ABSTRACT
Concerns have been raised about this article [1] relating to the appropriateness of the use of the shRNA (5'-GCGGAGGGTTTGAAAGAATATCTCGAGATATTCTTTCAAACCCTCCGCTTTTTT-3') as a non-targeting control and similarities in text and formatting with other published articles. This is currently under investigation and appropriate editorial action will be taken once the investigation is concluded. The authors agree.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Ubiquitin Specific Peptidase 39 (USP39) is a 65 kDa SR-related protein involved in RNA splicing. Previous studies showed that USP39 is related with tumorigenesis of human breast cancer cells. RESULTS: In the present study, we investigated the functions of USP39 in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line SMMC-7721. We knocked down the expression of USP39 through lentivirus mediated RNA interference. The results of qRT-PCR and western blotting assay showed that both the mRNA and protein levels were suppressed efficiently after USP39 specific shRNA was delivered into SMMC-7721 cells. Cell growth was significantly inhibited as determined by MTT assay. Crystal violet staining indicated that colony numbers and sizes were both reduced after knock-down of USP39. Furthermore, suppression of USP39 arrested cell cycle progression at G2/M phase in SMMC-7721cells. In addition, Annexin V showed that downregulation of USP39 significantly increased the population of apoptotic cells. CONCLUSIONS: All our results suggest that USP39 is important for HCC cell proliferation and is a potential target for molecular therapy of HCC.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology , Cell Cycle , Cell Proliferation , Lentivirus/genetics , Liver Neoplasms/pathology , Neoplasm Proteins/metabolism , RNA Interference/physiology , Ubiquitin-Specific Proteases/metabolism , Apoptosis , Blotting, Western , Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/enzymology , Cell Cycle/genetics , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Proliferation/genetics , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/genetics , Gene Knockdown Techniques , Gene Silencing , Gene Transfer Techniques , Humans , In Vitro Techniques , Liver Neoplasms/enzymology , Neoplasm Proteins/genetics , Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction , Ubiquitin-Specific Proteases/geneticsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Ubiquitin Specific Peptidase 39 (USP39) is a 65 kDa SR-related protein involved in RNA splicing. Previous studies showed that USP39 is related with tumorigenesis of human breast cancer cells. RESULTS: In the present study, we investigated the functions of USP39 in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line SMMC-7721. We knocked down the expression of USP39 through lentivirus mediated RNA interference. The results of qRT-PCR and western blotting assay showed that both the mRNA and protein levels were suppressed efficiently after USP39 specific shRNA was delivered into SMMC-7721 cells. Cell growth was significantly inhibited as determined by MTT assay. Crystal violet staining indicated that colony numbers and sizes were both reduced after knock-down of USP39. Furthermore, suppression of USP39 arrested cell cycle progression at G2/M phase in SMMC-7721cells. In addition, Annexin V showed that downregulation of USP39 significantly increased the population of apoptotic cells. CONCLUSIONS: All our results suggest that USP39 is important for HCC cell proliferation and is a potential target for molecular therapy of HCC.