Effect of antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotides targeting at HER-2 mRNA on Caspase-3 protein expression in SK-BR-3 breast cancer cells

AIM: To observe the effect of HER-2 specific antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotide HA824 on Caspase-3 protein expression in SK-BR3 breast cancer cells. METHODS: HER-2 overexpressed SK-BR-3 breast cancer cells were set as our experimental cells. HA824 was synthesized as described above. HA4 was reported to have positive control sequences, and scramble was set as our random control sequence. SK-BR-3 cells were incubated in RPMI 1640 containing 200 nmol·L -1 difference antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotides for 8 h or 36 h respectively, HER-2 mRNA and Caspase-3 expression were detected by means of RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry. RESULTS: Compared to scramble control, HA824 and HA4 significantly inhibited HER-2 mRNA expression, HA824 seemed to have an additive inhibitory effect. Anyway, both of them did not have significant effects on Caspase-3 expression as compared with scramble. CONCLUSION: Inhibitory effects of HA824 and HA4 on HER-2 mRNA expressions in SK-BR-3 cells may not be associated with Caspase-3 protein activation.