[The effect of silencing Dicer by small interference RNA on the biological characteristics of human glioma cells].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of silencing Dicer by small interference RNA (siRNA) to suppress the global microRNA (miRNAs) expression on the biological characteristics of TJ905 glioblastoma cells.

METHODS: The silencing effect of RNA interference on Dicer expression was evaluated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence staining. The cell proliferation rate and cell cycle kinetics were detected by MTT assay and flow cytometry respectively, and the cell invasive ability was evaluated by transwell assay.

RESULTS: The siRNA targeting Dicer suppressed the expression of Dicer in TJ905 cells. Meanwhile, the proliferation activity and invasive ability were significantly enhanced in cells transfected with Dicer siRNA compared to those cells transfected with scrambled siRNA and the control cells.

CONCLUSION: Suppression of Dicer expression renders the glioma cells harboring more aggressive phenotype. This preliminary finding suggests that global lower expression of miRNAs may play an oncogenic role.