siRNA targeting TRIM29 gene induces apoptosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells by inhibiting PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

AIM:To investigate the effect of TRIM29 gene expression silencing on the apoptosis and PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma 5-8F cells. METHODS:The 5-8F cells were divided into blank group, negative control (NC) group (transfected negative control siRNA) and si-TRIM29 group (transfected TRIM29 specific siRNA). The viability of the 5-8F cells transfected with si-TRIM29 for 0~96 h was measured by CCK-8 assay. The apoptotic rate and the protein levels of TRIM29, cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-9, Bcl-2, Bax, t-AKT and p-AKT in the 5-8F cells transfected with si-TRIM29 for 48 h were determined by flow cytometry and Western blot, respectively. PI3K/AKT signal specific inhibitor LY294002 at 10 μmol/L and si-TRIM29 alone or in combination were treated with the 5-8F cells, and the cells were divided into blank group, LY294002 group and LY294002+si-TRIM29 group. The apoptotic rates in the 3 groups were detected by flow cytometry. RESULTS:The protein expression of TRIM29 in the 5-8F cells transfected with TRIM29 siRNA was significantly lower than that in blank group (P<0.05). Compared with blank group, the cell viability was significantly decreased, the apoptotic rate was significantly increased, the protein levels of cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-9 and Bax were significantly increased, and the protein levels of Bcl-2 and p-AKT were significantly decreased in si-TRIM29 group (P<0.05). The apoptotic rate in LY294002 group was higher than that in blank group, while that in LY294002+si-TRIM29 group was even higher than that in LY294002 group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION:Silencing of TRIM29 gene expression induces apoptosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma 5-8F cells by inhibiting PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.