Objective    To design and prepare siRNAs targeting bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) gene and to observe its effect on the migration and invasion of SMMC7721 cells.     Methods    Three specific siRNAs targeting BMP-2 were designed and synthesized

and then transiently transfected into SMMC7721 cells via cathodolyte liposome transfection method. Reverse transcriptase PCR and Western blotting were used to detect BMP-2 expression at mRNA and protein levels. The migration and invasion ability of cancer cell were assessed by cell scratch assay and in vitro invasion assay respectively. There are 6 groups

Group Ⅰ: Normal control group; Group Ⅱ: Control group; Group Ⅲ: Negative control group; Group Ⅳ

Ⅴ

Ⅵ: transfected with BMP-2-siRNA-A，BMP-2-siRNA-B

BMP-2-siRNA-C

respectively.    Results    After all the 3 specific BMP-2-siRNA (A

B

C) were transfected into SMMC7721 cells

the expression of BMP-2 mRNA and protein were significantly inhibited

with BMP-2-siRNA-B having the highest inhibitory rate [(0.32±0.07) vs (0.92±0. 14)

(0.37±0.10) vs (0.89±0.17)

P0.01]. The invasion assay demonstrated that the number of hepatoma cancer cells in transfection group was significantly lower than that in untransfected group

blank control group and negative control group [(6.48±3.62) vs (23.72±3.24)

(22.38±3.84)

P0.05]

which suggested that silencing BMP-2 gene obviously decreased the migration and invasion ability of hepatoma cancer cells.     Conclusion    BMP-2 is correlated with the migration and invasion potential of hepatoma cells. The siRNA of BMP-2 gene effectively inhibits the mRNA and protein expression of BMP-2

and then restrain the migration and invasion ability of the cells.