Abstract:Objective:To explore the inhibitory effect of survivin antisense oligonucleotide(ASODN) on human hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) cell line HepG2. Methods :The expression of survivin protein in HCC tissue was detected immunohistochemically. Survivin ASODN was transfected into HepG2 cell by lipofectamine in vitro. The expression of survivin protein was detected by westernblot.Apoptotic index(AI) and colony formation were examined by flow cytometry and in soft agar respectively.Human HCC model in nude mice was established by subcutaneous injection of HepG2 cells.In vivo effect of survivin ASODN on tumor growth was observed. Results:(1) The expression rate of survivin protein in HCC was 75.8%(25/33),which was significantly higher than that in corresponding noncancerous adjacent liver tissue and normal liver tissue(P<0.01).(2) The expression of survivin protein in HepG2 cells was obviously downregulated after transfected with survivin ASODN.AI of HepG2 cells in ASODN group were significantly higher than those in the control and SODN groups(P<0.01). Colonies of HepG2 cells in ASODN group were significantly fewer those that in the control and SODN groups(P<0.01).(3) The tumor growth of nude mice in ASODN group was significantly slower than that in the control and SODN groups(P< 0.01).The tumor weight of ASODN group was significantly lower than that of the control and SODN groups(P<0.05). Conclusions:There is overexpression of survivin in HCC. Survivin ASODN can induce HepG2 cells apoptosis and inhibit the growth of HepG2 cells in vitro and in vivo.