Inhibitory effect of vascular endothelial growth factors-targeted small interfering RNA on proliferation of gastric cancer cells

AIM: To examine the effects of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-targeted small interfering RNA (siRNA) on proliferation of gastric cancer cellsin vitro.METHODS: Several siRNAs were transfected into human gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901 with Lipofectamine 2000. Cells not transfected with LipofectamineTM 2000 or scrambled (SCR) siRNA served as controls. The inhibitory effect of siRNA on the expression of VEGF mRNA and protein was detected by RT-PCR and ELISA. MTT assay was used to examine the inhibition rate of cell growth.The change in cell cycling of siRNA-treated cells was detected by flow cytometry.RESULTS: siRNA targeting human VEGF effectively inhibited the proliferation of gastric cancer cell lineSGC-7901 and the distribution of cell cycle. The percentage of G0/G1 phase was significantly higher in siRNA1- and siRNA2-transfected cells than in control cells.The expression of VEGF mRNA was significantly inhibited in siRNA1- and siRNA2-transfected cells compared with that in control cells. VEGF protein notably decreased in siRNA-transfected cells, but had no effect on SCR siRNA.CONCLUSION: VEGF siRNA inhibits proliferation of gastric cancer cells in vitro.