Chinese Journal of Dermatology ›› 2008, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (9): 598-600.

• Original Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Mutated BRAFV599E gene enhances the growth of malignant melanoma cell line A375

  

  • Received:2007-11-14 Revised:2008-01-17 Online:2008-09-15 Published:2008-09-15

Abstract: Objective To investigate the role of mutated BRAFV599E gene in the growth of malignant melanoma cells. Methods In the previous study, plasmids containing small hairpin RNAs (shRNAs), braf1 and braf2 specific for mutated BRAFV599E gene, were designed and used to transfect A375 cells to inhibit the expression of BRAF gene in these cells. In this study, four kinds of A375 cells, including Abraf1 (transfected with braf1), Abraf2 (transfected with braf2), Aneg (transfected with negative plasmid) and A375 (untransfected) cells, were chosen and cultured in 96-well plate. MTT assay, plate clone forming assay, flow cytometry were applied to test the growth, clone formation, cell cycle and apoptosis of these cells respectively. Results Compared with A375 and Aneg cells, inhibited proliferation (F = 25.48, P < 0.001) and clone-forming rate (F = 90.06, P < 0.001) were observed in Abraf1 and Abraf2 cells; furthermore, flow cytometry showed a decrease in S-phase population(F = 147.87, P < 0.001) but an increase in G1-phase population(F = 9.14, P < 0.05)in Abraf1 and Abraf2 cells. However, neither Abraf1 nor Abraf2 cells exhibited a significant increase in apoptosis ratio(F = 2.27, P > 0.05). Conclusions Mutated BRAFV599E gene could induce the switch from G1 phase to S phase in melanoma cells, subsequently accelerate the growth of melanoma cells, but it has no obvious influence on the apoptosis of these cells.