Ultrasound-mediated vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) gene microbubble transfection inhibits growth of MCF-7 breast cancer cells.

We evaluated the effects of ultrasound-mediated microbubble transfection of VEGF-C siRNA on breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. MCF-7 cells were transfected with VEGF-C siRNA and the protein and mRNA expression of VEGF-C was tested using Western blot and qRT-PCR. Twenty nude mice tumors were established by injecting with MCF-7 cells, and were randomized into four groups when palpable tumors reached 190 mm3. The length and width of MCF-7 tumors in mice were measured every 3 days. After 20 days, all mice were killed and the expression of VEGF-C in tumor tissue was also detected by Western blot and qRT-PCR. Results showed that VEGF-C siRNA effectively suppressed the protein and mRNA expression of VEGF-C in MCF-7 cells in vitro. VEGF-C siRNA inhibited the growth of human lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) and MCF-7 cells. The volume and weight of MCF-7 tumor in VEGF-C siRNA microbubble with irradiation group were reduced with more extent than that in other groups in vivo. The present study highlights that VEGF-C siRNA in combination with ultrasound-mediated microbubble destruction (UMMD) could be a powerful, promising nonviral technology for breast cancer gene therapy.