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ISSN 1672-9145 Acta Biochim Biophys Sin 2004, 36(11): 749–753 CN 31-1940/Q

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Suppression of bcl-2 Gene by RNA Interference Increases Chemosensitivity to Cisplatin in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Cell Line CNE1

Zhi-Hua YIN, Cai-Ping REN, Feng LI, Xu-Yu YANG, Hui LI, Ming ZHAO, and Kai-Tai YAO*

Cancer Research Institute, Central South University, Changsha 410078, China

Abstract To explore the effect of suppressing BCL-2 expression using RNA interference (RNAi) technique in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line CNE1. CNE1 cell lines stably expressing shRNAs targeted bcl-2 and GL3 gene were established and gene expression inhibition was assessed by Western blotting analysis. The effect of suppressing bcl-2 by RNAi on cell growth was studied, the apoptosis induction and the sensitization of CNE1 cells to cisplatin were quantified by MTT assay and flow cytometry. The results showed that: stable transfection of CNE1 cells with vectors expressing shRNAs against bcl-2 decreased the expression of BCL-2 protein; suppression of BCL-2 expression did not affect cell proliferation but could increase the chemosensitivity to cisplatin in CNE1 cells. This will help physicians to make some clinical trials of gene therapy on nasopharyngeal carcinoma by RNAi.

Key words RNA interference; nasopharyngeal carcinoma; bcl-2; cisplatin

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Received: July 12, 2004 Accepted: September 10, 2004

*Corresponding author: Tel, 86-731-4805451; Fax, 86-731-4360094; E-mail, [email protected]