Lentivirus-mediated gene silencing of beta-catenin inhibits growth of human tongue cancer cells

BACKGROUND: Beta-catenin is one of the key components of Wnt signaling pathway. Increased level of this protein has been proved to be associated with enhanced cellular proliferation and the development of many kinds of cancers. But its role in the carcinogenesis in human tongue squamous cell carcinoma, one of the most common carcinomas of the human oral cavity, remains poorly characterized. METHODS: In this study, we used lentivirus-mediated RNA interference (RNAi) targeted against beta-catenin to determine the effects of decreasing the high constitutive level of this protein in human tongue carcinoma cell line Tca8113. RESULTS: Our studies demonstrated that RNAi directly against beta-catenin markedly decreased beta-catenin gene expression and inhibited cellular proliferation as reflected in the reduced growth of tongue cancer cells both in vitro and in nude mice. CONCLUSIONS: RNA interference (RNAi) targeting against beta-catenin can induce cell growth suppression of tongue cancer and may have the potential as a therapeutic modality to treat human tongue cancer. J Oral Pathol Med (2011) 40: 643-650