Lentivirus-mediated E2F-1 gene silencing enhances sensitivity of gastric carcinoma MGC-803 cells to compound ginseng and astragalus

AIM: To observe the effect of recombinant lentivirus-mediated E2F-1 gene silencing on sensitivity of gastric carcinoma MGC-803 cells to compound ginseng and astragalus.

METHODS: MGC-803 cells were plated and divided into four groups: a normal control group (medicine medium), a blank control group, a negative LV-RNAi control group (medicine medium + infection with empty lentiviral vector particles 2.0 × 10⁹ TU/mL) and an E2F-1-RNAi-LV group (medicine medium + infection with recombinant E2F-1 lentiviral particles 2.0 × 10⁹ TU/mL). The mRNA and protein expression levels of E2F1 were detected by RT-PCR and Western blot. Cell proliferation was detected by MTT assay. Cell colony formation was detected by Giemsa staining. Cell apoptosis was observed by flow cytometry, and cell migration was detected by cell scratch assay.

RESULTS: Infection with the recombinant lentiviral vector significantly decreased the protein and mRNA expression levels of E2F-1 compared to the two control groups (0.384 ± 0.036 vs 0.883 ± 0.051 and 0.923 ± 0.049, 0.220 ± 0.056 vs 0.729 ± 0.021 and 0.712 ± 0.037, P < 0.05). Compound ginseng and astragalus inhibited MGC-803 cell growth, induced cell apoptosis, and reduced cell colony formation and migration. Compared to the two control groups, the rates of reduced cell colony formation and cell apoptosis were significantly increased and the areas of cell colony formation and migration were significantly decreased in the E2F-1 gene silencing group (0.789 ± 0.013 vs 0.484 ± 0.060 and 0.454 ± 0.006, 0.383 ± 0.027 vs 0.114 ± 0.038 and 0.089 ± 0.051, 0.024 ± 0.003 vs 0.036 ± 0.004 and 0.052 ± 0.002, 0.553 ± 0.038 vs 0.897 ± 0.020 and 0.928 ± 0.051, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Recombinant lentivirus-mediated E2F-1 gene silencing effectively enhances the sensitivity of MGC-803 cells to compound ginseng and astragalus.