Effect of beclin-1 gene silencing on TuAKe-injured gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells

AIM: To observe the effect of beclin-1 silencing by the technique of RNA interference on the injury of human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cell by Sheliugu extract (the extract from tuber of Amorphophallus konjac, TuAKe). METHODS: To knock down the expression of beclin-1 gene, SGC-7901 cells were transfected with lentiviral vector carrying beclin-1-shRNA. The beclin-1 gene knock-down and non-knock-down SGC-7901 cells were treated with TuAKe. The cell viability was analyzed by CKK-8 assay. The percentages of apoptotic cells were detected by flow cytometry. The expression of beclin-1 and LC3 was detected by Western blot. RESULTS: The beclin-1 gene silencing decreased the protein expression of beclin-1 and increased the protein expression of LC3 in the SGC-7901 cells, leading to the decrease in cell viability and the increase in apoptotic rate (P<0.05). TuAKe increased the protein expression of beclin-1 and LC3 in the SGC-7901 cells, and decreased the protein expression of LC3 in the SGC-7901 cells with beclin-1 gene silencing, thus inhibiting the cell viability and increasing the apoptotic rate (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Beclin-1 gene silencing inhibits the activation of beclin-1-related signaling pathway in gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells, and aggravates the injury of cell viability induced by TuAKe.