Effect of Coptis Chinensis compound on the gene expression in transplanted tumor tissue in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line of CNE1 by cDNA microarray

Objective To investigate the effect of Coptis Chinensis compound on the gene expression of transplanted tumor in nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line of CNE1. Methods The cells were injected into Balb/C nude mice, and after the transplanted tumor was established , the nude mice with tumors were treated with Coptis chinensis compound. The nude mice were then killed, tumor tissues were isolated and the total RNA was extracted. Hybridization with a cDNA microarray was conducted using a probe of fluorescent-labeled cDNA mixture that was reversely transcribed from the RNA. The gene expression level was analyzed after scanning the fluorescent intensity by a laser scanner, and further confirmed by RT-PCR. Results After using Coptis Chinensis compound for 30 days, the size of transplanted tumors were remarkably reduced, and the inhibition rate of tumor growth was 29.5%. In the meantime, the expression of 147 genes in the tissue of implanted tumor treated with the compound altered:the expression of 102 genes was down-regulated, and that of 45 genes was up-regulated. Furthermore, the differential expression of 3 genes was verified by RT-PCR, MAD3 and H731 genes were up-regulated, and that of CHK1 was down-regulated. Conclusion Coptis Chinensis compound can affect the gene expression in the tissue of implanted tumor, which implies that the inhibition of Coptis Chinensis compound on the growth of the implanted tumor with CNE1 cells in nude mice might be associated with the control of gene expression.