Growth Inhibition of Breast Cancer Cell Line MCF-7 by siRNA Silencing of Wilm Tumor 1 Gene
Ruxapon Navakanit MSc*, Potchanapond Graidist PhD*, Wilairat Leeanansaksiri PhD**, Chavaboon Dechsukum MD, PhD***
Affiliation : * Biomedical Sciences Department, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla ** Research Center for Stem Cell Transplantation and Gene Therapy Technology School of Microbiology, Institute of Science, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima *** Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla
Background : RNA interference (RNAi) is sequence-specific inhibition of gene expression induced by double-
stranded RNA.
Objective : Define the role of Wilms tumor 1 gene (WT1) in breast cancer oncogenesis using RNAi.
Materials and Methods : MCF-7 breast cancer cells, which express a high level of WT1, were transfected with
synthetic small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting WT1 (siRNAWT1) resulting in inhibition of WT1 expression,
as well as growth, in a dose- and time-dependent manner.
Result: The minimum concentration of siRNAWT1 for growth inhibition and WT1 silencing was 25 nM and 50
nM respectively. WT1 expression was completely abolished at 200 nM siRNAWT1.
Conclusion : These data suggest that WT1 is indispensable for the survival of breast cancer MCF-7 cell line.
Keywords : RNA interference, WT1, MCF-7, Breast cancer
