Inhibition of Cervical Cancer Cell Growth by Gene Silencing of HPV16 E6 Induced by Short-interfering RNA

The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection has been strongly associated with pathogenesis of uterine cervix carcinoma. HPV type 16, a causative agent of uterine cervix carcinoma, encodes the E6 and E7 oncogenes, expression of which is pivotal for malignant transformation and maintenance of malignant phenotypes. To develop a gene therapy for HPV-related carcinoma, We investigated the effect of E6 short-interfering RNA (E6 siRNA) on the expression of this oncogene and on the growth of HPV 16-related uterine cervix carcinoma cells. SiHa cells, a uterine cervix carcinoma cell line, which contain a single copy of HPV 16 integrated in the chromosome and express the E6 and E7 oncogenes. Before 24 hr of transfection, cells were seeded and transfected with control plasmid or E6 siRNA-expressing plasmid. The mRNA was analysed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The cell growth rate was investigated by MTT method. The E6 mRNA level in SiHa cells was decreased in HPV 16 E6 siRNA-expression vector transfected cells and a decrease in the growth of these cells was also observed. From these results. it is evident that E6 siRNA played a role in suppression of growth of SiHa cells and has a fair chance as a candidate for gene specific therapy for HPV related uterine cervix carcinoma.