STAT6 specific shRNA inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in colon cancer HT-29 cells.

RNA interference (RNAi) has been employed as an effective tool for studying gene functions. Here, we have demonstrated that different short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) can specifically knock-down the transcription of STAT6, resulting in the inhibition of cell proliferation, G1/S phase arrest and apoptotic death in colon cancer HT-29 cells. These findings suggest that Stat6 signaling pathway plays a role in the regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis in colon cancer cells, which promises further investigation for targeted cancer therapy.