Short hairpin RNA of frizzled-2 suppresses the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells

FZD2 regulates cell proliferation and invasion in tongue squamous cell carcinoma

Many studies have shown that FZD2 is significantly associated with tumor development and tumor metastasis. The purpose of the present study was to gain insight into the role of FZD2 in the cell proliferation and invasion of tongue squamous cell carcinoma. According to TCGA-HNSC dataset, among the 10 Frizzled receptors, FZD2 exhibited the highest degree of differential expression between cancer tissues and normal tissues, and the overall survival of patients with higher FZD2 levels was shown to be significantly shorter compared with those with lower FZD2 levels. The upregulation of FZD2 in clinical tongue cancer tissues was validated by real-time PCR. Knockdown of FZD2 inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of CAL-27 and TCA-8113 cells, whereas overexpression of FZD2 led to the opposite results. Further analysis revealed that FZD2 is positively correlated with WNT3A, WNT5B, WNT7A and WNT2 and is negatively correlated with WNT4. These results indicated that FZD2 may act as an oncogene in tongue squamous cell carcinoma. Therefore, FZD2 may be a target for the diagnosis, prognosis and gene therapy of tongue cancer.

Suppression of hepatocellular carcinoma cell proliferation by short hairpin RNA of frizzled 2 with Sonazoid-enhanced irradiation

Short-hairpin RNA of frizzled-2 (shRNA-Fz2) is known to suppress the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells; however, its effect on HCC cell motility is unknown. In this study, suppression of HCC cell motility by shRNA-Fz2 was analyzed, and introduction of shRNA-Fz2 into HCC cells was facilitated with ultrasound (US) irradiation generated from a diagnostic US device, which was enhanced by the contrast-enhanced US reagent Sonazoid. The HCC cell lines HLF and PLC/PRF/5 that were transfected with shRNA-Fz2 were plated to form monolayers, following which the cell monolayers were scratched with a sterile razor. After 48 h, the cells were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and the distance between the growing edge of the cell layer and the scratch lines was measured. Total RNA from the cells was isolated and subjected to real-time quantitative PCR to quantify matrix metalloproteinase 9 expression at 48 h after transfection of shRNA-Fz2. Starch-iodide method was applied to analyze the generation of H2O2 following US irradiation with the addition of Sonazoid in the liquid, and cell proliferation was analyzed 72 h later. The distances between the growing edge of the cell layer and the scratch lines and MMP9 expression levels were significantly decreased with transfection of shRNA-Fz2 (P<0.05). In the starch-iodide method, absorbance significantly decreased with the addition of Sonazoid (P<0.05), which suggested that US irradiation with Sonazoid generated H2O2 and enhanced sonoporation. ShRNA-Fz2 suppressed cell proliferation of both cell lines at a mechanical index of 0.4. Motility of HLF cells and PLC/PRF/5 cells was suppressed by shRNA-FZ2. Sonazoid enhanced sonoporation of the cells with the diagnostic US device and the suppression of proliferation of both HCC cell lines by shRNA-Fz2.

Gastric cancer cell proliferation is suppressed by frizzled-2 short hairpin RNA

In order to identify novel targets for the molecular therapy of gastric cancer (GC), we investigated the mRNA and protein expression of frizzled-2 (Fz2), a Wnt signaling pathway receptor. Reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification was utilized to determine the expression patterns of Fz genes in normal stomach and in the GC cell lines MKN45 and MKN74. Immunostaining was performed on surgical specimens of GC using an antibody against Fz2. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2- (4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium inner salt (MTS) assay was performed on MKN45 cells and MKN74 cells transfected with Fz2 short-hairpin (sh) RNA. Cell motility was analyzed by scratch assay following Fz2 shRNA. Real-time quantitative PCR was performed to analyze the expression levels of cyclin D1 and matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9). Fz1, 3, 6 and 8 were expressed in normal stomach, and in MKN45 and MKN74 cells. Fz2 was expressed in normal stomach and in MKN45, but not in MKN74 cells. Well-differentiated GC tissue was weakly positive for Fz2 in cell membranes. Fz2 was positive in both the cell membrane and cytoplasm of GC tissues of moderately differentiated and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Signet ring cells were positive for cytoplasmic Fz2. Proliferation of MKN45 and MKN74 cells was suppressed by Fz2 shRNA, and a scratch assay demonstrated that Fz2 shRNA suppressed also MKN45 and MKN74 cell motility. Furthermore, Fz2 shRNA application led to downregulated mRNA expression of both cyclin D1 and MMP-9. Fz2, 3, 6 and 8 were expressed in normal stomach, and in MKN45 and MKN74 GC cells. Fz2 shRNA suppressed cell proliferation and motility of MKN45 and MKN74 cells, and downregulated cyclin D1 and MMP-9 expression in these GC cell lines.