Abstract: Objective: To investigate the effect of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) on cell proliferation, migration, invasion of human cervical squamous carcinomas SiHa cells and tumorigenic ability of nude mice. Methods: Cervical squamous carcinoma SiHa cells were transfected with MMP-2 silencing lentiviral vector (MMP-2-LV group), and cervical squamous carcinoma SiHa cells were transfected with a control lentiviral vector (NC-LV group，negative control). The mRNA levels of MMP-2 were measured using qRT-PCR. The expression of MMP-2 protein was detected by Western blotting. The effects of MMP-2 on cell proliferation, invasion, migration and apoptosis were observed by CCK-8 cell proliferation assay, Transwell invasion, migration assay, and flow cytometry. The effect of MMP-2 on subcutaneous tumor formation ability of nude mice was observed by transplanted tumor model in nude mice. Results: Compared with the NC group, the MMP-2-LV group showed lower expression of MMP-2 mRNA and protein(P＜0.01), and it showed a reduction of the cell proliferation ability(P＜0.01), invasion and migration ability(P＜0.05), as well as the increase of apoptosis(P＜0.05). The nude mice tumor formation showed lower subcutaneous tumorigenic average tumor volume of nude mice inoculated with MMP-2-LV group than the NC-LV group (P＜0.01). Conclusions: Silencing MMP-2 can inhibit the proliferation, invasion and migration of SiHa cells and promote apoptosis, suggesting that MMP-2 could be a potential therapeutic target for cervical squamous cell carcinoma.

Key words: Uterine cervical neoplasms, Carcinoma, squamous cell, SiHa cells, Cell line, tumor, Cell proliferation;, Matrix metalloproteinase 2;, Neoplasm invasiveness, Animal experimentation