Expression of Girdin gene in hepatocellular carcinoma cells and inhibition of its expression on biological characteristics

Objective To investigate the Expression of Girdin gene in hepatocellular carcinoma cells and inhibition of its expression on proliferation and apoptosis of cells. Methods The expression of Girdin protein in HL-7702 normal liver cells and liver cancer Huh7, HepG2, MHCC97H, HCCLM3 cells were detected by Western blotting; Girdin small interfering RNA (siRNA) were transfected into HCCLM3 cells by Lipofectamine™2000, and set the negative control group and blank control group, the expression of proliferation cell nuclear antigen (Ki-67), cysteinyl aspartate-specific protease (Caspase)-3, B cell lymphoma/leukemia-2 associated X protein (bax), phosphorylation of janus kinase 2 (JAK2) and signal transducer and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) protein were detected by Western blotting; cells activity were detected by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay in transfected 24, 48 and 72 h; cell apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry in transfected 48 h. Results The expression of Girdin in HepG2 (0.355±0.043), HCCLM3 (0.599±0.068), MHCC97H (0.462±0.055), Huh7 (0.378±0.049) HCC cells was significantly higher than that in normal liver cells HL-7702 (0.112±0.013, PHepG2=0.001; PHCCLM3=0.000; PMHCC97H=0.000; PHuh7=0.001); cell activity in Girdin-siRNA group in 24 h (0.247±0.032), 48 h (0.477±0.043) and 72 h (0.666±0.073) were significantly lower than the control group (0.385±0.045), (0.711±0.068), (0.936±0.096), the apoptosis rate (16.18±1.38)% in 48 h was significantly higher than the blank control group (1.87±0.39)%, the expression of Ki-67 (0.162±0.019), p-JAK2 (0.096±0.011) and p-STAT3 (0.057±0.009) protein were significantly lower than the control group (0.626±0.073), (0.170±0.021), (0.145±0.018), the expression of Caspase-3 (0.257±0.032) and bax (0.279±0.032) protein were significantly higher than the control group (0.120±0.013, 0.135±0.015) (PKi-67=0.000; Pp-JAK2=0.006; Pp-STAT3=0.002; PCaspase-3=0.002; Pbax=0.002). Conclusion Girdin gene is highly expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma cells and inhibiting of Girdin expression by RNA interference can reduce the proliferation and induce apoptosis of cancer cells by down regulating the JAK2/STAT3 signal. Key words: Girdin gene; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Proliferation; Apoptosis; Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activators of transcription 3 signaling pathway