Effect on angiogenesis induced by ovarian cancer OVCAR-3 cells in vitro when RNA interference on expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 gene

Objective To investigate expression of VEGF and the in vitro angiogenesis ability induced by ovarian cancer cells after RNA interference on expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2)gene.Methods One specific target sequence of MMP-2 and one non-specific sequence (NC group) were chosen,the DMEM as blank group.After transfection of ovarian cancer OVCAR-3 cells,mRNA and protein expression of MMP-2 and VEGF genes were examined by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis,and the angiogenesis ability was detected by in vitro angiogenic assay.Results When compared with the NC group,the mRNA expression of MMP-2 and VEGF were decreased by 78.8 ％ and 75.5 ％ (P ＜ 0.05) in 48 h after transfected,respectively,and protein expression was decreased by 81.2 ％ and 78.3 ％ (P ＜ 0.05) at the same time point.In vitro angiogenic assay suggested that the ability of angiogenesis was inhibited when down-regulated of MMP-2 gene (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Down-regulation of MMP-2 gene in ovarian cancer cells by RNA interference could inhibit its VEGF expression and in vitro angiogenesis induced by ovarian cancer cells,which suggestes that the inhibition of MMP-2 gene has an anti-angiogenesis effect,and MMP-2 gene could be a potential target for ovarian cancer gene-therapy. Key words: Ovarian neoplasms;  RNA interference;  Matrix metalloproteinase 2;  Neovascularization; Gene therapy