The influence of survivin shRNA on the cell cycle and the invasion of SW480 cells of colorectal carcinoma

BACKGROUND The objective was to understand the influence of Survivin plasmid with short hairpin RNA (shRNA) on the cell cycle, invasion, and the silencing effect of Survivin gene in the SW480 cell of colorectal carcinoma. METHODS A eukaryotic expression vector, PGCH1/Survivin shRNA, a segment sequence of Survivin as target, was created and transfected into colorectal carcinoma cell line SW480 by the non-lipid method. The influence on the Survivin protein was analyzed by Western blotting, while the cell cycle, cell apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry, and invasion of the cell was analyzed by Transwell's chamber method. RESULTS After the transfection of PGCH1/Survivin shRNA, the expression of Survivin protein in SW480 cells was dramatically decreased by 60.68%, in which the cells were stopped at G2/M phase, even though no apoptosis was detected. The number of transmembranous cells of the experimental group, negative control group, and blank control group were 14.46 +/- 2.11, 25.12 +/- 8.37, and 25.86 +/- 7.45, respectively (P <0.05). CONCLUSION Survivin shRNA could significantly reduce the expression of Survivin protein and invasion of SW480 cells. Changes in cell cycle were observed, but no apoptosis was induced.