Brief Article
Copyright ©2011 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jun 7, 2011; 17(21): 2667-2673
Published online Jun 7, 2011. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v17.i21.2667
PAd-shRNA-PTN reduces pleiotrophin of pancreatic cancer cells and inhibits neurite outgrowth of DRG
Jun Yao, Min Zhang, Qing-Yong Ma, Zheng Wang, Lian-Cai Wang, Dong Zhang
Jun Yao, Min Zhang, Qing-Yong Ma, Zheng Wang, Lian-Cai Wang, Dong Zhang, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, Shaanxi Province, China
Jun Yao, Department of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471003, Henan Province, China
Author contributions: Yao J and Zhang M contributed equally to this work; Yao J, Zhang M and Ma QY designed research; Yao J and Zhang M performed research; Wang Z and Wang LC provided some reagents; Yao J and Zhang D analyzed data; Yao J and Zhang M wrote the paper.
Supported by Health Science and Technology Innovation Talents Program of Henan Province
Correspondence to: Qing-Yong Ma, PhD, MD, Professor, Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710061, Shaanxi Province, China. qyma56@mail.xjtu.edu.cn
Telephone: +86-29-85323899 Fax: +86-29-85323899
Received: July 12, 2010
Revised: October 19, 2010
Accepted: October 26, 2010
Published online: June 7, 2011
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the silencing effects of pAd-shRNA-pleiotrophin (PTN) on PTN in pancreatic cancer cells, and to observe the inhibition of pAd-shRNA-PTN on neurite outgrowth from dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons in vitro.

METHODS: PAd-shRNA-PTN was used to infect pancreatic cancer BxPC-3 cells; assays were conducted for knockdown of the PTN gene on the 0th, 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th d after infection using immunocytochemistry, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and Western blotting analysis. The morphologic changes of cultured DRG neurons were observed by mono-culture of DRG neurons and co-culture with BXPC-3 cells in vitro.

RESULTS: The real-time quantitative PCR showed that the inhibition rates of PTN mRNA expression in the BxPC-3 cells were 20%, 80%, 50% and 25% on the 1st, 3rd, 5th and 7th d after infection. Immunocytochemistry and Western blotting analysis also revealed the same tendency. In contrast to the control, the DRG neurons co-cultured with the infected BxPC-3 cells shrunk; the number and length of neurites were significantly decreased.

CONCLUSION: Efficient and specific knockdown of PTN in pancreatic cancer cells and the reduction in PTN expression resulted in the inhibition of neurite outgrowth from DRG neurons.

Keywords: Pancreatic cancer, Pleiotrophin, RNA interference, Neurite outgrowth, Dorsal root ganglion