Abstract: Objective To study the effect of RNA interference on the expression of CTGF in skin fibroblasts of systemic sclerosis(SS).Methods Four CTGF specific siRNAs and a negative control siRNA were designed and then synthesized by in vitro transcription.siRNAs labeled with carboxyfluorescein-6-succimidyl ester (FAM) were transiently transfected into SS skin fibroblasts.Forty-eight hours after the fibroblasts were treated with siRNAs,the mRNA and protein expression of CTGF was detected by semiquantitative RT-PCR and Western blot analysis,respectively.Results The mRNA and protein expression of CTGF in fibroblasts was significantly down-regulated by 4 and 3 CTGF specific siRNAs (both P<0.001),respectively,at different levels.Conclusion RNA interference could effectively suppress the expression of CTGF in SS skin fibroblasts.

Key words: RNA,small interfering, Scleroderma,systemic, Fibroblast, Connective tissue growth factor