Effects of RhoA silencing on the migration and invasion of salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma

To explore whether RhoA plays a role in the migration and invasion of the salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma cell lines SACC-LM and SACC-83.

Total RNA and total protein were extracted from 20 salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (SACC) and normal adjacent tissues frozen in liquid nitrogen to detect RhoA expression. RhoA-siRNA was constructed to transfect two cell lines (SACC-LM and SACC-83) for cytological experiments. The research included an experimental group (RhoA-siRNA transfection), negative control group (siRNA-NC transfection) and blank group by transient transfection with liposomes. Expression of RhoA mRNA and protein as well as the protein expression of biomarkers of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were analyzed, including E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and Vimentin. Furthermore, the changes in invasion and migration of cells in each group were analyzed by comparing the number of transmembrane cells in the Transwell assay and the results of the scratch test.

Compared with normal adjacent tissues, RhoA protein and mRNA levels increased in SACC tissues. Compared with the control group, the relative expression levels of RhoA mRNA and protein decreased (P < 0.01), the relative expression levels of E-cadherin protein increased, and the relative expression levels of N-cadherin and vimentin protein increased in the experimental group (P < 0.01). Additionally, the trial results revealed that RhoA knockdown restrained cell migration and invasion (P < 0.01).

RhoA expression increased in SACC tissue. Silencing RhoA in vitro could effectively restrain cell migration and invasion in SACC-LM and SACC-83 cells through the regulation of EMT signaling pathways.