OBJECTIVESTo explore the influence of c-Met inhibitor by synthetic c-Met antisense oligonucleotide, constructive c-Met antisense plasmid and the complex plasmid of U1SnRNA/ ribozyme/anti-Met on the growth and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

METHODSGene transfection was operated by Lipofectin on SF7721 cells. The difference of the cells before and after transfection was compared by MTT, growth curves and transwell test in vitro. In vivo, the cells before and after transfection were implanted subcutaneously into nude mice respectively to observe tumor growth and metastasis.

RESULTSC-Met antisense oligonucleotide could inhibit the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma SF7721 cells (t=3.58, P<0.05). After transfection, the expression of c-Met protein decreased. Growth curves showed that the cells after transfection proliferated more slowly, about 50% of control cells (F=4.87, P<0.05), and their motility and invasiveness decreased, compared with those before transfected. In vivo experiment, tumors originated from c-Met antisense oligonucleotide treated cells and the antisense/ribozyme/U1SnRNA treated cells grew more slowly (about 54.5% of those from the control cells), and the latent prolonged. After 35 days, the average weight of tumors in the two group nude mice were lighter than that in the control group nude mice (F=5.17, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONInhibition of c-Met expression by c-Met antisense oligonucleotide and the complex of antisense/ribozyme/U1SnRNA can inhibit the growth and metastasis of SF7721 hepatocarcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo.