Abstract: Objective:To investigate the effects of silencing HOXA13 gene on the malignant phenotypes of hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines HepG₂ and QGY-7703,and to provide a new molecular target for the diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods: The interference recombinant plasmid of plent-U6-GFP/si-HOXA13 was constructed,then it was stably transfected into the HepG₂ and QGY-7703 cells.The interfering effects of HOXA13 gene were determined by RT-PCR and Western blotting methods.The HepG₂ and QGY-7703 cells transfected with HOXA13 knockdown were used as experimental group,and the HepG₂ and QGY-7703 cells transfected with empty plasmid were used as control group.Then the growth speed was examined by MTT assay,the cell doubling time was examined by double time assay,the colony formation ability was examined by colony formation assay,and the cell cycle was examined by flow cytometry. Results: The MTT assay results showed that compared with control group,the growth speeds of HepG₂ and GY-7703 cells in experimental group were significantly decreased and the cell cycles were changed; the number of HepG₂ and QGY-7703 cells in G₁ phase was increased and the number of cells in S phase was decreased.The doubling time of HepG₂ and QGY-7703 cells in control group and experimental group were (4.59±0.27),(4.93±0.17),(6.02±0.86), and (6.43±0.66)h,and the differences between control group and experimental group were significant(P<0.05).The colony number of HepG₂ and QGY-7703 cells in control group and experimental group were 264.00±12.62,269.00±4.55,165.00±10.61, and 215.00±4.43,and the differences between control group and experimental group were significant(P<0.01). Conclusion: HOXA13 can increase the proliferation,enhance the clone formation,decrease the number of cells at G₁ phase and increase the number of cells at S phase in the hepatocellular carcinoma HepG₂ and QGY-7703 cells; and it may used as a new molecular target for diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Key words: cell proliferation, colony formation, HOXA13, liver neoplasms, cell cycle, malignant phenotype