Original Article
Copyright ©2013 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jul 28, 2013; 19(28): 4495-4503
Published online Jul 28, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i28.4495
Basic transcription factor 3 is involved in gastric cancer development and progression
Qi Liu, Jian-Ping Zhou, Bin Li, Zhong-Cheng Huang, Hong-Yu Dong, Guang-Yi Li, Ke Zhou, Shao-Lin Nie
Qi Liu, Zhong-Cheng Huang, Hong-Yu Dong, Guang-Yi Li, Ke Zhou, Department of Anorectal Surgery, People’s Hospital of Hunan Province, the First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410005, Hunan Province, China
Jian-Ping Zhou, Department of Elderly Surgery, the Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410077, Hunan Province, China
Bin Li, Department of Tumor Chemotherapy, Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China
Shao-Lin Nie, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Hunan Provincial Tumor Hospital, the Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan Province, China
Author contributions: Liu Q and Nie SL conceived and designed the study; Liu Q, Zhou JP, Li B, Huang ZC, Dong HY and Nie SL acquired data; Zhou JP, Li GY and Zhou K performed the data analysis; all authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Supported by Science and Technology Project of Hunan Province, China, No. 2013FJ3151
Correspondence to: Shao-Lin Nie, MD, Professor of Medicine, Deputy Chief, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Hunan Provincial Tumor Hospital, the Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Central South University, No. 582 Xianjia Lake Road, Changsha 410013, Hunan Province, China. nieslbm@163.com
Telephone: +86-731-89762121 Fax: +86-731-88651999
Received: January 21, 2013
Revised: April 25, 2013
Accepted: June 1, 2013
Published online: July 28, 2013
Abstract

AIM: To further analyse cancer involvement of basic transcription factor 3 (BTF3) after detection of its upregulation in gastric tumor samples.

METHODS: BTF3 transcription rates in human gastric tumor tissue samples (n = 20) and adjacent normal tissue (n = 18) specimens as well as in the gastric cancer cell lines AGS, SGC-7901, MKN-28, MKN-45 and MGC803 were analyzed via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The effect of stable BTF3 silencing via infection with a small interfering RNA (siRNA)-BTF3 expressing lentivirus on SGC-7901 cells was measured via Western blotting analysis, proliferation assays, cell cycle and apoptosis profiling by flow cytometry as well as colony forming assays with a Cellomic Assay System.

RESULTS: A significant higher expression of BTF3 mRNA was detected in tumors compared to normal gastric tissues (P < 0.01), especially in section tissues from female patients compared to male patients, and all tested gastric cancer cell lines expressed high levels of BTF3. From days 1 to 5, the relative proliferation rates of stable BTF3-siRNA transfected SGC7901 cells were 82%, 70%, 57%, 49% and 44% compared to the control, while the percentage of cells arrested in the G1 phase was significantly decreased (P = 0.000) and the percentages of cells in the S (P = 0.031) and G2/M (P = 0.027) phases were significantly increased. In addition, the colony forming tendency was significantly decreased (P = 0.014) and the apoptosis rate increased from 5.73% to 8.59% (P = 0.014) after BTF3 was silenced in SGC7901 cells.

CONCLUSION: BTF3 expression is associated with enhanced cell proliferation, reduced cell cycle regulation and apoptosis and its silencing decreased colony forming and proliferation of gastric cancer cells.

Keywords: Basic transcription factor 3, Gastric cancer, Small interfering RNA, Proliferation, Apoptosis, Cell cycle

Core tip: After we found that basic transcription factor 3 (BTF3) transcription rates in human gastric tumor tissue samples were significantly higher than in adjacent normal tissues, we extended our study on gastric cancer cell lines. We silenced BTF3 in SGC7901 cells, which led to 82%, 70%, 57%, 49% and 44% proliferation rates of the control within the first 5 d after infection with a small interfering RNA-BTF3 containing lentivirus. After BTF3 silencing, the percentage the G1 phase arrested SGC7901 cells was decreased (P = 0.000), the percentages of cells in the S (P = 0.031) and G2/M (P = 0.027) phases were increased and the apoptosis rate increased from 5.73% to 8.59% (P = 0.014).