Effect of using RNA interference to alter iNOS gene expression on the proliferation of tongue squamous cell carcinoma cell line Tca8113

This study used RNA interference (RNAi) to explore the effect of NO and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) on apoptosis and proliferation in the tongue squamous carcinoma cell line Tca8113. Tca8113 cells were transfected with the plasmid pGenesil-1, which expresses iNOS short hairpin RNA (shRNA), or the negative control plasmid pSilencer-HK, and the transfected cells were compared with untransfected cells. The expression of iNOS was detected by histochemistry, and apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. The expression of iNOS was significantly lower in the pSilencer-iNOS group than in the pSilencer-HK and empty control groups. The apoptosis rate was significantly higher in the pSilencer-iNOS group than in the pSilencer-HK and empty control groups. Growth monitoring showed that proliferation was also inhibited in cells transfected with pSilencer-iNOS. RNAi gene silencing decreased iNOS gene expression, induced apoptosis, and suppressed proliferation in Tca8113 cells. (C) 2008 The British Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.