Silencing of TGIF sensitizes MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells to cisplatin-induced apoptosis

The present study was designed to explore the sensitivity of MDA-MB-231 cells to cisplatin after silencing the expression of TG-interacting factor (TGIF) protein. Cell viability was measured using an MTT assay. Cell apoptosis was detected by the annexin V and dead cell assay and the Hoechst staining assay. Protein expression was analyzed using western blot analysis. A colony formation assay was also performed. It was observed that cisplatin reduced the expression of TGIF protein in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Silencing TGIF significantly suppressed the cell proliferation and colony formation in MDA-MB-231 cells with the treatment of cisplatin. Results indicated that silencing TGIF could dramatically increase the cisplatin-induced apoptosis rate in MDA-MB-231 cells. The expression of PARP and caspase-3 proteins was correlated with the effect that silencing TGIF enhanced cisplatin sensitivity in MDA-MB-231 cells. The present data showed that silencing TGIF promoted apoptotic sensitivity that was induced by cisplatin in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells and suggested that TGIF might be a therapeutic target for improving the chemotherapy response in triple-negative breast cancer.