Objective To explore the effect and mechanism of Gli2 on EMT and invasion in the hepatocellular car-cinoma cell line SMMC-7721.Methods shRNA of Gli2 and Negative control (NC) shRNA were constructed and transfected into SMMC-7721 cells.shRNA-Gli2 group,shRNA-NC group and blank group were set up .Transwell chambers assay , adhesion experiments were used to detect the ability of invasion ,homogeneous and heterogeneous cells intercellular adhesion of each group .Meanwhile, the qRT-PCR, Western blot were used to examine Gli2, E-cadherin ,N-cadherin and vimentin mRNA and protein expression .Results In different hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines and be along with the increasing ability of the invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines , Gli2 expres-sion was higher .Compared with the shRNA-NC group and blank control group ,the interfered group extensive cells invasion ability was inhibited ( P <0.05 ) , homogeneous cells intercellular adhesion increased and heterogeneous cells intercellular was opposite ( P <0.05 ) , meanwhile , the expression of E-cadherin was declined significantly ( P<0.05 ) ,the expression of N-cadherin , vimentin raised significantly ( P<0.05 ) .Conclusions Silencing Gli2 gene can reverse the EMT of the hepatocellular carcinoma cell line SMMC-7721 and inhibit cell invasion ,its mecha-
nism may be related to the up-regulation of E-cadherin and the dow N-regulation of N-cadherin, vimentin.