AIM:To investigate the growth-inhibiting and apoptosis-inducing effects of the gene MOB2 on human hepatic carcinoma cell line SMMC-7721.METHODS:The full-length cDNA of the MOB2 gene was amplified from human umbilical vein endothelial cells.The correct full-length MOB2 cDNA was subcloned into the eukaryotic expression vector pEGFP-C1.After lipofection of the MOB2 gene into cancer cells,the levels of MOB2 protein in the cancer cells were detected by immunoblotting.To transfect the recombined plasmid vector pEGFP-CI-MOB2 into SMMC-7721 cells,the cells were cultured in Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle’sMedium with 10% fetal calf serum and glutamine,and then mixed with liposomes,Lipofectamine 2000 and the plasmid vector pEGFP-CI-MOB2.RESULTS:We observed the growth and proliferation of SMMC-7721 cells containing pEGFP-CI-MOB2 and analyzed their apoptosis and growth cycle phases by flow cytometry.We successfully transfected the recombined plasmid vector pEGFP-CI-MOB2 into SMMC-7721 cells and screened for a single clone cell containing MOB2.After transfection,MOB2 enhanced growth suppression,induced apoptosis,increased the ratio of G0/G1,significantly inhibited the advance of cell cycle phase,and arrested cells in G0/G1 phase.CONCLUSION:MOB2 overexpression induces apoptosis and inhibits the growth of human hepatic cancer cells,which may be useful in gene therapy for hepatic carcinoma. AIM: To investigate the growth-inhibiting and apoptosis-inducing effects of the gene MOB2 on human hepatic carcinoma cell line SMMC-7721. METHODS: The full-length cDNA of the MOB2 gene was amplified from human umbilical vein endothelial cells. The correct full -length MOB2 cDNA was subcloned into the eukaryotic expression vector pEGFP-C1. After lipofection of the MOB2 gene into cancer cells, the levels of MOB2 protein in the cancer cells were detected by immunoblotting. To transfect the recombined plasmid vector pEGFP-CI-MOB2 into SMMC-7721 cells, the cells were cultured in Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle’s Medium with 10% fetal calf serum and glutamine, and then mixed with liposomes, Lipofectamine 2000 and the plasmid vector pEGFP-CI-MOB2.RESULTS: We observed the growth and proliferation of SMMC-7721 cells containing pEGFP-CI-MOB2 and analyzed their apoptosis and growth cycle phases by flow cytometry. We successfully transfected the recombined plasmid vector pEGFP-CI-MOB2 into SMMC-7721 cells and screene d for a single clone cell containing MOB2.After transfection, MOB2 enhanced growth suppression, induced apoptosis, increased the ratio of G0 / G1, significantly inhibited the advance of cell cycle phase, and arrested cells in G0 / G1phase.CONCLUSION: MOB2 overexpression induces apoptosis and inhibits the growth of human hepatic cancer cells, which may be useful in gene therapy for hepatic carcinoma.