Objective: To investigate the effects of small-interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated silencing of SET binding factor 2 (SBF2) on pancreatic cancer cells and its underlying molecular mechanisms.
Methods: Five siRNAs, namely, siRNA-1, siRNA-2, siRNA-3, siRNA-4, and siRNA-5, were designed to silence SBF2 in pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells. The relative expression levels of SBF2 after siRNA-mediated SBF2 silencing were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The inhibition and apoptosis of cells were detected by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium and flow cytometry, respectively. The protein concentrations of SBF2, SMAD-2, phosphorylated-SMAD-2 (p-SMAD-2), SMAD-3, p-SMAD-3, and SMAD-7 were also measured via Western blot.
Results: The relative expression levels of SBF2 in the siRNA-mediated SBF2-silenced groups decreased significantly (P < .05), and the proliferation of PANC-1 cells was significantly inhibited (P < .01) after SBF2 silencing using the 5 siRNAs. The relative expression level of SBF2 was the lowest (0.52 ± 0.05) and the cell inhibition rate was the highest (36.7 ± 4.0%) in the SBF2-silenced PANC-1 cells using siRNA-3 compared to the 5 siRNA-mediated SBF2-silenced groups. The cell apoptosis rate in the siRNA-3 transfection group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < .05). The concentrations of p-SMAD-2 and p-SMAD-3 were reduced, while the concentrations of SMAD-2, SMAD-3, and SMAD-7 were increased in the siRNA-3-mediated SBF2-silenced PANC-1 cells.
Conclusion: SiRNA-mediated SBF2 silencing could significantly inhibit the proliferation and promote the apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells possibly via attenuation of transforming growth factor β/SMAD signaling pathway. And SBF2 silencing can be a potential approach for treatment of pancreatic cancer.
Keywords: SBF2 gene; cell apoptosis; cell proliferation; inhibition; pancreatic cancer.
© The Author(s) 2015.