Effect of short hairpin RNA-induced CXCR4 silence on ovarian cancer cell

This study was aimed to investigate the effect of down-regulating the CXC chemokine receptor-4 (CXCR4) expression on cell proliferation, invasion and migration of human ovarian cancer cell line SW626. The CXCR4 specific short hairpin RNA (shRNA) plasmid vector was constructed and then transfected into the SW626 cells. The expression of CXCR4 mRNA and protein was detected by real-time RT-PCR and western blot respectively. Cell proliferation was detected by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT). Cell invasion and migration was assayed in Biocoat Matrigel invasion chambers. The expression level of CXCR4 in SW626 cell transfected with CXCR4-siRNA was inhibited, leading to significant decrease in SW626 cell proliferation, invasion and migration. We conclude that CXCR4 is essential for tumor cell proliferation and invasion. The CXCR4 molecule is a potential therapeutic target to control ovarian cancer cell growth or metastasis.