Objective: To observe the different effects of several traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) formula therapies on vimentin(VIM) expression in liver cancer rats and in humane hepatocarcinoma cells. Method: Rat hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) model was induced by diethylnitrosamine(DEN). These rats were treated by different therapeutical methods including Nourishing spleen and enriching Qi

Clearing away heat and toxic material

Activating blood circulation. Gene chips were used to measure the different expression of VIM gene. Two siRNA targets toward VIM gene were designed; and recombinant plasmid was transfected to hepatocellular carcinoma cell line SMMC-7721. Gene expression of VIM was determined using real-time quantitative PCR

and the cell viability was determined by MTT assay. Result: According to the gene chip results

VIM expression increased significantly after formation of hepatocellular carcinoma in rats. Such TCM therapeutical methods as Nourishing spleen and enriching qi and Activating blood circulation could down-regulate VIM expression obviously. An effective siRNA target sequence in VIM was obtained by MTT assay. Hepatocarcinoma cells proliferation were inhibited obviously after 144 hours of interferenced target transfection. VIM gene expression was decreased greatly. Conclusion: Malignant proliferation of hepatocarcinoma cells might be related with high expression of VIM gene.