BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study aimed to investigate the effects of yes-associated protein (YAP) silencing on invasion, migration, anchorage-independent growth and angiogenesis in the human gastric cancer cell line SGC-7901. METHODOLOGY: SGC-7901 cells were transfected with a shRNA lentivirus vector targeting YAP gene. After puromycin selection of stable YAP-silenced SGC-7901 cell lines, the expression of YAP mRNA and protein were detected using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blotting. A transwell invasion assay, wound healing assay and colony formation assay were used to analyze the invasion, migration and anchorage-independent growth effect of RNA interference (RNAi) on YAP expression. The angiogenic cytokines, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), were measured by qRT-PCR and western blotting. RESULTS: The results of the qRT-PCR and western blotting showed an obvious inhibition of YAP mRNA and protein expression in the YAP-shRNA group. Moreover, the inhibition of YAP expression clearly impeded SGC-7901 cell migration, invasion and anchorage-independent growth. Furthermore, VEGF and FGF-2 were also downregulated. CONCLUSIONS: YAP gene targeting by RNAi can inhibit the migration, invasion, anchorage-independent growth and angiogenesis ability of SGC-7901 cells. YAP may be a potential target for the treatment of human gastric cancer.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study aimed to investigate the effects of yes-associated protein (YAP) silencing on invasion, migration, anchorage-independent growth and angiogenesis in the humangastric cancer cell line SGC-7901. METHODOLOGY: SGC-7901 cells were transfected with a shRNA lentivirus vector targeting YAP gene. After puromycin selection of stable YAP-silenced SGC-7901 cell lines, the expression of YAP mRNA and protein were detected using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blotting. A transwell invasion assay, wound healing assay and colony formation assay were used to analyze the invasion, migration and anchorage-independent growth effect of RNA interference (RNAi) on YAP expression. The angiogenic cytokines, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), were measured by qRT-PCR and western blotting. RESULTS: The results of the qRT-PCR and western blotting showed an obvious inhibition of YAP mRNA and protein expression in the YAP-shRNA group. Moreover, the inhibition of YAP expression clearly impeded SGC-7901 cell migration, invasion and anchorage-independent growth. Furthermore, VEGF and FGF-2 were also downregulated. CONCLUSIONS:YAP gene targeting by RNAi can inhibit the migration, invasion, anchorage-independent growth and angiogenesis ability of SGC-7901 cells. YAP may be a potential target for the treatment of humangastric cancer.