectively knockdown the expression of APRIL gene in SW480 cells,moreover,it can inhibit the cell proliferation and induce G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest,which occurrence may involve in upregulation the mRNA expression of p21 and p27. Key words: APRIL; Small interference RNA; Colon carcinoma; Cell proliferation; Cell cycle