Objective        To determine the effect of transcription factor Ascl2 on differentiation of colon cancer cells.       Methods        Colon cancer HT-29 and LS174T cells were transfected with shRNA-Ascl2 interference plasmid and shRNA-control plasmid

respectively. A stably-transfected cell line model was established by screening G418. Effect of shRNA-Ascl2 interference plasmid on expression of goblet cell markers

Muc2 and TFF3 mRNA and protein expression

was detected by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis.       Results       The successfully constructed shRNA-Ascl2/EPGF plasmid and shRNA-control/EPGF plasmid were confirmed by sequencing. Stably-transfected shRNA-Ascl2/HT-29

shRNA-Ctr/HT-29

shRNA-Ascl2/LS174T and shRNA-Ctr/LS174T cells were obtained by screening G418. RT-PCR and Western blot analysis displayed that the Ascl2 interference plasmid could effectively inhibit the Ascl2 expression in HT-29 and LS174T cells (P0.01) and the Muc2 and TFF3 mRNA expression levels were significantly higher in HT-29 and LS174T cells than in their controls after Ascl2 interference (P0.05). However

no significant difference was observed in the TFF3 mRNA expression level in LS174T cells and controls after Ascl2 interference (P0.05). Western blot analysis showed that the Muc2 protein expression level was significantly higher in shRNA-Ascl2/HT-29 and shRNA-Ascl2/LS174T cells than in their controls after Ascl2 interference (P0.05).       Conclusion       Interference of Ascl2 expression in colon cancer HT-29 and LS174T cells leads to their differentiation into phenotype of goblet cells.