OBJECTIVETo study the effect of antizyme 1 (ZA1) gene transfection on the cell proliferation, cell cycle and apoptosis of human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells in vitro.

METHODSThe recombinant eukaryotic expression vector pAZ1m was constructed by cloning mutant AZ1 gene into the vector pEGFP-N1, and subsequently transfected in SH-SY5Y cells. The transfected cell proliferation was examined using MTT assay, and the changes in cell cycle and apoptosis were assayed using flow cytometry analysis. RT-PCR was performed to measure cyclin D1 and caspase-3 mRNA expressions, Western blotting carried out to examine cyclin D1 protein expression, and the changes in caspase-3 activity were detected using a caspase-3 detection kit.

RESULTSAZ1 gene transfection significantly inhibited the proliferation of SH-SY5Y cells, causing cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 stage and down-regulated cyclin D1 and up-regulated caspase-3 expressions. Obviously increased caspase-3 activity was also observed in the transfected cells.

CONCLUSIONExogenous AZ1 gene transfection can inhibit the proliferation and cause cell cycle arrest of SH-SY5Y cells by down-regulating cyclin D1 expression. Up-regulated caspase-3 expression resulting from AZ1 gene transfection may induce apoptosis of the neuroblastoma cells.