Objective        To determine the effects of silencing integrin-linked kinase (ILK) in human tongue cancer TCA8113 cells on the expression of its downstream signal molecules p-Akt and p-GSK3β and on the growth and spontaneous metastasis of tumor xenografts.       Methods        Target cells were constructed by transfecting specific siILK plasmid and a non-homologous vector negative control into TCA8113 cells

TCA8113 vector and TCA8113 siILK cells

respectively. Three groups were injected separately into nude mice subcutaneously to construct xenograft tumor model. Nude mice were sacrificed in 5 weeks later. Weight of the xenograft tumors was measured in these nude mice. Tumors and lungs underwent routine pathological examination. Changes in the expression of p-Akt

p-GSK3β and micro-blood vessels in tumor tissue were detected by immunofluorescence assay and laser scanning confocal microscopy.       Results        Spontaneous lung metastasis tumors were found both in TCA8113 and TCA8113 vector group

while there was no such finding in the lungs of TCA8113 siILK group. Xenograft tumor cells in TCA8113 siILK group were smaller and had less mitotic figures and karyoplasmic scale compared to the other 2 groups. The expression of p-Akt and p-GSK3β in vitro and in vivo were obviously inhibited in TCA8113 siILK group compared with the other groups (P0.05). The mean tumor mass was obviously smaller in TCA8113 siILK group than the TCA8113 and TCA8113 vector groups with a tumor inhibitory rate of 84% and 92%

respectively (P0.05). Micro-blood vessel formation was also reduced in TCA8113 siILK group compared to the other groups (P0.05).       Conclusion        Silencing ILK inhibits the growth of TCA8113 human tongue cancer tumor xenograft through inhibiting the expressions of p-Akt and p-GSK3β as well as blood vessel formation.