Effect of TSLC1 gene on growth and apoptosis in human esophageal carcinoma Eca109 cells

INTRODUCTION: To explore the effect of tumor suppressor in lung cancer 1 (TSLC1) on proliferation and apoptosis in esophageal cancer Eca109 cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Eca109 cells were divided into three groups: TSLC1 transfected group (TTG), mock group (MG) and untransfected group (UTG). The TTG and MG were transfected transiently with the pIRES2-EGFP-TSLC1 eukaryotic expression vector and pIRES2-EGFP vector respectively. The UTG was a blank control. The TSLC1 expression in TTG was analyzed with the fluorogram and RT-PCR method. Cell proliferation was measured with 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium (MTT) assay. Cell cycle was measured by flow cytometry (FCM). Cell apoptosis was detected by Annexin-V/PI double staining FCM. RESULTS: Green color was found in TTG and MG. The band of TSLC1 mRNA of TTG was located at about 1400 bp by RT-PCR and agarose gel electrophoresis assay. The TSLC1 inhibited cell proliferation significantly in MTT assay, and the cell proliferation was slower in TTG than MG and UTG. After TSLC1 transfection, cell numbers increased in G0/G1 phase and decreased in S phase. Forty-eight hours after transfection, the apoptosis rate and death rate of TTG were higher than MG and UTG. Thus TSLC1 induced Eca109 cells to apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: The TSLC1 gene had a potent effect on cell proliferation inhibition, G1/S cell cycle arrest and induction of cell apoptosis in Eca109 cells.