Abstract: Abstract: Objective To study the effect of silencing NEK2 via RNAi on proliferation and apoptosis of ovarian cancer SKVO3 cells and the possible underlying molecular mechanism. Methods Three pairs of siRNA were designed according to the NEK2 gene sequence and synthesized chemically. The siRNAs were transfected into the ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells. After forty-eight hours of transfection, Real-time PCR and Western blotting were performed to detect the expression levels of NEK2 mRNA and protein so as to screen the most effective siRNA. MTT and FCM were performed to detect the proliferation and apoptosis of SKOV3 cells respectively. Western blotting assay was used to determine the expression level of proteins BAD,BCL-2 and CASPASE-3. Results Real-time PCR and Western blotting revealed that Nek2-siRNA notably down-regulated NEK2 expression on both mRNA and protein levels. The proliferation of Nek2-siRNA transfected SKOV3 cells was inhibited while the apoptotic cells were increased. Western blotting assay revealed that silencing NEK2 in SKVO3 cells up-regulated expression level of BAD and CASPASE-3, while down-regulated BCL-2 significantly. Conclusion Nek2-siRNA can effectively promote apoptosis of ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells by down-regulating NEK2.These data suggested that NEK2 plays an important role in apoptosis of ovarian cancer cells, which might be a potential target.

Key words: Nek2, small interfering RNA, ovarian cancer, cell proliferation, apoptosis