Aim: To explore the expression of the truncated bid gene and its pro-apoptotic effect on Hela cells.
Methods: A full-length human bid gene was cloned by RT-PCR and confirmed by sequence analysis. By deleting the 60 amino acids of N-terminal the truncated bid (tbid) gene was obtained and then inserted into the eukaryotic expression vector pIRES2-EGFP. After the tbid gene was transfected into Hela cells under lipofectamine mediation, the effect of target gene expression on morphology and growth of Hela cells were observed under fluorescence and electron microscopes and analysed by TUNEL staining.
Results: pIRES2-EGFP containing tbid gene was constructed successfully. After Hela cells were transfected with GFP expression vector of tbid gene, tbid was expressed which was followed by decreased cell fluorescence intensity, poor cell growth, and cell death. Cell shrinkage and nuclear condensation, typical apoptotic characteristics, were observed by electron microscope observation and Tunel staining.
Conclusion: The expression of tbid can effectively induce apoptosis of Hela cells.