Objective      To determine the effect of silencing transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7) gene on the polarization of differentiated HL-60 (dHL-60) cells.       Methods      Small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting TRPM7 or targeting nonsense codons were used to transfected dHL-60 cells

and then cell polarization was observed in Zigmond chamber. Western blotting was used to examine the expression of TRPM7 and phosphorylated AKT in the transfected cells. Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the location of phosphorylated AKT.       Results      Compared with th

e control cells transfected with nonsense codons

the dHL-60 cells transfected with TRPM7-specific siRNA significantly decreased the protein expression of TRPM7 (

P

0.05)

increased cell polarization and expression of phosphorylated AKT significantly (

P

0.05)

and translocated the phosphorylated AKT from the cytoplasm to cell membrane in a polarized distribution

though no change was found in total AKT. The polarized distribution of AKT disappeared when the fMLP-stimulted dHL-60 cells were pretreated with triciribine

an AKT specific inhibitor.        Conclusion      TRPM7 regulates the dHL-60 cell polarization probably by AKT pathway.