Inhibition of CD147 expression reduces tumor cell invasion in human prostate cancer cell line via RNA interference

CD147, also named extracelluar matrix metalloproteinase inducer ( EMMPRIN), has been proved to be involved in the invasion and metastasis processes of tumor cells in many types of cancers. To determine the role of CD147 in the invasiveness properties of prostate cancer, we successfully downregulated CD147 by RNA interference (RNAi) technology, in PC-3 cell line at high level of CD147 expression. PC-3 cells were transfected with a pSilencer 4.1-CMV neo Vector coding for an RNA composed of two identical 19-nucleotide sequence motifs in an inverted orientation, separated by a 9-bp spacer to form a hairpin dsRNA capable of mediating target CD147 inhibition. Gelatin zymography was employed to determine the effect on reducing secretions of MMP-2 and MMP-9 of the transfected cells. Matrigel invasion assay was performed to evaluate the invasion ability of PC-3 cells in vitro. Our results showed that CD147 expression was significantly inhibited by small interfering RNAs ( siRNA) transfectants in PC-3 cells at mRNA and protein levels, which resulted in dramatic reduction of invasion ability in tumor cells. Moreover, downregulation of CD147 resulted in reducing secretions of MMP-2, MMP-9. Taken together, CD147 downregulation by RNAi technology decreases the invasive capability of prostate cancer cells, demonstrating that stable expression of siRNA CD147 could potentially be an experimental approach for prostate cancer gene therapy.