Objective      To illuminate the function of silent information regulator 2 related enzyme 2 (SIRT2) on the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HCCs).       Methods      The expression of SIRT2 was silenced by lentivirus-mediated short hairpin RNA (shRNA) interference. SIRT2 protein level was measured by Western blotting. The protein level of β-catenin was analyzed by Western blotting. Cell cycle was measured by flow cytometry. The effect of S

IRT2 silencing on cell proliferation of HCCs was determined by trypan blue exclusion assay and Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8). DNA synthesis was detected by the bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) assay. The clone formation of HCCs was observed by colony formation assay.       Results      Lentivirus-mediated shRNA significantly down-regulated the SIRT2 expression level in HCCs. Knockdown of SIRT2 in hepatocarcinoma cell line PLC-5 decreased cell proliferation by 48.3% and 55.6% respectively for shSIRT2-1 and shSIRT2-2 (P0.01). Knockdown of SIRT2 induced G

1

phase arrest in PLC-5 cells and decreased the expression of β-catenin. After over-expressing β-catenin

the proliferation of SIRT2-silenced hepatocarcinoma cells increased by 89% and 75% respectively for shSIRT2-1 and shSIRT2-2 (P0.01).       Conclusion      The silencing of SIRT2 may inhibit the proliferation of HCCs by β-catenin signaling pathway.