HIF-1α regulated tongue squamous cell carcinoma cell growth via regulating VEGF expression in a xenograft model

Jun Liang; Zhaoqiang Zhang; Lizhong Liang; Yun Shen; Kexiong Ouyang

doi:10.3978/j.issn.2305-5839.2014.08.01

HIF-1α regulated tongue squamous cell carcinoma cell growth via regulating VEGF expression in a xenograft model

Ann Transl Med. 2014 Sep;2(9):92. doi: 10.3978/j.issn.2305-5839.2014.08.01.

Authors

Jun Liang¹, Zhaoqiang Zhang¹, Lizhong Liang¹, Yun Shen¹, Kexiong Ouyang¹

Affiliation

¹ 1 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai 519000, China ; 2 Department of Stomatology, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China ; 3 Department of Stomatology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Shanghai 200072, China ; 4 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Stomatological Hospital of Guangzhou Medical College, Guangzhou 510140, China.

PMID: 25405167
PMCID: PMC4205871
DOI: 10.3978/j.issn.2305-5839.2014.08.01

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to study the mechanism of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α) regulating the cell proliferation of tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) via vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).

Methods: We used RNA interference (RNAi) technique, transfected chemically synthesized siRNA against HIF-1α into CAL-27 cells, and detected the expression of HIF-1α and VEGF by real time-PCR and Western blotting in order to find out if HIF-1α regulated the expression of VEGF. A xenograft experiment was carried out to observe the role of HIF-1α on the tumor growth of tongue squamous cell carcinoma.

Results: HIF-1α and VEGF mRNA expression was significantly downregulated 36 and 48 h after transfection (P<0.05); the protein expression of HIF-1α and VEGF was also significantly suppressed by siRNA against HIF-1α. Furthermore, intratumoraly injection of HIF-1α targeting siRNA suppressed tumor growth in nude mice.

Conclusions: HIF-1α regulated VEGF expression, and they may contribute to TSCC cell tumor growth.

Keywords: RNA interference (RNAi); Tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC); hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α); vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).