Effects of small interfering RNAs targeting fascin on human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell lines

Abstract Background Fascin induces membrane protrusions and cell motility. Fascin overexpression was associated with poor prognosis, and its downregulation reduces cell motility and invasiveness in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Using a stable knockdown cell line, we revealed the effect of fascin on cell growth, cell adhesion and tumor formation. Methods We examined whether fascin is a potential target in ESCC using in vitro and in vivo studies utilizing a specific siRNA. We established a stable transfectant with downregulated fascin from KYSE170 cell line. Results The fascin downregulated cell lines showed a slower growth pattern by 40.3% (p In vivo, the tumor size was signific…