Background & objective: Over-expression of CD151 gene in tumor tissues may be associated with metastasis and poor prognosis of cancer, but the mechanism is unknown. This study was designed to determine the effects of CD151 gene on migration of human tongue squamous carcinoma cell line Tca8113.
Methods: Functional fragment of CD151 gene was amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and inserted into plasmid adeno-associated virus (pAAV) vector in sense direction and antisense direction to construct rAAV-CD151 and rAAV-antiCD151, the virus titers were determined by dot blot. Two weeks after transfection, protein level of CD151 in Tca8113 cells was detected by Western blot, the effect of CD151 on migration of Tca8113 cells was detected by Transwell chambers.
Results: Titer of rAAV-CD151 was 2x10(11) pfu/ml, titer of rAAV-antiCD151 was 1x10(11) pfu/ml. Transfection of rAAV-CD151 increased expression of CD151 in Tca8113 cells by 108% of control cells, while transfection of rAAV-antiCD151 decreased expression of CD151 in Tca8113 cells by 79% of control cells. Migrated cells count was significantly higher in rAAV-CD151-transfected cells (93.6+/-11.6), and lower in rAAV-antiCD151-transfected cells (24.0+/-4.4) than in untransfected and rAAV-GFP-transfected cells (53.0+/-6.6 and 46.0+/-7.0, P<0.05).
Conclusions: It is an important molecular mechanism of tumor metastasis that over-expression of CD151 promotes migration of tumor cells. rAAV-antiCD151, a novel therapeutic tool, can specifically reduce the expression of CD151, and inhibit migration of tumor cells.